The Washington herald., 1909-05-23
HINTS TO YOUNG OFFICERS
By The Social Arbiter.

would be ridiculous But at Newport
Magnolia, Beverly, and other such places
many OF the cottagsrs observe the same
form they do il the city and don evening
clothes every night for dinner For IN
formal dinners az home the dinner jacket
is allowed but II Is never good form %
wear this neglige outside Of ones OWL
home except 70 mems affairs and 10 the
houses Of intimate friends when the
wearer knows that the affair IS informal.
BY the way, never call dinner jacket q
Tuxedo" OF a frock coat q Prince Al
bert. both OF these terms SAVIOR OF pro-
vinciausm, though the use OF these ex-
pressions are not as Objectionable as
speaking OF a waistcOat as a vest" and
Of trousers as pants"
With evening clothes a white tie and
white OF black waistcoat are essential
The waistcoat can be OF silk OF satin and
Ella aborately embroidered II the weareT
fancies. Last winter an English naboh
who had amasse6 g large fortune IN the
Orient wore to one OF the smart func-
tons given here heavy white satin
TsistcOat richly embroidered IN colors.
With his evening clothes this worthy in
variably wore dozen OF 50 OF the deco
r2tiOns that had been bestowed upon him
by Eastern pOtentates. and as he was
tail and slender, with keen dark eyes and
a mass Of white hair-hair as thick and
heavy and white as that which adorns
the head Of Mark Twain-the effect Of his
presence was dazzling.
Patent leather pumps and black silk
hose are the proper dressing for the feet;
never cOlored hose IN the evening. The
gloves should, OF course, be white. and
they should be worn. especially when
there IS dancing, and not carried in the
hand. A crush silk hat completes the
costume. with which should be worn,
when the season requires, an Inverness.
On formal occasions men wear starched
shirts with cuffs attached-that is. sewed.
not buttoned on. The bosoms should be
of fine linen and unpublished.
HRndkerchiefs should be OF as fine and
as sheer linen as the owner can afford
and his monogram or crest should be
embroidered In the corner Handkerchiefs
with cOlOred borders are bad form even
IN the day time. II does very wen for
schoolbOys 70 wear handkerchiefs bor-
dered 10 match their socks and their ties,
but men Of the world ara never guilty OF
this affectation.
BY correspondent asks how to dispose
OF invitations. All invitations should be
answered promptly, dinner invitations i'm
mediately, within the hour, If possible
II there is any doubt IN your mind as TO
you should accept or refuse. re-
fuse az once There is no social crime so
objectionable as TO keep a hostess in sus-
pense regarding her dinner list To ac-
cept a dinner Invitation and then 20 with
draw your acceptance at the last mo-
ments save for death OF absence from
town, IS a crime for which a lingering
death such as boiling oil is too feeble q
punishment In answering a. invitation
one should be guided by the wording Of
the invitation II Mrs Smith requests
the pleasure OF Mr. Jones company"
then Mr. Jones should accept with pleas
ure the kind invitation. &c But II Mrs
Smith writes 10 My dear Mr Jones"
then Mr. Jones should reply 70 Ny dear
Mrs Smith" In a word. when an invi-
tstion is written IN the third person, the
reply should be written n the third per-
son. and so when II is written n the first
It calls for 2 reply in the first Be care
fui in replying 70 bid for dinner 70
repeat the exact wording OF the invita-
ton as 10 day and hour. for instance.
'AiT, Jones accepts. with much pleasure.
Mrs. Smiths kind invitation for dinner
on Saturday, March Il. az s o'clock"
The same etiquette prevails for break
fasts and luncheons as for dinners and
any OF these functions a return
call should be made within the week.
This visit is necessary whether the lnvi-
tatiOn IS accepted OF not. Breakfasts and
luRcheOns are naturally much less formal
affairs than dinners and greater latitude
is allowed In dress. A froclk coat IS out
OF place at these affairs unless they have
an official character.