Hint's about men's dress, right principles economically applied

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HINTS
ABOUT MEN'S DRESS

HINTS ABOUT MEN'S DRESS.

HINTS
ABOUT MEN'S DRESS

RIGHT PRINCIPLES
ECONOMICALLY APPLIED

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A NEW YORK CLUBMAN

NEW TORK

D. Appleton & Co., 1,3,85 Bond Street

1888

■\-\th

Copyright, i883,
By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY.

-103$

CONTENTS.

Page

Introduction 7

I. The First Steps that Count . . 9

II. Under-clothing 20

III. Shirts ...... 30

IV. Suits of Clothes . . . . .37
V. The Care of Clothes . . 51

VI. Hats and Neckwear . . . .57

VII. Jewelry and Gloves .... 70

VIII. How to Branch Out a Little . . 74

HINTS ABOUT MEN'S DRESS,

Introduction.

It is to the credit of Americans, espe-
cially to those of the present younger gen-
erations, that they generally do the best
they can to dress and appear well, so that
they may excite no remark ; and to be neat
in their personal habits, so that they may
not be offensive to refined tastes and crit-
ical eyes. Their efforts are fairly well re-
warded, but the struggle is made under
many disadvantages. Their forefathers, im-

8 Introduction.

mediate and remote, have not been able to
give them much information about dress or
manner, having always been too busy to
think about the minor things of life ; and
thus, scattered throughout the country, in
parts far away from large cities, ambitious
boys have had a hard time to learn just
how gentlemen do dress and act in the con-
ventional phases of life.

To help such youths and men to accom-
plish their laudable purposes more easily,
the following pages have been prepared.
But it is taken for granted in all that is
written that the reader is honest, gentle,
generous, brave, and wise. Else what he
learns herein will benefit him little in his
efforts to be a true gentleman.

The First Steps that Count.

Baths — Shaving one's self — Dressing the hair — Care of
the teeth and nails — The use of perfumes unwise.

There is more reason in the English-
man's morning " tub " than most people
give him credit for. It is not mere affecta-
tion. A nice Anglo-Saxon in England or
America understands that cleanliness is the
prime requisite of health and of a gentle-
man, and that for obvious reasons a man
who does not indulge in frequent baths
will not be an acceptable person in good
society.

10 tfhe First Steps that Count.

It is no little trouble to keep clean, but
it pays, and is the basis of all decency.
There are various ways of doing it, some
more convenient than others. A tub-bath
in one's own room is an awkward arrange-
ment, and a sponge-bath scatters too much
water ; while to fill the stationary tub takes
time and watching. Most convenient of all
is the shower-bath. If this is arranged for
hot and cold water, it requires only a mo-
ment's patience to get a shower of the
proper temperature, and not much longer
to take a good bath and a thorough wash
with castile soap. Not every one can stand
the shower well, and delicate men should be
careful not to take it too cold or too often ;
but the average man may enjoy a bath of
this kind every morning without harm to

fhe First Steps that Count. 11

his health. One should wipe himself thor-
oughly until perfectly dry. It is not neces-
sary to have a towel as rough as a corn-cob,
nor to keep up the rubbing till the skin is
blood-red, as many books about health in-
sist. While the tepid bath is agreeable and
harmless, the bather should constantly try
to lower the temperature, provided it does
not get so cold as to leave him in a chill.
After a bath the operation of shaving is
in order. Every man ought to shave him-
self. So doing not only saves money and
time, but it is cleaner. It is not agreeable
to a person of refinement to have a barber
pawing his face ; neither does a gentleman
enjoy the society of the barber-shop while
" waiting his turn." The haughty man who
would not allow the barber to turn aside

12 "The First Steps that Count.

his long Roman nose (although it was
gently done), nor to pull down the corners
of his mouth, did not deserve the credit he
claimed for not tolerating familiarities from
any one. He should have shaved himself
at home, and manipulated his own features.
The care of razors may be a little diffi-
cult at first, but the knack of sharpening
them is easily learned, and, aside from the
advantage of cleanliness, if one has a tender
skin, he can shave himself more easily than
any one else can do it for him. Of course,
for trimming the beard — the chin-whisker
is not tolerated now — the mustache, and the
hair, it is necessary to endure a barber ; but
under no circumstances should he be al-
lowed to put anything on the hair except
cold water. Nothing is so objectionable as

tfhe First Steps that Count. 13

the smell of cheap perfumery. A word here
as to perfumery in general. Don't use it.
It was formerly employed, according to
some authorities, by people who did not
take baths, to disguise that omission; and,
from this point of view, the use of it to-day
is a suspicious circumstance.

In combing one's hair, which comes
along about this time in the order of dress-
ing, the principal point to be considered is
where to part it. There is little doubt that
it ought to be parted in the middle. So
doing adds to the symmetry of the face,
and it is almost the invariable practice in
all countries, the United States excepted.
In the noted public art-galleries of Europe
one rarely or never sees an antique statue
with its chiseled hair parted on the side.

14 <The First Steps that Count

The line of division is in the middle where
there is any line at all. Candor compels
the admission that in many cases there is
no parting ; the front locks fall over the
forehead in an easy, graceful, and natural
way, as much like the modern " bang " as
possible, except that the hair is not trimmed
off evenly. This is especially noticeable in
the statues of Roman emperors which may
be seen in the Louvre ; and the head of the
young Augustus, so well known, has a de-
cided bang. Yet there is nothing effeminate
about these old statues. It is not intended
here to say anything in defense of the bang,
which, as it exists on a man in modern times,
is a monstrous spectacle. It is merely de-
sired to point out that, if precedent is need-
ed for letting the hair divide naturally on

Tfo First Steps that Count. 15

the top of the head, it can easily be fur-
nished. For many years in America to part
one's hair down close by the ear was con-
sidered the proper thing ; but the fashion of
parting it in the middle is sensibly begin-
ning to prevail, and after a short trial one
will soon become convinced that a part in
the middle is vastly more becoming than a
part on either side. Of course, if the hair
is thin on top, this fact may be disguised a
little by a parting on the side. If you ob-
ject to a dividing-line on top because it is
not seen there on most of the men you
know, make the parting at least as high as
you can stand it. It is the fashion now, and
probably will be for a long time, to have the
hair cut rather close at the back and on the
sides. It is not parted behind, as was once

16 tfhe First Steps that Count

done. The growth on the neck should never
be shaved, but merely clipped close with the
scissors. If the hair is left a little long on
top, it parts more easily. A closely cropped
head is too suggestive of the prize-ring to
be advised. It is permissible sometimes to
put a little cosmetique on each side of the
parting, so that the hair will remain in
place. Avoid frequent shampooing, as it
tends to make the hair come out. The
hair should be washed in cold water, with-
out soap, during the morning bath. It is
held by some that washing the head in a
basin containing a few drops of ammonia
in the water helps to keep the head free
from dandruff. This may be so. At any
rate, the hair must be kept so clean that
there is never any dandruff on the coat-

'The First Steps that Count. 17

collar. It is well enough to comb the head
once a week with a fine-tooth comb before
washing it.

It is not necessary to dwell upon the
importance of cleaning the teeth. They
should be brushed twice a week with tooth-
powder, and every day with soap and water.
They should be carefully watched by a
dentist in whom you have confidence. No
money is ever better spent by a young man
than that paid out for having his teeth prop-
erly attended to, and filled when needed.
It is laying up a store of enjoyment for a
later period in life, when eating is about
the only pleasure left.

The hands always need careful attention.
They can only be kept clean around the
nails by the frequent use of a nail-brush,

18 The First Steps that Count

soap, and hot water. Castile soap is the
best to use ; it leaves no odor, and does not
chap the hands. If the soap furnished at the
basin in the office is too cheap, keep a piece
of a better quality for private use in your
desk. The finger-nails in some countries are
allowed to grow very long, and are cut to a
point. Indeed, long, pointed nails were at
one time supposed to indicate a gentleman,
or at least a person who did not work, for
if a man performs manual or clerical labor
his nails are sure to be broken. In this
country nearly every one works, and the
claw -like fashion in trimming the finger-
nails does not prevail. But an American
gentleman keeps his finger-nails cut pretty
short (about even with the end of the flesh),
with just a suspicion of a point. The cal-

'the First Steps that Count.

19

lous bits of skin around the sides ought to
be removed with sharp, curved nail-scis-
sors, which can be bought at almost any
cutlery-store. It isn't necessary in America
to show by the hands that one does no
work. It is simply required of a gentle-
man that his hands shall show proper care.

II.

Under-clothing.

The best to buy — Number ot suits — Silk under-
clothes— Shoes — Patent-leathers.

Any one who is careful about his per-
sonal habits gives spme thought to his un-
der-clothes. They really ought to be white
(unless one has a fancy that red flannel is
good for rheumatism), simply because white
shows that it is soiled the moment it is so.
The man who wears dark under-clothes lays
himself open to the suspicion that he doesn't
care about cleanliness so much as he cares
about saving washing and trouble by means

Under-clothing. 2 1

of garments that do not show dirt. If a
man takes a bath every morning, three suits
of under-clothing for the winter are enough.
He can change twice a week, provided the
washerwoman is prompt. In summer more
suits are required, frequent changes being
necessary on account of perspiration. One
should change his under-clothing in summer
often enough to prevent the slightest odor
from attaching itself to him.

Silk under-clothing is not really essential
for elegance or comfort. It is agreeable to
wear it with evening dress. The trousers
hang better when worn over silk drawers,
woolen garments having a tendency to make
the trousers stick to the legs. This is true
of all trousers when worn over woolen, but
a gentleman only needs to give attention to

22 Under- clothing.

this point in the case of dress-trousers. If a
man can not have one pair of thin, and one
of thick, silk drawers (for summer and win-
ter), let him prefer a thin pair. These can
be worn in winter over a moderately heavy-
weight pair of woolen drawers, and the set
of the trousers thereby much improved.
There is nothing ridiculous or silly in
devices like this from the right point of
view. Flannels and silk under-wear ought
to be washed by some one who knows how,
lest they should shrink. It is desirable, of
course, that under-clothing should fit pretty
snugly, especially the drawers.

There was a time when it was consid-
ered the proper thing for gentlemen to
pinch their feet in small shoes, but the sensi-
ble rule nowadays is to have shoes large

Under-clothing. 23

enough to be comfortable. An easy shoe
not only feels better, but looks better. A
man ought, if possible, to have two pairs of
every-day shoes, so that he can change them
frequently. Each pair, worn alternately, lasts
longer than if worn steadily. The warmth
and the dampness of the foot rot the leather
unless it gets a chance to dry. There is no
greater comfort, so far as his feet are con-
cerned, which a man can have when he
comes home from business, than to change
his shoes and socks. Socks, by the way,
should be white, for the same reason that
under-clothing should be white. The best
kind of shoe to buy, from an economical
point of view, is ordinary French calf-skin,
with medium soles, and black or very dark-
blue cloth tops, which button. A shoe of

24 Under-clothing.

this kind nicely polished can be worn
with any suit of clothes — for business or
for dress. Low shoes can only be worn
through a small part of the summer or in
the house, and are apt to be very uncom-
fortable on a rainy day. They are not
an economical investment, even in sum-
mer, because one has to have over-gaiters
with them if they are to be worn on all
occasions with comfort. Black over-gait-
ers are the best to buy. Colored ones
should harmonize in tone with the trousers,
but at best they are open to the charge
of being conspicuous. It is, therefore, pos-
sible to avoid all questions of taste by se-
lecting black cloth over - gaiters. They
should always button on the outside of the
foot. With low shoes and no gaiters dark

Under-clothing. 25

stockings are required — not black, but a
dark brown or drab.

Low shoes also let in much dust to the
feet and ankles, and they give the ankle
no support. It is best, if one can, to have
a pair of patent-leather shoes, buttoned,
black -cloth tops, and comparatively thin
soles, to wear with evening dress. They
do not lose their polish, even with wearing
rubbers, and are, perhaps, a little more ele-
gant in appearance than ordinary shoes.
By having them made with plain, cloth tops
and medium soles, they can be worn with
business suits when they have begun to be
a little shabby. Care should be taken, how-
ever, to keep the edges of the soles of pat-
ent-leather shoes well blacked and polished.
Otherwise they have a slovenly look. There

26 Under-clothing,

is a black varnish sold by saddlers for paint-
ing horses' hoofs to give them a polished
look, which is excellent to put on the edges
of the soles of patent-leather shoes. It
should be applied with a slender brush after
the shoes have been thoroughly cleaned.
Doubtless there are other preparations for
this purpose, but it is questionable if they
are any better. Broken spots in patent-
leather may also be touched up with it.

No one any longer wears boots, the tops
of which come up around the leg under the
trousers, and laced shoes labor under the
disadvantage of becoming easily untied.
Besides, shoe-laces soon wear shabby and
rusty, and are apt to make callous places
on the top of the foot. "Pumps" — that is,
low, patent-leather slippers — are little used

Under-clothing. 27

in these days, even by the luxuriously rich.
They require black silk stockings and neat
black ribbon bows on the instep, so that al-
together they have an effeminate air that is
not admired. Above all, they are hard to
dance in. For dancing on a waxed floor, of
course, thin-soled shoes are best, while on
crash and carpet soles of medium thickness
are better. If one does wear " pumps " to
a dinner or a dance despite all warnings, he
should not try to walk to the place of en-
joyment, but drive there. To wear this
kind of shoe in the uncertain climate of the
northern United States is to court a bad
cold.

It is not pleasant to black one's own
shoes, but shoes must be blacked, and well
blacked, too. Much of one's appearance

28 Under-clothing.

turns on this point ; for a gentleman, it
used to be said, was indicated by the con-
dition of his shoes and his hat. Any kind
of blacking may be used, but it should be
moistened with fresh, clean water. Black
carefully the heels, under the insteps, and
around the edges of the soles. It is a
good plan to black one's shoes at night
before going to bed, and in the morn-
ing, after putting them on, to rub them
up a bit. The polish will then be bright-
er, and will last longer for having had a
chance to dry. With most men of fastidi-
ous taste, the first luxury to be indulged
in, when it can be afforded, is to hire a
boy to black their shoes. This is a wise
and genteel indulgence. But it is well to
have one's shoes blacked in the privacy of

Under-clothing. 29

one's own kitchen or apartment even then.
Never perch yourself up in those boot-
blacks' chairs so conspicuous all over New
York at street corners. To do so advertises
to all the world that you usually black your
own shoes, but that this time you are in-
dulging in an extravagance. A little com-
putation just here may give a hint : One
pair of shoes blacked every day for five
cents costs thirty-five cents a week. In two
months that would amount to two dollars
and eighty cents, which is, in most places,
as much as the difference in price between
patent-leathers and fine calf-skin. But the
life of a shoe is longer than two months.
The inference, therefore, is decidedly in
favor of patent-leather shoes, even on the
score of economy.

III.
Shirts.

For full-dress — A style that never should be worn —
Collars and cuffs.

The very fastidious man who can afford
it, puts on a clean white shirt every day,
and a shirt, too, which has collar and cuffs
attached to it. His principle is, that a man
can't be too careful as to the cleanliness of
his linen, and that a shirt can't be worn but
once without the collar and cuffs being
soiled. But there are not very many men
so fastidious as this in this country. Most
Americans seem to think that if they change

Shirts. 31

their shirts every other day it is a good
deal of a concession to the washerwoman.
They generally put on a fresh collar and
cuffs every morning, and then consider that
they are neatness itself. For a man who is
very particular about baths, and hasn't
much active work to do, a shirt every other
day and clean collar and cuffs every day
answer very well. Collars and cuffs, it is
to be feared, are really made separate
from shirts to save washing, because it is
cheaper to wash them than to wash a
whole shirt. So, naturally, when a man
wants to be very particular about his dress,
he wears shirts with collars and cuffs at-
tached, and changes once a day at least.
It is not worth while to discuss further, per-
haps, the number of this kind of garment

32 Shirts.

which should be worn weekly. If one is
only determined to keep himself neat, the
number will regulate itself.

There is, however, an abomination which
must be mentioned here, and that is a shirt
which opens behind. It is really only one
remove from the " dickey," than which noth-
ing could be lower. It is made thus so that
the bosom will not get soiled, and with the
idea that it can be worn much longer with-
out showing dirt. Of course, this is a vio-
lation of the idea that it is a gentleman's
object to be clean and not to save washing.
Paper collars, celluloid collars, and every-
thing in this line save linen collars, are
under the same ban. So in regard to shirts
it comes to this : A man of limited means
who wants to be dressed well should have

Shirts. 33

at least one or two shirts, with collars and
cuffs attached, which open in front. These
he reserves to wear with his dress-suit, and
he never wears one more than once without
washing. It won't do at all to have a gen-
tleman in full-dress whose linen is open to
the suspicion of not being perfectly immacu-
late as to cleanliness. For every-day use in
the office, as has been said, most Americans
wear shirts to which they button collars
and cuffs. Provided that collars, cuffs, and
shirts are frequently changed, this custom
may be endured. Some very particular
men now have their shirts open all the way
down, so that the hair will not be dis-
arranged after it has been brushed by put-
ting the shirt over the head. There is a
good deal of the Miss Nancy about this.
3

34 Shirts.

It is sufficient for any man to have his
shirts made of plain linen, without dots or
embroidery on the bosom. Those are ex-
tras. With plain linen, which fits well and
is well washed and ironed, one can go any-
where in the civilized world with a con
sciousness that his shirt is all right. The
bosoms of shirts should be made to fasten
with regular shirt-studs, and not with imita-
tion studs attached to a screw. The latter
are a proper accompaniment to a shirt that
opens behind.

As to the shape of collars, a young man
with a fine, well-shaped neck may wear a
turn-down collar; but, since the fashion is
for standing collars, he thereby lays himself
open to the charge of vanity. If one's neck
is long and thin, with a marked protuber-

Shirts. 35

ance, called an Adam's apple, a tall collar
coming pretty closely together in front, but
having the points turned back a little, looks
best. It should, however, be made straight,
to be turned back after it is on. Collars
with long turned -down points are rather
pronounced for a man who does not dress
in the extreme of fashion. In purchasing
collars, pains should be taken not to buy
those which look as if they were sewed on
a band, for, unless this band is carefully cov-
ered by the cravat, it makes itself seen. Let
each side of the collar be of one piece of
linen. It is well to remember that the num-
bers on the collars do not always indicate
their real length. Thus, 15^ is often only
15J inches long, but sometimes 16 inches
long. If you have a collar that sets well,

36 Shirts.

use it as a pattern, and when you buy, meas-
ure your purchase (or have the salesman
do it) so as to get those of exactly similar
length. The washerwoman should be cau-
tioned, also, not to stretch collars in wash-
ing. Insist, too, that your collars and cuffs
shall be very stiff, and tell the woman, when
they come home from the wash yellow or
brown on the inside edges, that this color
is there because the cuffs and collars were
not washed clean. It will add force to your
complaints if you always pay your washer-
woman promptly.

IV.

Suits of Clothes.

The advantage of a dress-suit — Trousers and waistcoats
— The business suit — The extra pair of trousers —
The principle as to color — Overcoats.

To dress well a man need not have so
many different suits of clothes as is gener-
ally supposed, particularly if he knows how
to take care of what he buys. Outside of
large cities, one doesn't need a dress-suit
(or evening dress, as it is, perhaps, more ele-
gantly called) very often, although, as a mat-
ter of fact, dress-suits are much more worn
now, even in small places in the country,

38 Suits of Clothes.

than they were two or three years ago.
But, if one does not need a dress-suit often,
when he does need it, he needs it badly. It
is one of the best investments in a social
way that a young man with social aspirations
can make. When he wants to go out in
the evening, and has on a dress-suit, a nicely
fitting shirt, with a white lawn tie and neat
shoes, he may enjoy the satisfaction of know-
ing that he is properly dressed for any so-
ciety in the world. Dress-suits are not ex-
pensive, because they last for years. For-
merly, they were made of black broadcloth,
but of recent years a narrow, black, diag-
onal, or even a fine homespun is much used.
Most suits of to-day, in London and New
York, are probably made of this fine black
diagonal; and, if one should get a suit of

Suits of Clothes. 39

that kind (1888), he would, for several sea-
sons at least, always be fashionably dressed
when he wore it, and need not be annoyed
even if ultra-fashionable people who buy
dress-suits every year should appear in one
made of homespun. Almost any tailor —
even in a small town — should be able to cut
and make a dress-suit.

Evening-dress coats do not vary much
from year to year, except in the length of
the tails — not a notable variance. Men ad-
vanced in life do not often have the lapels
faced with silk. Any one below forty may
have them faced with that material. Trous-
ers (never say pants) with dress-suits are
never made tight, even if the fashion is to
have closely fitting trousers for every-day
wear. About nineteen inches at the knee

40 Suits of Clothes.

has been a good width for a number of
years, and probably will be so for some
years to come. But there is no fashion so
easy to find out about as whether trousers
are made wide or narrow. One may have
black silk braid down the side seam or not,
just as he pleases. The fashion in these
suits varies most in regard to the cut of the
opening of the waistcoat (never say vest).
Formerly it was cut in a V shape, but lately
it is cut like a U. Three buttons are enough
on a waistcoat.

As regards the time of appearing in a
dress-suit, it may be said that it should never
be put on before six o'clock, which is the
earliest possible dinner-hour for people who
dine in the evening. It can be worn at any
evening entertainment, no matter what its

Suits of Clothes. 41

character may be, whether many or few
people are present. In fact, a man who
has a dress-suit never needs to wear any-
thing else in the evening to be properly
dressed in society. In large cities men
rarely walk in the street in their dress-suits
without wearing a very thin overcoat, even
in summer. This is to avoid being con-
spicuous.

Thus, having the proper garment — a
dress-suit — for social occasions in the even-
ing, all a man need feel obliged to provide
besides is a suit for business and after-
noon entertainments. One suit with care
will answer both purposes, viz., a black cut-
away, either of diagonal or of the slightly
rough cloth now much used (referred to
earlier in this chapter), with waistcoat of the

42 Suits of Clothes.

same, and a pair of trousers, not light-col-
ored, but " lightish," with modest stripe or
check. Obviously, a suit of this kind can
be worn at business, and in it a man is well
enough dressed for an afternoon wedding,
reception, or tea, or any other festive oc-
casion where a dress-suit should not be
seen. But care must be taken to keep such
a suit nice. It is well also to have an
extra pair of trousers to put on after busi-
ness hours. They are, indeed, almost indis-
pensable if one is not to be seen with baggy
knees. There will be something said later
on in regard to the different kinds of neck-
tie to wear with a cutaway to make it more
or less dressy.

To some extent in some parts of this
country, a Prince Albert or double-breasted

Suits of Clothes. 43

frock-coat, with light trousers, is worn at
afternoon entertainments ; but this is not
necessary. A cutaway is just as fashionable
and becoming, and can always be worn
when a frock-coat would answer ; but a
frock-coat should never be seen at busi-
ness, or anywhere else earlier than late after-
noon— say, 4 or 4.30. In Paris, a coat of
this kind is considered by Frenchmen as the
only proper thing a gentleman can appear
in from 4 p. M. until dinner. No such fash-
ion prevails rigorously either in England or
America.

Something has been said of the material
of cutaways. A black diagonal, with not
too wide a stripe, has been the approved
material for years, and doubtless will con-
tinue to be for a long time ; and, if a man

44 Suits of Clothes.

has a coat of this stuff, he need not worry
if he occasionally rubs against coats made
of rough, black homespun cloth, much worn
during 1888. Homespun is hardly likely to
last in popular favor, because it shows wear.
Of course, a diagonal coat after it gets shiny
must be worn only in the office. It is well
to have (if it can easily be afforded), in addi-
tion to a cutaway suit and a dress-suit, a
sack-suit. But the last named can be dis-
pensed with. If one is ordered, however, it
should be a very dark blue or black Scotch
tweed, or homespun. It will easily last two
summers if one gets an extra pair of trousers
at the same time. The underlying principle of
this purchase, as of all economical buying of
clothes, is to buy dark-colored material. A dark
suit can be worn on any kind of a day, and

Suits of Clothes. 45

early or late in the season ; but light clothes
are in good taste only when the sun shines
and the weather is very bright. Trousers,
particularly, should be modest in color and
pattern. Never, under any circumstances,
unless you are actually deformed, have pad-
ding put in the shoulders of coats, or any-
where else. Square shoulders are only ad-
mirable when they are natural.

If a man is much about his house, he
ought to have a second-best sack-coat to
lounge in. It isn't necessary to have a
smoking -jacket or any fancy garment of
that kind ; yet a Norfolk jacket or unlined
cloth coat is most useful. Nothing wears
out one's clothes more than lounging about
a house. It is also well in winter to don a
second-best coat under an overcoat. Tak-

46 Suits of Clothes.

ing on and off a top-coat wears the other
badly.

In the summer, for leisure hours in the
morning, or the early afternoon, the ordi-
nary " blazer," so often seen now, and white
trousers, worn at cricket or tennis, together
with a soft flannel shirt, are very conven-
ient; but nothing beyond the cutaway suit
and a dress-suit are absolutely necessary to
a man who must economize. Too much
stress can not be put upon the fact that a
dress-coat for evening wear and a cutaway
suit for all other occasions, with proper
kind of hat and shoes, are all that a man
really needs to be properly dressed, except
so far as overcoats are concerned.

Unless a man is very tough, it is neces-
sary in the climate of the Northern United

Suits of Clothes. 47

States to have two overcoats — one for mid-
winter, made of rough cloth, and one for
the cold days of fall and spring, made of
diagonal or plain stuff. Both should be of
a dark color — very dark blue or brown is
the best — and made as sack overcoats.
Overcoats, with capes and long tails and
other variations, are all liable to go out of
fashion before they are worn out, and then
they do not look well; but the plain sack
overcoat, neatly brushed, always is present-
able, and is a perfectly proper outside gar-
ment for all occasions. It is a luxury to have
overcoats lined with silk. At any rate, the
sleeve linings should be of silk or satin. If
care is taken to keep the buttons and button-
holes of these garments in good repair, they
will not become shabby for a long time. It

48 Suits of Clothes.

may be remarked here, in regard to coats
of all kinds, that it is not well to have them
bound with silk braid. It wears shiny, or
wears off entirely, and makes the coat look
shabby before it is really so.

A word about clothes for traveling. If
a man can travel much, he can afford to
dress well, or at least to have a suit of nice-
looking clothes for his journey. They never
should be new, nor should they be light-
colored. They should fit loosely. Linen
dusters or alpaca dusters are no longer
seen, or ought not to be seen. They nev-
er were of use, for they do not materially
protect the clothes from dust, and they are
too hot for comfort, especially in summer.
The traveling-suit should be something that
lounging and dust will not damage, and it

Suits of Clothes, 49

should be as quiet and inconspicuous as the
manners of the wearer. This last point
about the manners is very important

It is a lamentable fact that at the sea-side
and in the mountains in the summer, at re-
sorts where women think they must look
their prettiest, the men, especially the very
young men, seem to think that they can
wear as slovenly clothing as they please.
Often they appear at breakfast and dinner
in the same suit of lawn -tennis flannels.
Such garments are proper for the morning
if they fit well, if all the buttons are kept
fastened, and if a decent cravat gives a con-
servative air to the flannel shirt. But, when
the sport of the day is over, at dinner-time
or tea, a gentleman owes it to himself, to
say nothing of what he owes to ladies, to ap-
4

50 Suits of Clothes,

pear in his neat sack-suit and white shirt or
in his cutaway suit. Any hotel-keeper who
allows " the fellows " to dance in flannel
suits in the evening certainly does not keep
the kind of a house at which gentlemen or
ladies should stay. But it is very often
an affectation to appear in a dress-suit for
dinner or dancing at a summer resort, un-
less it is a " hop " night. The cutaway an-
swers very well on most occasions.

The Care of Clothes.

Frequent brushing — How to hang up coats and trousers
— Bagging at the knee.

A man's appearance in a great measure
depends upon the care which he takes of
his clothes. They should be brushed care-
fully, and, when not in use, should be hung
up where they will get no dust. Coats
should always be hung on a little frame sup-
port that goes from shoulder to shoulder.
These are sold very cheaply in the cities,
but any one can supply himself with them

52 tfhe Care of Clothes.

by cutting the hoop of a clean barrel into
sections a foot and a half long, and tying a
cord to the middle, by which to hang it up.
A coat and waistcoat hung on this frame
keep their form well. The little loop at the
back of the neck on a coat should never be
used to hang it up by when the garment is
to remain for more than a few moments.
It seems to have been invented by tailors
merely to pull a coat out of all shape. If
you have not a form of the kind suggested
to hang a coat on, hang it by the sleeve and
shoulder on the peg, and use straight pegs ;
not those with a point turned up.

Trousers, after being carefully brushed,
should be turned inside out and hung by
the strap behind, or from two pegs by the
strap and the front of the trousers. Thus

^he Care of Clothes. 53

the folds made by wearing will be reversed,
and fall back into place. It is not possible
entirely to prevent trousers from bagging
at the knee. But the evil can be remedied,
or prevented in part, by having two pairs of
trousers, and by wearing them alternately
two or three days at a time. With every
suit of clothes, as has been remarked (ex-
cept a dress-suit), a man should have two
pairs of trousers if it is possible — one to
wear at his work and the other when he
wants to be more careful in his appearance.
A little device to hold trousers is sold in
New York, and is useful. It looks like a
coat-support, except that at each end the
wire is bent into the shape of the letter S
turned sideways, and prolonged through
several curves. The black button of the

54 ^he Care of Clothes.

two front suspender buttons on each side
of the trousers is slipped into one of the
curves, and a good support is thus ob-
tained. It is wise to have a number of
hooks in rows in the top of one's ward-
robes from which to hang these hoops.
Much space is thereby saved, which is a
great thing in small houses.

What has seemed to be a fashion has
prevailed for some time in the East and in
England. This is to have a slight crease
down the back of the legs of the trousers.
Of course, it is supposed to indicate that
the trousers are new or have just been
pressed. When the garment actually is
new, the crease is not offensive, but if the
trousers have been worn long, the crease
is a ridiculous affectation that deserves the

I'ke Care of Clothes. 55

smile it usually excites. The fact is, old
trousers can not be made new by any ex-
periment at all. They may be encouraged
to retain their shape if they are pressed
by the tailor often ; but it is their fate to
wear out, and the failing can not be reme-
died by trick and device.

Care should be taken to draw trousers
up pretty well, so that they set properly,
and do not touch the ground or pavement
in walking. They soon wear out on the
edge if they touch. Trousers should not
" break " too much — that is, bend in broken
folds — just above the shoe. They are about
the right length in front when they cover
the lowest button of the boot-top. In re-
gard to the size of trousers at the knee, as
in everything else, one should not follow

56

tfke Care of Clothes.

the extreme of fashion. It is a luxury to
have a pair of suspenders for every pair of
trousers. Then, when once adjusted to the
right length, one need never give further
thought to the garment when it is on.

VI.

Hats and Neckwear.

Tall hats and derbys — Different kinds of scarfs — Rigid
rules concerning white ties — Colors to buy.

A well-dressed man is always particu-
lar about his hats and his shoes. Some peo-
ple are careless in this respect, because they
think they can economize vastly there with-
out any one's noticing it. Enough has al-
ready been said on previous pages about
shoes, perhaps, and we would only add that
one may have his shoes half-soled, but that
they never should be patched. If possible,

58 Hats and Neckwear.

one should have a tall silk hat and a derby,
which is a low-crowned hat. A silk hat is
to a man what a best bonnet is to a woman,
and, whenever the hat is part of the dress,
as at the opera (when moving from box to
box), a tall silk hat is absolutely indispensa-
ble. It is also indispensable with a double-
breasted or single-breasted frock-coat, and
it is very correct to wear it with a cutaway,
but not with a sack-coat. It has been a re-
cent fashion, by the way, for Englishmen
and Frenchmen to wear a silk hat with a
black sack-coat ; but it is always safe not to
do it, and it is an atrocity to wear it with a
light-colored sack-coat. The derby hat, on
the contrary, always looks well with a sack-
coat, or a cutaway, when one is at business.
It may be worn in the evening with a dress-

Hats and Neckwear. 59

suit when it is merely seen in the street, or
on getting in or out of a carriage at a thea-
tre. A silk hat is injured by being put
under the seat with your overshoes at the
theatre. Both the silk hat and the derby
should be carefully brushed every day.
Nothing looks worse than a hat that isn't
cared for. Hats of all kinds when laid
aside should rest on the crown or on the
side ; never on the brim with the crown
up. Resting on the brim puts a hat out of
shape.

A light hat is never a good investment
for a person who wishes to dress economic-
ally, on the principle that, while you can
wear a black hat at any time, light-colored
covering for the head does not look well on
a dark or rainy day, or after September

60 Hats and Neckwear.

15th, which is the date on which men in
New York city are supposed to discard their
summer head-gear. Straw hats are never
worn by men in town in London, while
in the western part of the United States
in summer nearly every one has straw
head-gear. In New York the men appear
to have struck a just mean, and they wear
straw hats on very hot days. The climate of
America is much hotter than that of Eng-
land, and a departure from English fashions
(which generally are very sensible) in this
instance is commendable. But a straw hat
should not be seen on a dark day, and one
worn by a middle-aged young man should
never have a colored band on it — black is
the only dignified thing. A very young
man or a college student may have white,

Hats and Neckwear. 61

or blue, or what he pleases, taking- care, of
course, that it is not too glaring.

The only time to wear a soft hat is in
traveling or at sports in the country, and
then the crown should be low, the brim nar-
row, and the felt so soft that it can be folded
up easily. What is commonly known as a
lawn-tennis hat — blue or black — is about the
thing to buy. It is better than the silk caps,
without any visor to protect the eyes, which
are sold on railway trains, and which are
unbecoming to most men.

In purchasing neckwear, the same prin-
ciple of buying only dark -colored stuffs
when one wants to dress well, but inexpen-
sively, prevails. A silk or satin scarf of dark
blue, or brown, or purple, or black, with a
small colored dot or figure, is proper on

62 Hats and Neckwear,

all occasions, business or social, except, of
course, when full-dress is required. It is
most agreeable to be able to have scarfs of
many colors and styles, but it costs much
money to have them, and the rest of one's
wardrobe needs to be pretty elaborate to
support gorgeous neckwear.

There are two kinds of scarfs — the flat
scarf, like Fig. i ; and a four-in-hand, like
Fig. 2, untied, and like Fig. 3, when tied in
a conventional sailor's knot. It will be evi-
dent from a glance at these that the flat
scarf, Fig. 1, should be worn when the
waistcoat buttons up quite high at the
throat, for then only a little of the scarf (so
far as a) is seen. Even with such a waist-
coat the four-in-hand, tied as in Fig. 3, may
also be worn. With a waistcoat that is cut

Hats and Neckwear.

63

64 Hats and Neckwear.

comparatively low (say to about b\ so that
some of the shirt-bosom shows, the scarf as
in Fig. 3 is the correct thing. It is, there-
fore, the most economical article of neck-
wear to buy, as it can be worn with a high
or low waistcoat. If made of heavy silk, it
lasts much longer than if made of satin, and
looks quite as well, if not better. A man
who has a dark silk four-in-hand, black or
blue, with a little dot figure in it, as sug-
gested previously, and one of lighter and
gayer color to wear at afternoon entertain-
ments, has all the neckwear he requires,
except white lawn ties to wear with his
dress-suit.

The four-in-hand may be tied tightly or
loosely, as suits the taste, and may be wide
or narrow. In winter the wider ones are

Hats and Neckwear. 65

worn, and in summer the narrower ones.
In putting- them on, it is often necessary to
tighten them up after they have been put in
place. They are looking just right when
the collar-button is covered, as it always
should be. It is the height of vulgarity to
have a jeweled collar-button. Both four-in-
hands and flat scarfs should be held down
in place, so as to be flat, by fastening them
to the shirt at m and //. To pin them makes
bad holes in the linen, but a little catch is
sold for a trifle in the streets in any large
town which is better than a pin. A more
convenient little thing it would be hard to
imagine.

Nothing should be worn with evening
dress but a tie of white lawn tied by your-
self. Ties already made up into bows, which
5

66 Hals and Neckwear.

fasten at the back of the neck, never look
well, and should be avoided on the principle
that one should not have anything bogus or
ready-made about his dress. A cravat that
is meant to look as if tied should actually
be tied, and a little skill is all that is neces-
sary to accomplish it. Indeed, it is better
to have a white lawn tie rather badly tied,
than to wear one ready made. An effort
should be made to tie the lawn tie into a
square bow-knot, like Fig. 4. It will be
noted that the ends do not stick out very
far beyond the bow part. Every one learns
by experience what length of tie he should
wear and how wide it should be. The first
time you get your tie to suit you, note its
length and width, and always buy the same
afterward. Three quarters of an inch to an

Hats and Neckwear. 67

inch is about the average width. If one
owns a box of English pins, which are much
stronger than those of American manufact-
ure, it will be very easy to put a pin in un-
derneath the bow as near to the lower edge
of the collar as possible (at c in Fig. 4) to
hold it in place. Indeed, a bow must be
pinned down, or there should be a loop of
tape on the shirt bosom just below the col-
lar-button, through which one end of the
cravat is run before the bow is tied (as at d
in Fig. 5). Scarfs and ties should also be
pinned down at the back of the neck (as at
e in Fig. 4).

There is no use to own a black silk, or
satin, tie (a black satin scarf is a different
thing) with the idea of wearing it with
evening dress. At all evening entertain-

68 Hats and Neckwear,

ments, as has already been said, a white
lawn tie is correct ; and while sometimes
a black silk one is allowed (as at a man's
dinner, or where a person is in mourning
at a small gathering), yet a white one may
be worn on these occasions just as well
as black, and on every other occasion, too.
If, therefore, a man has plenty of white
ties for evening dress, he needs no oth-
ers. It should be remembered that these
lawn ties must be perfectly fresh from
the shop or the laundry. Never try to
wear a white tie twice, any more than you
would try to wear a dress-shirt twice, with-
out sending it to the laundry. A man's
linen, when he is in evening dress, as has
also been said before, must be absolutely
immaculate.

Hats and Neckwear.

69

A handkerchief should never be used as
an ornament, nor should a corner of it be
allowed to stick out of one's coat-pocket.
It is a concession to nature that should be
kept out of sight as much as possible.

VII.

Jewelry and Gloves.

Few ornaments needed — Rings and pins — A good habit
as to gloves.

A word about jewelry : If one has a pair
of plain gold linked sleeve-buttons and a set
of gold or white-enameled studs, he has all
the jewelry that a gentleman needs to have,
and all that is proper to wear unless he has
a large wardrobe, and can afford luxuries.
One should never wear a large gold watch-
chain with evening dress. It is better, in-
deed, to wear none at all, simply having the

Jewelry and Gloves. 71

watch in your waistcoat pocket ; but a very
narrow, light gold chain is allowed on all
occasions. Even with a business suit an
expansive metal cable is not in good taste.
As to rings, it is just as well not to wear
any save a plain gold ring on the little fin-
ger of the left hand. The absence of that
even will never cause remark ; and the pres-
ence of any rings, except when they are
really artistic, and on a man who gives great
thought and care to his appearance, and al-
ways dresses fashionably, shows a lack of
taste and judgment. If, however, you are
tempted to wear a seal ring, in spite of all
warning, be sure that it is a very small one.
One has no need of scarf-pins at all, ex-
cept with a flat scarf, which requires one in
the center (as at /in Fig. 1) — another reason

72 Jewelry and Gloves.

for preferring a four-in-hand scarf. It is al-
lowable to wear a very small pin with a
four-in-hand if it is stuck away up in the
corner of the knot (as at g in Fig. 3), so as
to attract little attention. Little gold pins
with pearl heads are used by some men to
pin down a lawn tie (as at h and k in Fig. 4).
They are all very well if you can afford to
have them, because it is not necessary to
conceal them, as it is the ordinary pin.

Cultivate the habit of wearing gloves
whenever there is an excuse for it. They
keep the hands clean, and add to one's com-
fort, and to the appearance of comfort in the
winter. A man with his hands stuck into
the sides of his overcoat, or into his trous-
ers-pockets, looks more or less wretched
or parsimonious. Buy dark brown or brick-

Jewelry and Gloves. 73

red kid gloves always, either stitched with
black or with silk of the same color. Only
don't let your hands be conspicuous. At a
funeral, for instance, one should wear black
gloves and a dark tie. If one is going to
dance, it is always proper, no matter what
the passing rumor of fashion may be, to
wear gloves, so as not to soil a lady's dress
or her gloves. Evening gloves should be
light lavender or white, heavily stitched
with black or white. Never be afraid to
wear gloves or dress-suit on proper occa-
sions, whether any one else does so or not.
A man can always afford to be the best-
dressed gentlemen in the room.

VIII.

How to Branch Out a Little.

A table of suggestions — The use of a valet —
Visiting-cards — A last word.

It will perhaps be convenient, as a sort
of resume of what has been said in earlier
chapters, to give in tabular form the arti-
cles of wearing apparel which a careful man
who wishes to dress well, but economically,
should have. Here is such a table of sug-
gestions :

Winter under-clothing 3 suits

Summer under-clothing 6 "

Night-shirts 3

How to Branch Out a Little. 75

Shirts with collars and cuffs attached 2

Shirts without collars and cuffs 6

Collars 10

Cuffs 10 pairs

Socks 6 "

Calf-skin shoes 2 "

Patent-leather shoes I pair

Slippers

Dress-suit

Cutaway suit (summer)

Cutaway suit (winter)

Extra trousers (for each suit) I pair

Winter overcoat

Spring overcoat '.

Handkerchiefs 12

High silk hat

Derby hat

Gloves 2 pairs

Neck scarfs 2

Lawn ties 6

Link sleeve-buttons, gold I pair

Studs, white enamel or gold. . . . , I set

This looks like a good deal, but, of
course, one does not have to lay it all in

76 Hozc to Branch Out a Little.

every summer or winter. If one buys good
clothes, well made and within the fashion,
and takes care of what he has, his accumu-
lations from year to year become valuable.
A black cutaway coat properly cared for
should last through the second season, and
a variety in clothes can be obtained by pur-
chasing, every other season, a sack-suit,
rough and heavy for winter use, or of thin
stuff for summer, remembering always the
extra pair of trousers. It is needless, how-
ever, to go much more into detail. If the
case which the writer has been trying to
establish has been presented in a clear man-
ner, the reader (with the items in the table
to serve as hints) should be able to regu-
late his wardrobe easily and judiciously.
If one desires to indulge his fancy in

How to Branch Out a Little. 77

neckwear, it is easily done. Bearing in
mind always that quiet colors are best and
most gentleman -like, one might lay in a
stock of four-in-hands something as follows :
Black satin, plain ; black satin or silk, with
dots or sprigs of flowers ; dark blue with
polka dots ; neat dark browns, small checks,
and narrow stripes ; white corded silk, plain,
or with a small figure to wear at day wed-
dings, receptions, and other afternoon enter-
tainments, or on any occasion in summer
when one wishes to be a little " dressed
up " ; heavy white linen, which will wash,
with various designs in blue, black, or red,
or dotted. Big checks or stripes are not
in good form, nor are patterns of horse-
shoes, whips, spurs, and the like, in good
taste save at races. It is a painful rule, but

n$ How to Branch Out a Little.

one that must be followed, that the moment
neckwear is soiled it must be cast aside.
Summer neckwear of wash stuff should be
kept as immaculate as one's linen.

Of course, it is most agreeable to have
clothes of different styles if one can afford
it. A light-colored sack-suit, an extra four-
buttoned cutaway suit of light-colored ma-
terial, in addition to the regulation dark
blue sack-suit and the black cutaway suit,
are most useful. Then a thin, light over-
coat, lined with silk, to wear with a dress-
coat in summer, and an ulster, heavy and
silk-lined, for the same purpose in winter ;
a heavy warm-colored cutaway, with trous-
ers of the same kind for cold weather ; a
plenty of white waistcoats, both dress and
for cutaways ; tennis suits ; many shirts,

How to Branch Out a Little, 79

with collars and cuffs attached ; an abun-
dant supply of fine neckwear ; and expensive
under-wear for every season, not to mention
dressing-gowns, smoking -jackets, and nu-
merous hats.

All these things, and more, are nice to
own, but they are by no means essential to
a gentleman-like exterior. They call for an
expenditure of a great deal of money, and
of much time and thought, unless, as many
Englishmen do, one leaves everything to
the tailor, and lets him send home what and
as much as he likes. In that case, all that is
necessary to do is to meet the bill.

A fashion prevails at present, and seems
to be growing, which is commendable if
not carried to excess — that is, to tie a silk
handkerchief around the waist in warm

8o How to Branch Out a Little.

weather when no waistcoat is worn. In
this way the garment is held up and the
top of the trousers is concealed. But the
handkerchief should be of a quiet color.
No suspenders should be worn. To show
that this handkerchief fashion is not alto-
gether silly, it may be said that the best
cricket authorities in England now recom-
mend that it shall be worn instead of a belt
with a buckle. Many a player, it is assert-
ed, is declared " caught out " by the umpire,
who, having heard the click of the ball on
the buckle, supposed it to have been struck
by the bat. Of course, when a handker-
chief replaces the belt this annoyance to
cricketers is avoided. But the fashion
should not be pushed to an extreme. Broad
sashes of silk of gaudy colors, which cover

How to Branch Out a Little, 81

a foot or so of a man's abdomen, are simply
ridiculous.

A valet is not an altogether useless serv-
ant. Indeed, he is almost indispensable for
a man of leisure who dresses a great deal.
It is a valet's duty to call his master in the
morning, prepare his bath, look after his
shoes, his clean shirt, and under-wear, and
to lay out the suit of clothes to put on
(after consultation). The valet also shaves
his master if he is a first-class " man." If
the gentleman breakfasts in bed, the valet
waits on him, as he often does at other
meals. His duties are then done until the
master returns to make another toilet, or
reappears at night, when he must be on
hand to help in undressing and getting to
bed. Then he must take from the room
6

82 How to Branch Out a Little.

all the clothing which is to be brushed
in the morning. A valet accompanies his
employer everywhere in traveling, and
looks after baggage, tickets, and trains. In
some of the great houses in England a vis-
itor is not welcome unless he brings his
own servant, who waits on him in his room,
and frequently at table. It will be evident
that a valet can be useful to his master in
many other ways.

A visiting-card is not exactly part of
a gentleman's dress, but it is something
which, in a town of any size, he is obliged
to have. In size it should be small — about
three inches long and one inch and a half
wide — and cut from thin, white cardboard.
The name should always be preceded by
" Mr." It is well, also, and the fashion is

Hozv to Branch Out a Little. 83

sensibly growing-, to spell the entire name
in full — middle names and all. The reason
naturally is, that if a man has a name he
should use it. A commercial man uses the
initials of his first two or three names in
writing a letter on business, presumably to
save time. But in genteel relations in life a
gentleman is not in a hurry. He has leisure
to write his name in full. Never have cards
printed. They should be either engraved
or written in lead-pencil.

A last word : Avoid the habit of using
slang and coarse, common language. If
you offend in this way, your speech, despite
your clothes, will betray the fact that your
associates are not refined.

THE END.

Qocial Etiquette

of New York.

REWRITTEN AND ENLARGED.

TN response to constant applications from all parts of
the country for information regarding social forms
and usages in New York, the author has prepared a
work in which special pains have been taken to make
it represent accurately existing customs in New York
society, in distinction from the many manuals that have
simply reproduced the codes of Paris and London. The
subjects treated are of visiting and visiting-cards, giving
and attending balls, receptions, dinners, etc., debuts,
chaperons, weddings, opera and theatre parties, cos-
tumes and customs, addresses and signatures, funeral
customs, covering so far as practicable all social usages.

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"he English Grammar

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A Thousand Flashes of
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and Wickedness.

Collected and translated by J. De FINOD.

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ncle Remus:

His Songs and his Sayings,

THE FOLK-LORE OF THE OLD PLANTATION.

By Joel Chandler Harris.

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