the
drawing-room with their hats and gloves on. They wear their fur neck
pieces and carry their muffs in their hands, if they choose, or they leave
them in the hall or dressing-room. But fashionable ladies _never_ take off
their hats. Even the hostess herself almost invariably wears a hat at a
formal luncheon in her own house, though there is no reason why she
should not be hatless if she prefers, or if she thinks she is prettier
without! Guests, however, do not take off their hats at a lunch party even
in the country. They take off their gloves at the table, or sooner if they
choose, and either remove or turn up, their veils. The hostess does not
wear gloves, ever. It is also very unsuitable for a hostess to wear a face
veil in her own house, unless there is something the matter with her face,
that must not be subjected to view! A hostess in a veil does not give her
guests the impression of "veiled beauty," but the contrary. Guests, on the
other hand, may with perfect fitness keep their veils on throughout the
meal, merely fastening the lower edge up over their noses. They must _not_
allow a veil to hang loose, and carry food under and behind it, nor must
they eat with gloves on. A veil kept persistently over the face, and
gloves kept persistently over the hands, means one thing: Ugliness behind.
So unless you have to--don't!

The wearing of elaborate dresses at luncheons has gone entirely out of
fashion; and yet one does once in a while see an occasional lady--rarely a
New Yorker--who outshines a bird of paradise and a jeweler's window; but
New York women of distinction wear rather simple clothes--simple meaning
untrimmed, not inexpensive. Very conspicuous clothes are chosen either by
the new rich, to assure themselves of their own elegance--which is utterly
lacking--or by the muttons dressed lamb-fashion, to assure themselves of
their own youth--which alas, is gone!

Gentlemen at luncheon in town on a Sunday wear cutaway coats; in other
words, what they wear to church. On a Saturday, they wear their business
suits, sack coat with either stiff or pleated-bosom shirts, and a starched
collar. In the country, they wear country clothes.

[Illustration: "AT AN INFORMAL DINNER THE TABLE APPOINTMENTS ARE EQUALLY
FINE AND BEAUTIFUL, THOUGH POSSIBLY NOT QUITE SO RARE." [Page 228.]]

=WHAT THE SERVANTS WEAR=

A butler wears his "morning" clothes; cutaway coat, gray striped trousers,
high black waistcoat, black tie. A "hi