The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-05-22
BY CHARLES A. SMITH
Copyright, 1895, by International
News SeFvicel

LONDON, May Or oval
mourning may have cramped the
sartorial style of King Edward of
England, but, nevertheless, he has
contrived to give at least two
fashion leads to males during the
brief time he has been on the
English throne.
He has adopted form of mourn
ing uniform" consisting of a
black double-breasted coat, dark
striped or black trousers, black
velour cloth topcoat, black derby
hat, and black sox and shoes. With
this he wears a white linen or silk
shirt, starched white collar, and
black silk necktie.
In Style Spotlight
Prior to. his fathers death, Ed
ward had been slipping from his
pinnacle as male fashion arbiter
and the Duke Of Kent, his young
est brother, was being followed by
smart men about town as the
snappiest dresser in the royal
family.
With his accession to the
throne, however, the spotlight is
again focused on him.
Today it is estimated he has
a wardrobe of around $50 suits,
uniforms and sets of robes, in
addition to an enormous quantity
of accessories, such as decora-
tions, boots, shoes, belts, SaShes
and hats. Three Wallets and a
Observation-Disclosures are con-
Stantly employed attending to
this vast collection despite the
fact that Edward thus far has
appeared only infrequently in
public.
His fondness for bright colors
is a byword, but the world in
the future will not so often see
him in the glazing check sports
suits, bright pull-overs and the
vivid necktieS favored by hlm dur
ing his years as Prince of Wales.
For years he has favored
pajamas in the brightest of blues
and dressing gowns in the same
color.
Nobody, for example, expects
Edward to repeat his daring
morning dress innovation of few
years ago when he aStounded a
very ritzy Inauguration ceremony
crowd by appearing in a gray
worSted morning coat and trouS-
ers, light gray silk hat, black high
shoes with brogue toecapS, semi
stiff gray collar. gray and white
necktie and red carnation.
And not even the youngest sar-
torial novice in the country can
believe that Edward, as reigning
Monarch, will dare to repeat his
startling evening ensemble of
some time back when he attend
ing a boxing match wearing a
black double breasted tuxedo with
soft white shirt with rundown
collar, black bowie and a gray
check wooden pullover in place of
a vest.
Hates a Vest
Some of his dress foibles per
SiSt, however. He still refuses to
wear a vest except with morning
dress or full evening clothes. On
all other occasions he wears a
double breasted coat so that he
can dispense unnoticeably with
the vest he diSlikes and regards
as an unnecessary item of male
attire.
He still diSlikes jewelry. His
personal jewelry usually consists
solely Of a heavy signet ring. O.
casionaly he wears a wrist watch
OF gold-platinum with a heavy
leather strap.
He has inherited his fathers
knack Of being able to change
speedily. Next to his workroom
on the ground floor of Bucking-
ham Palace is a small room fitted
up as a dressing room and court
officials say he is able to change
from his ordinary workroom
clothes to uniform or formal morn
ing wear in less than two minutes
when it is necessary for him to
receive distinguished visitors.