Evening star., 1921-03-27

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IN RESIDENT Millerand has glori.
r fed the frock coat. or Prince
Albert. President Millerant
has struck another blow a
evening clothes in the daytime. He
has broken through the protocol tc
regulates the dress and social cere-
mony of Frenchmen in public office
This month he had to receive of
ficially, in the Palace of the Elysee
| which the republic gives it's presi'
dents for residence, the prime minis
ter of one of the new countries OF
central Europe. The protocol said
that he should wear tas all Other
presidents have dutifully worn or
such occasionsp full dress evening
clothes, or, as some say. his evening
dress suit. at 10 o'clock in the morn
ing. Across his expanse of shlr'
bosom should be worn. from north
east to southwest. the broad tricolol
sash and great star of the Legion OF
Honor. of which he is official head
President Millerand chose, instead
to wear the correct day dress of
French gentleman in strict socia
function-the long. full-skirted black
coat. which the French call "redin-
gote," the English frock coat, or
as some say. the Prince Albert. as
worn by William Jennings Bryan Ol
course, the insignia of the Legion o,
Honor shone properly on his breast
to indicate one of his chief preroga-
tives. So old-time kings received
aglitter with the national decorations
-as the fo.unt of honor.
4 X +
The protocol had a bad quarter OF
an hour. and its full dress suit in
daytime had another setback In
France A first blow was given to
it years ago by ex-President Des-
chanel. He was then a youngish
man. but already president Cor speak
er) of the chamber OF deputies. and
he was getting married to the daugh-
ter of another member OF parliament
Until then, from top to low in the
social scale of France, man was
married, usually about noon, in full
evening dress suit. Now, young
Deschane1 was not only a correcl
man, like President Millerand. but
was also an elegant man of the
world. Whatever change he might
make in the usual get-up was sure
to be noticed So, the reporters gasp,
ed and stared, literally. because Paul
Deschanel went to the altar In a
long-skirted frock coat OF gray.
His example, it must be admittea
has not been followed In tne mauuie N
classes or the masses. whose men
bridegrooms and best men-stil &c
to the altar in their full dress evening
suits. Owned, rented or borrowed
the male guests at the wedding regu.
larly struggle into the same, Just ~
punctiliously as the bride wears Z
white veil and orange flowers ana aI
the women come out in gaudy colors
The wedding breakfast is regularly
iohbed at a restaurant, and they rioe
TO II in cabs or barouches. All over
Paris. at noon of any day, you can see
these full dress evening clothes pro-
cessions.
So il is still only the true fashion
ables. like Boni de Castellane the
younger, who has just been married
who go through the marriage cere'
mony in the man of the worlds day
time garb. as in New York and Lon
don. I distinguish between the cor,
Frenchmen who have to appear II
public. A man is correctly dressed
when he wears the necessary conven'
tional clothes OF the occasion His
elegance depends on his money. ms
tailor. his personal taste and his WI.
dress of men in New York. London
and the fashionable cosmopolitan sets
The distinction helps any number
of otherwise distinguished French
men to appear in the great world on
small incomes. A judge or university
professor can figure honorably IN
every social function betting his
character with only two suits of
clothes to his name-and. vigorously.
with but one single pair of black
trousers for the two.
He must have black frock coat and
top hat. which serve equally Wen Tor
his dignifled everyday dress. and (when
dignified everyday dress. and (when
well brushed) for almost every day
time function and many OF the night.
Then, for really great occasions
both Of night and day-he must have
a full dress swallow-tan coat and the
waistcoat that goes with 1t. A white
shirt, naturally. He wears only white
shirts; so, if he owns three-one on,
one on, one in the drawer-he is alb
solutely and always secure from So
cial surprise. The full dress of the
French Academy buttons high. and
and it has been said OF some OF the
forty immortals. who had more litera-
ture and fame than money, that they
did not always wear the white shirt
behind it-or, in any case. not the
white shirt from the drawer. But
their dress was visibly correct.
It takes nerve to break such stand
ards of correctness.
The last time Premier Lloyd George
arrived in Paris Prime Minister
BRAND and his Official suite went to
meet him at the railroad station for
the early morning train. A young
Of the French foreign
office. who had to be in attendance,
arrived bit late and caught sight of
of foreign affairs) wearing the cor
rect high silk hat. The young dip
lomat had only q melon or derby
hat on his head. and he felt humiliat-
ed and even frightened at his negli-
gence by comparison: He looked at
would he dare to rush out and buy
high hat? Would the train be merci-
fully late? He lost two minutes.
in the background. Then
he braced up. as the train steamed in
land lar i,s he saw & the belgian ian min minister.
to meet the British premier.
with BRAND and tho others in their
top hats!
Lloyd George, as became a man
fresh from the channel boat (and
also a law to himself-he has been
seen at Claridge's in a black satin
dinner jacketD. was wearing his
usual gray felt hat. about as dis
reputable as any hat can be. but
Lord Curzon, who accompanied him,
had on his head the correct stove
pipe. He had brought 1t in a hat
box.
BRAND. as all know, is not a \
dresser like Deschanel was, nor does
he always keep plainly correct, like
whose habits are those Of
t.