MORNING DRESS AND EVENING DRESS[37]
Surely, if you go to morning parties in evening dress (which you do, you know), why not to evening parties in morning dress?
You will say, “What morning parties do I go to in evening dress?”
I reply, “Balls—most balls go on in the morning.”
Anyhow, I have been invited to three evening parties in London this year, in each of which “Morning Dress” was specified.
Again, doctors (not that I am a real one—only an amateur) must always be in trim for an instant summons to a patient. And when you invite a doctor to dinner (say), do you not always add “Morning Dress”? (I grant you it is done by initials in this case. And perhaps you will say you don’t understand M.D. to stand for “Morning Dress”? Then take a few lessons in elementary spelling.) Aye, and many and many a time have I received invitations to evening parties wherein the actual colours of the Morning Dress expected were stated!
For instance, “Red Scarf: Vest, Pink.” That is a very common form, though it is usually (I grant you) expressed by initials.
[37] From a letter to Miss Dora Abdy (1880).