Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-14
RNOCKABOUT COAT FOR MEN
Sweaters Take On Some Style and
Gain in Favor.
ADAPTED FOR OUTDOOR OCCASIONS
In Austria" of AnEora Wool
S~eRsOnRbIe Remarks on OVER
coats, shirts, Ills and
SuHPenders.

Time was, and not so very long ago
either, when the sweater. as such, was
more or less a garment of opprobrium, at
least as far as those occasions were con-
cerned on which the man-about-town
wished to appear at all well dressed. 1t
was distinctly a utilitarian affair. for
warmth only, designed to be worn in the
open, when INDUCING in some one OF other
Of the athletic sports. Even when called
INTO use on a day. it was donned
but rarely. except on the golf links, the
athletic field, the beach or some similar
locale when the Idea OF mot taking
cold" was the principal thought in the
mind of the wearer. Until very recently
the sweater Chan which there was never
anything invented that was more grateful
TO use a British expression), could never
have been considred a ''dressy'' garment,
even by the widest stretch of the imagina-
ton. In its original form. with its high,
close-fitting, bulky collar. It was frankly
a sweater and nothing more, and was quite
as ugly as Its name.
It was not very long, however, before a
decided evolution, not to say revolution, In
sweaters began to take place and the close
fitting neck gave way to a kind Of sailor
collar, the garment itself being fashioned
with a V-neck, which laced up In front. 1t
was. however. a sweater for all that and,
In spite of the fact that models of this
kind could be worn under the coat and yet
not interfere with the display Of the collar
and necktie. they proved a short-lived fash
lon. The sailor collar effect was bulky
and inconvenient and was soon dispensed
with, giving place to the familiar v-neok
sweater that has been popular for so many
seasons.
Change for the Better.
Indeed, the v-neck sweaters were by the
way of being the turning point in the fash
ionable adventures of this now almost uni
versal garment. For the first time in the
history of it's manufacture the sweater
coat had become a thoroughly neat and
practical article of dress, one which could
be worn either in place Of or over the
waistcoat (when additional warmth was
required) and under the coat. Unless the
latter was unbuttoned, the casual observer
was none the wiser. From this time the
very general use OF the sweater '1n polite
society" may be said to have had It's begin
ming. Admirably adapted for outdoor &C.
casions, whether urban or suburban, par
ticularly on those days in which there was
frost in the air, but on which the younger
element in society was losth 10 put on an
overcoat, the V-neck sweater was manufac-
tured in neat shades Of dark gray, some
times black trimmed and also in white,
as well as In the usual sweater colors, all
OF which were very popular, but especially
tho grays.
The necessity of slipping these sweaters
over the head. combined with the fact that
having no opening IN front. they proved
uncomfortabiy warm If one was detained
indoors on any occasion. mitigated against
I their universal popularity, however ana
the modern coat sweater was quickly
evolved. Originally this was little more
than a V-neck sweater, opening In front
and designed to be buttoned up when, worn
in the open. II was a variation or the OH
cardigan jacket Of blessed memory and
came in all the usual sweater shades In
Guiding brown, which. by the way Is espe-
cialiy favored at the present time. THESE
sweater coats, some OF which are now maze
without sleeves. in perfect wsistcoat FORM
are possessed by almost every one these
days and are worn on all day occasions
Some of the wsistcoats are particularly
elaborate in design, white with color de-
signs and the like.
The newest aggression OF sweater coats
are made OF the finest Angora wool and
are manufactured in Austria by a secret
process which up the present time has
proved an unsolvable problem to all con
Germs not sin the know"
They are made both with and without
collars. Some of the waist-coats haYe the
silk sleeves with which the golf enthusiasts
have made US familiar. They come In both
gray and brown effects, some plain and
others contrast trimmed. The newest mode
Is double breasted, has a standing" collar
and is embellished with eighteen buttons
no less.
Favored Neeessaries.
A popular overeoat Al the present mo
ment lie made OF very heavy light gray On