Evening star., 1905-11-11

in the marked progress of colored cravat-
tings. There is an unwritten law of fash
ion that the only cravat to wear with a
pink shirt is a black one. with or without
pattern in white. There is no reason for
this, so far as I can say. Plenty of col
ored ties would harmonize with pink
shirt. But the law exists. You can wear
any harmonious color with blue, and plenty
of men wear cravats of color that does
not harmonze. The rather feminirely
named "heliotrope" shirt is not much In
favor; but it is the only alternative to
blue. Green shirts are away down in the
social taste; and perhaps the best thing of
all is white and white. silk and linen
with a black pattern. l notice that some
of the heavy cheviot shirtngs of the spring
seem now to be utilized for making sum-
mer waistcoats to which they are well
adapted.
Single breasted styles are still the only
wear in every department of the tailor's
trade You never see any kind of double
breasted jacket double breasted waist
coat. Even evening waistcoats are always
single now. The white cashmere suit
which may have a small line pattern in
black or pale blue-is the very smartest
thing for such affairs as house-boat parties
and lawn-tennis afternoons. 1t is delight
fully cool looking, and it runs into no dan
ger of being vulgariZed, because the cheap
crowd will have nothing to do with thing
which can only be worn two or three times
before going 10 the chemical cleaners. OF
course, the season for this sort of wear is
nearly at an end: you could not wear
white suit in any but the very sultriest
weather. But next year there Is certain to
be revival of the idea, and my impress
sion is that when these suits come into use
in the hot weather of 1905 they will be
double breasted and cut very square, in
stead of being single breasted, as they are
now. BY the way, the small round or
semi-square style of jacket corner is now
quite out of date, and all jackets are made
with the old kind of cutting away familiar
by its long use.
Collar Height.
There has been a good deal Of talk lately
about collar height, and some collars have
been offered, both in wing. and fold shapes,
of a much greater depth than we have
lately been accustomed to. 1 do not think,
however. that the tendency of the best
fashion is in the direction of a greater
height. My observation tends to show just
the contrary. Men of the best class are
wearing fold collars as low two inches,
and two and a quarter is about the maxi
mum. Wing collars best at the latter
figure; the narrower kind went out when
sharp corners became, as they are, obso-
lete 1t is quite likely that the latter may
be revived presently; a certain amount of
impatience with the universal round corr
ner Is manifested. For golf a two-inch fold
collar is best; the very narrow ones have
been given up by men of discernment in
dress.
Irish poplin Is again rather in favor for
cravats. though China crepe is also again
reVlving Both are best when quite plain,
though crepe, with pattern bIeached out
In white spots of rather pleasing design,
has been tried These things only exist
In knot shapes; Macclesheld and Spit
altield are the fabrics for full-dress
Ascots and full ties, by which once
the word tie in England, not t. de- -
noting any particular shape, as with you,
but simply meaning "cravat." The only
novelty that have come across Is plain
Tussore silk knot. loose ended and without
pattern, in its natural biscuit coloration
This has the advantages that 1t looks very
cool and that it can be worn with blue
shirt of any depth of color The Windsor
shape, which the king and the Prince OF
Wales are SO fond of, continues to be a.
somewhat exclusive style; but / notice it's
influence In the growing frequency with
which soft silk knots are. worn with double
collars. These are made, as | have had
cravats made for myself for years for the
same USE from plain strip of good China
SILK, with no patterns, which Is folded to
the proper width before being inserted In
the fold of the collar, and either knotted
or worn through gold slide.
Blue the Next Color.
My impression is that the next fashion In
cloth will turn in the direction of blue.
The old favorite indigo serge REFER suit
| has been out of favor to an unusual extent
| lately, and probably 1t will not have a
great opportunity for some time yet. serges
as whole being rather under a cloud, be-
| cause herringbones have had such a run.
What expect to see catching on is a fine,
| smooth surfaced worsted in dark blue with
! a small mount Of line pattern--not stripes
of the old sort-in gray These lines will,
however, In some cases be red which Is