Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-08
By W. HANCOCK PAYNE

| 1t is less difficult to write with authority
on mems fashions this spring and sum
mer than it has been for number OF
years.
1t may seem far cry to say that the
man who selects his suit for the days
wear in Philadelphia this morning is
affected by the desoaton that is spread
ing over Europe, but it is a fact never
theless.
The war has had SOLDERING effect upon
the minds of men, which accounts for
the conservative tone which will pre-
vail in suitngs and in suit patterns
through the new season now at hand.
An era of sensible clothing for men
prevails. More than ever, this fact ac-
centuates and taxes the art of the de-
signer to produce lines and forms, which,
while not extreme, impart that spirit of
youth so necessary to every man in these
days of progression and competition.
SOFT TONES AND LINES IN VOGUE
The fabrics that will be most in evil
dence will be soft grays, soft blues, faint
over-plaids with checks, with decided
leaning toward inConspicuous greens, Ot
course, mems tastes run the whole gam
ct of the Aurora Borealis and, there
fore, clothes to meet this demand VIII be
available, but for the really well-dressed
man they will hold little appeal.
Always there are fads and fancies IN
mems wear. Men of good taste m
variably may be depended upon to rec
ognize them as having no relation to
legitimate style and therefore to reject
them, but departure from strictly con-
ventional dress Is always permlsslple
even upon the part of the man In sood
taste, during the heated term and 1t may
be stated with the voice of authority
60. oil N4rur m
silk suit will be quite popular this sum
mer. Such an innovation Is certainly
a reasonable one.
COMFORT FOR HOT WEATHER
Crashes, silk goods. mohairs and cash
meres of exuusitely fine weaves are al
ready available and certainly are most
suitable for the oppressively heated term
in Philadelphia.
I predict a very wide vogue for them
among Philadelphia men this season.
We will set aside any consideration OF
strictly formal dress, because the rules
governing II vary so slightly as to be
of meagre interest. Every well-bred man
knows when formal dress is necessary
and what it's requirements are. How
ever there is tendency, becoming IN
reaslngly popular, toward greater use
of binding, braidlng, piping and decorat-
ing in unusual ways particularly for
young men, but | would warn against
the use OF velvet collars for dress coats
and piping for the edges and cufrs-this
safely may be placed under the head or
fads, and will disappear with as much
suddenness as 1t has appeared, so that
this season men who have evening clothes
with velvet collars will feel more or less
embarrassed next season, while those
who have clung to conventional lines will
have proved their Judgment as well as
their sartorial good taste.
PRINCES RULE NO MORE
Fashion is no longer governed by the
foibles or deformities of some distln-
guished parsonage, but more than ever
the aim of the successful designer is to
build clothing so that when man puts
II on II will look as though there is a
man inside of II, instead of mon
strosity. The vogue is for perfectly
natural clothing-soft in texture, soft in
lines, constructed to fit the form without
extreme In length. extreme in breadth, or
gaudy details of finish.
STYLE FROM HAT TO SHOES
Let us visualize the correctly dressed
man as he steps out of his front door
and starts for his downtown office dur
ing the dual seasons at hand,
For the weeks of spring he will wear
a soft hat. and the one now In high
favor s "A pearl gray with black band Z:
the crown unusually high, shaped so as
mer months a greater diversity will rule
his choice.
Leghorns will be very popular. Panamas 8
will also be good form, while the split
or sennit straw hats, always i'm high
favor. will have crowns slightly higher
than usual and a trlhe more taperlng
even than last season. Hat bands, espe-