for the WELL DRESSED MAN

Some suggestions for Spring and Summer Wardrobes in various Colour combinations

HERE we have three pages, and a page of things seen in the shops, devoted to suggestions on which you may plan your spring and summer wardrobe. There is little difference in what a man wears in spring and summer; in fact, what you order now will be good until the late autumn, except during the very hot days when clothes of certain tropical materials are absolutely necessary.

The first important thing about a new suit is the material. The spring and summer materials are flannel, gabardine, light weight homespuns, hard worsteds and, in addition to these, there are cashmeres, linens, cotton worsteds, mohairs and other tropical materials for extreme hot weather. Flannels should be light in colour. This season is characterized by light and gayly coloured materials. Lovette flannels come in attractive mixtures of light blue and gray, blue greens, gray greens and green and brown. Striped flannels are always smart and this season they are particularly so when the stripes are a half inch to an inch apart, thus varying the usual closely striped patterns. Hard worsteds that are very light in weight keep their shape well, which is a great advantage, but a hard worsted should be chosen in light colour, because the very dark shades become shiny with a little wear and are therefore shabby before the wearer wants to give them up.

Gabardine is a particularly smart material, but remember that trousers made of garbardine must be continually pressed, and therefore a gabardine jacket with odd trousers is often a more serviceable combination than an entire suit of this material. Gabardine is really a material for country clothes and it is also a fact that, like hard worsted, it is best chosen in light colours, because then it does not show a shiny surface. A dark gray-blue gabardine is a very smart material for a spring town suit, but it is a luxury because of the fact that it soon becomes shiny. The smartest light weight homespuns are woven in two colours, such as blue and brown, brown and green, etc. These mixtures make a very effective as well as a very useful material.

When we recommend blue in these colour combinations and mixtures we mean a light shade of blue. This is not at all startling as a colour scheme, because this shade of blue when mixed with brown, or any other colour in theweaving, attains greater depth and gives the appearance of a shading rather than a definite colour note.

It's an obvious fact that our colour combinations are a very important feature of dress. It is with great deliberation that we describe the colour scheme of every sketch we show, so that our readers may have a basic scheme on which to make their own personal variations. Take for example the first illustration. It is a sacque suit made of Prussian blue flannel, with which we suggest wearing a tan and blue striped shirt, white collar and cuffs—though the collar and cuffs may be of the same material as the shirt. It is a matter of choice. A tie of two shades of blue is shown, though it might well have been a tie of two shades of brown; brown low shoes, dark brown socks and medium toned brown hat. We will take this combination item by item. Prussian blue is a very smart colour. Do not be afraid of bright colours for suits.

They are very fashionable and particularly so for younger men. A shirt of tan and blue is good with this combination because it is very masculine and a little more imaginative than stripes of blue and white. A more original shirting, for instance, would be a stripe of blue and pink Oxford—one of the attractive shirt materials being shown just now and perfectly correct, but a little more daring and one to be worn only by the sort of man who can carry it off. While we suggest white collars and cuffs in this drawing, it is equally smart, if not smarter, to wear a shirt with collars and cuffs to match.

On Colour Combinations

SOME of the most luxurious haberdashers are showing shirting materials in figured designs, with which white bordered handkerchiefs may be had to match. A plain blue tie or a plain brown one, or a striped tie with two or more shades of these colours, would properly balance this ensemble. A blue sock, or a blue and brown mixture would be quite as correct as a solid brown sock for this combination, providing brown shoes are worn. Never wear a brown sock with a black shoe. With a dark suit it is a mistake to wear a brown sock which is not as dark, or darker, in tone than the brown shoes. The only excuse for wearing a lighter brown sock than the shade of your shoe is when your suit is still a lighter shade of brown or tan. It is a good rule to remember that colour combinations should be built up from dark, medium to light shades, or the reverse. Where socks, shoes and the material of your suit is in question, this rule is an excellent one to follow, because it is a more pleasing scale for colour shading than where the lightest shade is between the medium and darker one. If this is not quite clear, it may be explained by comparing the effect of a brown shoe with a light brown sock and a dark blue suit with a brown shoe and a darker brown sock and a dark blue suit. The latter colours are more pleasing. Another item to note in colour combinations is the possibilities of solid coloured shirts around which to build a colour combination. Shirts of a solid colour blue, tan, grey, and pink allow of a greater choice in ties and socks because they do not conflict with striking designs and colours in either of these articles of wearing apparel.

The Correct Form of Hat

SOFT felt hats are correct the year round except during the straw hat period. They are only correct in light shades in spring and autumn. Your winter felt hat should be darker in tone. It makes a very nice change in headgear to come out in the spring days in a pearl gray or fawn hat both of which are particularly smart just now. On these pages are three examples of good hats, all of correct shape and in various prices. Note that none of these soft hats has been dented in the crown, nor have their crowns been misshapen into some original mould for which they were never intended. This is the correct way in which to wear this style of hat. Also it is to be noted that in the illustration B. the brim of the hat is given a tilt, front and back, which is as it should be worn. Do not make a mistake when buying your straw hat by choosing any "nifty" or "snappy" shape, which may be forced on you by a salesman who has more strength of will than good taste and knowledge. The smart straw hat still has the proportion illustrated in C. a moderately wide brim and moderately high crown. This is the most becoming proportion and that is why it does not change from year to year. The newest hats have a head band which is set into the crown of the hat, so that the unyielding pressure of the straw does not come directly against the head; therefore it makes a straw hat much more comfortable to wear than formerly. Coloured hat bands are very smart, but they should be chosen, if possible, to stand for something more than strips of colour and decoration. Use the colours of your club or fraternity, just as the Englishman sports only the colours of his regiment in hat bands and ties.

Though we have discussed socks at some length above, we have not mentioned that the newest light weight woolen sock will have a great popularity this season. Golf stockings are also made in this same weight; an example of these were shown in the last number of this magazine, and we recommend them very highly to the sportsman. Socks with stripes and bold designs are very fashionable. The most interesting ones have a three colour combination.

Coloured socks will be worn more than white ones this year with flannel trousers and knickerbockers. A reason for this is that flannel trousers in gray and tan, and white ones with stripes of blue, brown and gray, will be more seen in fashionable places than solid white ones. It is impossible to say that such and such a thing is the smartest in ties because the materials from which ties are made are so varied. Foulards and wash ties of English prints will be the most popular. Smart bow ties are being cut wide, and the four-in-hand is being cut full. String ties, both bow and four-in-hand, are not smart, though they are seen.

What the Shops Offer

ITLLUSTRATED in H. are monogram designs from which you may order a pair for your motor. They are reasonably priced and good in design. They are painted on celluloid medallions, and are accompanied by a tube of high tension cement and careful instructions as to how they may be fixed to your car. They are not only intended for automobiles, but for all personal effects which are usually marked in other ways. They look well on cigarette cases, traveling bags, brushes, etc., and may be transferred later to other articles. To order them it is only necessary to choose your colours and the shape of your design, send your initials and a check. If it is for your motor the largest letter in a design, such as 103 in the center of the group, may be illuminated so that at night it is easily seen. In addition to initials, crests and coats of arms may be also ordered in this same medium.

Illustrated in G. are checked linen knickerbockers, something new and smart offered by one of the most up-to-date men's shops. They are a change and a novelty after the great run on white linen knickerbockers last season and much nicer to wear with a natural homespun or linen jacket than the less harmonious white linen, and incidentally do not soil as readily. Custom made knickers may be had in all sorts of interesting wash materials such as brown, blue, and green cotton worsteds.

Illustrated in K. is a leather cigarette case which is one of the most practical we.have seen anywhere. It will contain a whole package of popular cigarettes and measures 3 1/4 inches square. There is a little pivot at the lower right hand corner which works (with thumb and forefinger) as a lever to push the cigarette out of the case when full.

The samples of material illustrated in J. are interesting because the material stands a great deal of wear and does not crease. It makes an inexpensive summer cravat in nice colour combinations.

The dressing gown and slippers are very excellent value. They match in colour in addition to being the most useful articles for every occasion during the summer—for traveling, beach wear, week-end house parties, etc.

Further Summer Fashions

SOME of the following items will be offered through our shopping pages in the next two issues.

The shops will show some two piece bathing suits with both wide and narrow striped uppers in combinations of red and blue, blue and white, blue and plum, black and white and butcher's blue and white. This last colour is new and smart and is exactly the colour of the village butcher's apron. The shorts which go with this upper will match the darker of the two colours of the combination.

Soft shirts with collars attached will be shown in solid colours and stripes made in zephyr, madras and silks. This shirt is very smart and newer than the sport shirt in white materials.

We will also show a short sleeved sport shirt with collar attached which is a one piece combination of shirt and short drawers. For golf and tennis it is an excellent idea because it takes the place of underclothes in the very hot weather.

It will be possible to indulge in a very attractive summer belt for sport wear made of striped ribbon like coloured hat bands. This belt is adjustable like a Boston garter and fastened with a buckle and leather strap.

Bow ties and four-in-hands made of attractive cotton print materials will be very popular and we will show them in large varieties.

We will also show several attractive models of shoes, which are for the most part rubberheeled. The man who is once converted to rubber heels will never again forego this luxury. With these shoe models we will include a large assortment of half hose and golf stockings in light weight wool and interesting shades of colour. Pale gray and buff, light blues, greens and taupe will be the popular and useful colours in which to buy these socks.

Coloured socks will also be smarter with flannels than white ones.