Dress suit

“ It was early morning, and few people were yet abroad. But the costume of those whom I met seemed strange and fantastic to me. Moreover, I noticed that they all turned and looked after me with evident surprise, as though my dress caused them quite as much astonishment as theirs caused me. I was quietly attired in my snuff-coloured suit of small-clothes, with silk stockings and simple buckle shoes, and I had of course no hat; but I gathered that my appearance caused universal amazement and concern, far more than could be justified by the mere accidental absence of head-gear. ”

“ Separate waists and skirts of different colors will never make you look slimmer. A three-piece suit which consists of a one-piece dress and coat is the admirable solution of the suit problem.
If you wear a blouse at all, have it in a color that matches the skirt and in a style that laps over the skirt to avoid the break at the waistline. Of course, you have to have a belt, but make it a narrow one and always of material the same color of the dress. ”

“ For dress wear three outfits are necessary. There is the cutaway for afternoon weddings, society teas, and so forth, a Tuxedo for club scenes and semi-dress occasions, and finally, full dress for balls and dinners where ladies are in the scene. A dark four-in-hand or bow tie, with a stand-up or wing collar, should be worn with the cutaway, and regulation dress bow ties, black with the dinner coat and white with the dress suit. These clothes are an essential part of a motion picture actor's outfit. ”

“ A dress hat with plumes should not be worn with a tailored [124] suit in the morning; and yet we often see such a combination. Here the lack of harmony is between the parts of the costume; but the entire costume must be suited to the peculiarities of figure. There are women who never look well in the straight lines of a tailored suit: the severity is not becoming to them. They must tone down the effects of the lines by ruchings, ruffles, a soft stock, or some such softening elements of dress. Others do not look well in fluffy things. Each must know what is becoming and dress accordingly. ”

“ Like all well-made, high-bred men he looked at his best in the dress which fashion has decreed shall be the evening costume of gentlemen. She had thought him handsome, noble, in the easy, careless suit of velvet, she knew that he was distinguished looking in his suit of evening sables. ”

“ As to the etiquette of men's dress in general, the tale is soon told. The "dress-suit" is worn only at dinner and in the evening. At any hour after six o'clock, a man may with propriety appear anywhere in a dress suit, though it is required only on formal occasions. Before dinner, morning dress is worn—the frock coat, or a business suit with its four-buttoned cut-away. ”

“ My mother says that I was the handsomest polliwog in the family. You are forced to wear one dress always, and that a dull old shell, while I change the colour of my clothes to suit the occasion, as all well-bred persons should. This morning I am wearing a full suit of grey-brown; that is because it matches so perfectly this lichen-covered log upon which I am seated. When I go swimming, my bathing suit is ashen grey, with green trimmings. [259] If I were to visit the swamp maples I should don plain brown, and if I should take a hop in the grass I should wear a beautiful dress suit of green. ”

“ What you want are clothes that will do kindly things—soften the lines of your figure. There are only a very few older women who can wear severely tailored styles well. are the broad-chested, straight-backed older women who always stand erect. As a general rule the middle-aged, or older woman, looks better in a onepiece dress or a semi-tailored suit that has a little trimming.
Three-piece suits, having a dress and suit coat are excellent. Or, if you make a blouse to match the color of your suit coat, and trim the blouse with a little suit material, it will look just like a dress. ”

“ To the writer it seems that a morning suit—black frock coat and dark trousers—is fully as appropriate as full dress on all occasions where the ladies are not expected to be in full dress, which they are not in any of our parquets or dress circles. There is something sorely incongruous in the picture presented by a lady in a sober, high-necked gown and an extensive hat seated beside a man in a swallow-tailed coat, a low-cut waistcoat and a white necktie. ”

“ The garment worn directly under the graduation dress has much to do with the effect of the dress itself. This garment should not be picked up at random but the fullness of its skirt and the design around the neck should be planned to suit the particular dress pattern selected.
Underwear is to the dress what the foundation is to a house, and it should be built just as skillfully. It is impossible to secure a dainty graceful effect in a dress when it is worn with a clumsy petticoat. ”

“ Costume consists of a suit of coarse material, sleeves rolled up to the elbow, leather apron tied about the waist, paper cap on the head, red or gray wig, and shaggy beard. The old lady's costume consists of a cheap calico dress, white ruffled cap, white handkerchief tied about the neck, and spectacles on the nose. The light must come from the right side of the stage, and be of medium brilliancy. ”

“ If this is the costume in which she intends actually to travel, it should be of material and color suitable for that purpose. A pretty and becoming shade should be selected, but not an extremely delicate one. Cloth or other woolen material is suitable for the cold months, a silken or woolen stuff of light weight for summer. A pretty hat and white gloves complete the costume, or, if preferred, these may correspond in color with the dress. A bride may, if she pleases, be married in a walking-suit of a very light color, changing this for a quieter dress before she starts on the wedding journey. ”

“ Their ordinary dress, for example, consists simply of drawers in the hot season, to which in winter they add one or more scarves, to cover the upper part of the body. The dignitaries and wealthy individuals on state occasions wear a rich suit, consisting of drawers, vest, belt, and a large tunic. They go barefoot, rarely having even sandals. ”

“ As a person in deep mourning does not attend formal social gatherings, only simple clothes suitable for home and street wear are needed. One may have a woolen suit and several crepe de chine, taffeta and georgette blouses or a dress fairly plain, but made in an approved and becoming style, and a top coat to wear with it. ”

“ The Tuxedo panels of the black dress are designed as part of the collar, in scarf effect, thus giving a youthful line rather than a heavy, collar trim and one that can be worn by all but full bust figures.
149 YOUTHFUL STYLES TO AVOID Don’t be tempted to buy a bright colored cheviot suit when a navy charmeen or a smart black and white stripe would be much more distinctive and slenderizing.
Don’t let any one make you look old. Avoid bulk in your clothes, such as heavy skirts, bulging ornaments, ruffles, frills and flounces. Learn to delight in slenderizing. ”

“ I have an evening dress, pink mull over silk (I'm perfectly beautiful in that) , and a blue church dress, and a dinner dress of red veiling with Oriental trimming (makes me look like a Gipsy) , and another of rose-coloured challis, and a grey street suit, and an every-day dress for classes. That wouldn't be an awfully big wardrobe for Julia Rutledge Pendleton, perhaps, but for Jerusha Abbott—Oh, my! ”

“ Almost every labourer has his Sunday suit, very often really good clothes, sometimes glossy black, with the regulation "chimneypot." His unfortunate walk betrays him, dress how he will. ”

“ Long, flowing, and even trailing skirts are beautiful and appropriate in the parlor, but in the muddy streets, draggling in the filth, and embarrassing every movement of the wearer, or in the country among the bushes and briers, they lose all their beauty and grace, because no longer fitting. The prettiest costume we have ever seen for a shopping excursion or a walk in the city, and especially for a ramble in the country, is a short dress or frock reaching to the knee, and trowsers of the common pantaloon form, but somewhat wider. ”

“ But it must be borne in mind that the word "calico" is of elastic meaning at these balls, including cotton-backed satin and cotton velvet. Tinsel trimmings replace gold; ribbon is allowed; net takes the place of tulle; and very few people dream of adopting cotton gloves or mittens.
To be properly chaussé and ganté are difficulties at fancy balls. With short dresses the prettiest and most fashionable shoes are worn, either black with coloured heel and bows, or coloured shoes to match the dress, and embroidered, the stockings being of plain colour or stripes. ”

“ ARMENIAN WOMAN. In the country they wear shoes with toes turning upwards, full silk trousers, white under-dress, open at neck, made of thin muslin; a silk scarf round waist; full white sleeves; velvet embroidered sleeveless coat, opening wide in front; round cap of velvet; hair in plaits, and a yachmush out of doors. For a fancy ball, handsome silver clasps are added to the belt; a silk brocaded jacket and tunic often replace the over-dress. Long gauze veil and plenty of ornaments admissible. ”

“ One can be perfectly groomed with the possession of just one suit. A girl who is planning to have an illustrious career, and who wishes to put aside her earnings with a view towards future investments, need not spend large sums on clothes. With one very smart, tailored suit of a good material, and several attractive blouses, she can always look neat and well-dressed. Satin blouses, tucked and high-necked, are excellent for the office. A soft, fluffy little blouse of georgette transforms the suit into a quite appropriate costume for visiting and entertaining. ”

“ The number of the rest of the party, including the garland-bearer, is generally thirteen, and with the exception of the varied taste in the decoration of their shirts with ribbons, their costume is similar. It consists of clothing entirely new from the hat to the shoes, which are made neat, and of a light texture, for dancing. The white decorated shirts, plaited in the neatest manner, are worn over the rest of their clothing; the remainder of the dress is black velveteen breeches, with knee-ties depending halfway down to the ancles, in contrast with yarn hose of a light grey. ”

“ Happily the people at large—the masses, if you will—are not equally constrained. They too rapidly seize on what is new, and often retain what is really pretty. Some of the best of modern changes in dress are already adopted as national costume. What, for instance, can be more becoming than the prevailing dress of our female servants: the well-fitting dress, cotton, or dark material; the snowy apron; the round cap of lace, below which appears the knot of glossy, well kept hair; the close, short sleeve ”

“ MEDIÆVAL. This term for fancy costume has a very extended meaning. It is applied to almost any dress worn during the period of the middle ages, and after. The following are a few descriptions: Corselet and sleeves of bright red velvet with epaulettes, and plaited chemisette of pink crepe or gauze; the sleeves tight to wrist with gold embroidered cuff's, matching the stomacher on the low square bodice, made with belt; short skirt of striped red and white silk, with front breadth of gold embroidery, satchel pocket, close plaited ruff at throat; large silk or velvet hat with feathers. ”

“ The fashion of bordering dresses and skirts with deep flounces of fur and velvet was introduced rather late in the century, and silken girdles of conspicuous width were held up by jewelled clasps, and innumerable gold chains fell round the neck. The round cap, covered by a kerchief hanging to the ground, was popular, and the steeple form of head-dress with pendent drapery tucked under the arm was a distinctive feature of the time. ”

“ The gown itself has the skirts gathered to show the petticoat, and small aprons fringed with lace are often seen. The simple head-dresses of the Restoration are changed for caps with long lace lappets, or for a cap whose top-knot or commode stood up stiff and fan-shaped like a section cut out of an old ruff. When no commode was worn, a loose hood, thrown gracefully over the head and gathered at the shoulders, sometimes took its place. As a riding or walking dress, ladies of quality often wore coats, waistcoats, hats and cravats, not to be distinguished from those of their lords. ”

“ Afternoon dress consists of a double-breasted frock coat of soft cheviot, vicuña, or diagonal worsted with either waistcoat to match—single-breasted or double-breasted—of fancy cloth, Marseilles duck or piqué; trousers of different material, usually cashmere, quiet in tone, with a striped pattern on a dark gray, drab, or blue background; boots of patent leather, buttoned, not tied; a white or colored shirt with straight standing white collar; a four-in-hand, puffed Ascot, or small club tie; silk hat and undressed gray, tan, or brown kid gloves. ”

“ Otherwise my third and last would be a silk skirt and jacket—the skirt of black and white up and down stripes with white chiffon blouses, and the jacket black. The taffeta should be of the heavy soft variety that does not crack and muss. The skirt should be unlined and cut with straight seams gathered on a belt; a dress that folds in a second of time and in a few inches of space. With the coat on, it is a street dress; coat off (with a high girdle to match the skirt) , it is whatever the top of the blouse you wear makes it.
A duster is, of course, indispensable. ”