Men's simple black- evening dress has always created a deal of discussion. No, we do not mean the discussion as to the number of buttons on' the waistcoat, the precise notch of the collar or even the silk braid on the trousers. Time and thought has been well invested on these weighty matters and we know of instances in which the deliberations of the ushers over their turnout for a fashionable wedding has been as prolonged as that: of the bridesmaids on the question of sheaf bouquets v. Victorian posies.
We allude to the matter of the black evening dress fiar men, with nothing but lapel facings or braid to adorn it and all too litle'. latitude in the way of studs and' cuff links. The strong man attributes this to the natural shrinking of the truly great male from excessive ornament, his desire: for simplicity and disdain of out= ward show: Any wife who has. the usual domestic difficulty in ing her husband into full evening regalia will say that this is due simply to masculine lazito all the trouble that elf ness and that if a man had to go'
sacrificing women take to choose an evening gown, there would be fewer sovial—functions.
Still an-., other explanation is that man would really love to blossom forth: in gayer rainment for parties bub that selfish woman, desiring an effective background for her peacock (pardon the mis-analogy) has imposed sombre black upon him. meee There seems a certain likelihood in this last theory when we think of the complication involved int dressing to one's partners colouring as well as to. one's own. Gentlemen who affected bright orange for evening wear would meet with but scant favour from ladies who looked their loveliest in shell pink. One gentleman confessed to me the other evening that he had Jong desired to blossom forth in evening clothes of a passionate purple with waistcoat. of mauve and studs and links of amethysts. Another, looking from. the balcony of the Astor ball room. room to the animated arabesque of dancers below said his ideal of. modish elegance in men's -party apparel would be fur-edged collars, suffs and trousers. Others, especially of a summer time, advocate masculine decolletaye, and sigh for a modern Moses. to lead them out of the sombre desert of winter blacks and summer black and whites. Comment upon' this huraing point will be gratefully received.
.which have "sunk i? middle? not to' mention - those:..iced. otherwise. ambitiously decorated: the Spectator," ARG
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.