Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
FROM ACROSS THE SEA
HINTS ON MEMS WEAR FROM THE
BRITISH CAPITAL.
Crash Flannel for Spring Use-The
! Transition in Tourage Suits
The Right Brown.
London Correspondence the Haberdasher.

London Correspondence the Haberdasher.
Because it is very likely that a some-
what absurd story about the prevalence
of green in all departments of mems dress,
which was given prominence in one of the
London papers of the less important kind,
may find its way to America, l think it
desirable to say a few words on the color
question generally, before discussing the
latest developments of trade in this part of
the world. The story just referred to al
legged that green suitings, shirts, cravats,
hats, boots (or rather, as you would say,
shoes), and even green socks, were being
worn; and a somewhat alarming combina-
ton of pea, emerald, sea, sage and other
greens, to be worn all at the same time,
gravely described with particularly
which sent all my newspaper editorS-the
kindly journalists who publish my some
what numerous articles on the subject of
male fashions and customS-fying to me
for reinsurance. Such combination as
the one above referred to could only be
worn a warning. The simple fact is that
the color note of the present season in
London is just what l predicted long ago
in the Haberdasher that it would be,
namely, brown. To say this sans phrase
is, of course, not very informing, and 1 can
now go farther. The brown of the day is
a strictly defined color in the really fash
ionable world; for, although all sorts of
browns are being made up for miscel-
laneous trade, the West End, now as
always, wears it's rue with a difference"
There is but one really fashionable brown.
1t Is very dark, very full in tone, rang
ing rather toward a purplish tone than
toward mahogany, and in tweeds it is
broken only by slight admixture of black,
so that you have decidedly somber effect.
The consequence is that brown shoes,
which looked rather well with the grays of
last summer, are not likely to be SO much
worn, at all events during the spring; by
nP 1apC "a hrnt1
hats of the bowler" shape (Which is our
name for derby are in for decided run.
In hats, more than anything else, there
Is danger of a mistake. Light drabby
browns are being sold all over the country,
but they are one and all absolutely wrong
-wrongest of all when worn with con-
trasting rband and binding of a slightly
darker and fuller brown. The only modish
hat is of the same hue that 1 have just
described for suitings, and the fittings are
made to match 1t as nearly as possible,
allowing for the difference of fabric. These
facts are established beyond dispute.
Gray Has Gone.
Gray alpine hats, therefore, have gone
entirely out of use, and the wearing of
such a hat is one of the most noticeable
solecisms that can be committed. Indeed,
gray has died the death all along the
line. Even gray morning coats and frocks
are now out of fashion; the black coat
is semi as well as full dress. Most re-
markable of all is the disappearance of
gray suede gloves, SO long a noted &C
Compartment of full day dress. Cravats,
worn with tailed coats,-are black with a
spot, generally yellow or green, and the
fashionable crowd is going for spots of a
very uniform shape--square, With rounded
corners. For lounge wear the most fash
ionable knot is made of yellow China silk
(Which supersedes -crepe), though, as L
predicted, there Is a taste in this depart
ment alone for green. The small knot,
20 tla how fnr
wearing with a double collar. full squares
being wrong with this, as the soft shirt
is wanted to be on show. The choice be-
tween yellow and green is determined
by the color, If any, of the shirt. Re-
speeding the latter, 1t is not necessary to
say very much, as I sent pretty full
description of the spring and summer
styles last month"; but the most marked
innovation in lounge shirts is the free use
of tucks. Many day shirts for jacket
wear are of white cambria Tor rather they
will be when the weather is little warm
err; but even when French print is used.
when line patterns will be practically uni
versal, these small tucks will be in evil
dence on the fronts. Crash flannel Is a
new cloth.
Evening Dress Shirts.
Evening dress shirts will be plain, and
with a single stud in the front. There Is
one important point to be remembered in
this connection, and that is that the
stud hole is placed about three-quarters of
an inch higher than usual. 1t Is small
thing to make a fuss about; but the cor
rect position of the stud will be a mark
for some little time of the fashionable,
custom-made shirt, as eontrasted with the
cheaper, ready-made article. Evening bows
will be larger than last seasons. But the
most startling report / have come across
in regard to evening dress is one ema-
mating from very authoritative quarter.
I am not able to indorse the statement
from personal observation, but the editor
: of aShinia sta of the hest