Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1856-10-18

Herald, an English periodical. 1t was doubtless
suggested by the late Clothes Difficulty.
All habits and customs can be viewed in a ridic-
ulous light; and though some are certainly more
ridiculous than Others it would be difficult to invent
one that could meet with defiance the shafts of wit
and satire. But perhaps they all have meaning
Before the time of the French Revolution all the
beau monde of civilized Christendom had taken to
the wearing of white hair. In those days it mat
tered not whether your natural hair was black
brown, red, or yellow the powder-bag transformed
| 1t into white and young,old, and mddle-aged all
alike prided themsevels in their silver locks. That
was the old age of arstocratical and exclusive
times that world was coming to close. 1t was
hoary-headed sinner, and the prevailing fashion
symbolized its coming decease. The French Rev
oluton introduced a new age, the advent of pop
uar influence; and the young era, with great pro-
priety, abandoned the white hair and wore the hair
of youth. Our courtiers, however though they
cast off the POWDER still preserved the powder-bag
which we'll betokens the lingering attachment of
old England to the olden times, which the young
nations of continental Europe had too violently and
hastily abandoned.
In those days the court dress of Europe was not
anachronism as it is in England at present. No
bles and gentles were all swordsmen they walked
the streets with swords at their sides; therefore
their appearance at court, in full-dress circle
was at least in character. But now, when swords
and when even officers of the army wear in the
streets, and at evening parties, the plain dress of
gentlemen unarmed, 1t seems out of character
with the spirit OF the age to sword at an as
semblage of courters, where of all occasions il is
least required. The custom is a relic of times
that past and is quite ridiculous and mprop-
er the powder-bag of the wig, without the wig
or the powder. Moreover sword is unsuitable for
the society of ladies, whose character is averse to
the of such instruments of offence and violence
and whose presence even forbids their use by the
other sex. 1t is but poor symbol of courage to
carry sword when and where it cannot even be
used and when 1t is worn by men who know not
the of it, who cannot even without awkward
ness draw it out from its sheath or walk with it
without stumbling, and sometimes even falling, it
is nothing more than caricature of the arms of q
gentlemen. Yet this sword is part of the court
dress; it is like the crest or the coat of arms in
which gentlemen pride themselves, and which cot
ton lords, grocers and stockholders, get engraved
upon seals and pencil cases, and silver teaspoons
as soon as they have realised u comfortable inde-
pendence and can afford to display ring upon
their fingers. 1t typifes the spirit of the times we
live in in which men willing to appear or seem
to be what they really are not, to pass for tall men
by wearing stills. and petticOat to hide them, if
by so doing they can gain little consequence.
When an American citizen condemns this iuve-
nile vanity, he does well, and we pport him i'll so
doing but it is only upon condition that he do not
set up corresponding absurdty. We think that
the American Government dld right in requesting
permission of other governments to let the repre-
sentatives of the Republican citizens appear at
Court in the simple attire of gentlemen, without the
sham costume of past ages-ages which the Amer
lean revolution formerly ignored in their new dem
ocratic institutions and we believe that the Courts
of Europe willingly aCquiesced. At least the
Court of st. James did, and American Ambassa-
IoJ ,I,
ing dress of a gentleman, dress which Louis
Philippe, the Napoleon of peace, preferred to all
others at his own court. But that dress is a we'll
known and established style of Dress at least until
the fashion changes. Who leads the fashion we
know not, and nobody knows; but somehow OF
other fashion comes in and remains in for gen.
Grafton or two, and every body must obey it. For
instance, no gentleman, invited to dine with fam
lily where anything like style is Observed would
ever appear in colOred trowsers, or even in a color
ed coat. Black is the uniform of the gentleman
at present throughout the whole fashionable world,
not in England only, but the continent also.
Moreover the coat must be of particular cut, not
surtout. 1t must be what is called dress-coat,
which is merely a common coat, a coat without
front skirts. Even at the opera they will refuse
you admittance in a surtout. 1t is common joke
amongst young men that they sometimes deceive
the vigiant eye of the Argus at the door by pin
ming up the skirts Of their surouts and the door
keeper even if he perceives it, willingly wnks at
it, or smiles, for he has delight in kicking mp
dust, and is very glad of excuse for holding his
tongue But if there was no rule for dress he
would be obliged to exercise his judgment, and
thus he would bear all the responsibility, and might
be knocked down at the door for giving his opin
ion. As it is he incurs no blame, he merely obeys
formula, which, if not good test of character,
is at least a means of preserving appearances,
which are much as can be accomplished. A
surtout is as good dress-coat. Indeed many
regard it more becoming, and it is very possible
that some few years hence it will become the dress
coat, and then the other coat will be unbecoming
but it requires authority to introduce If, and most
probably that authority would require to emanate
from the seat and centre of European fashion. No
individual of small name and authority has right
to innovate, or even attempt to do it. He may do
as he pleases in his own homely circle of friends
but if he receives card of invitation in London
to fashionable soiree, and if on the card is written
80 evening dress.'' it would be an act of rudeness
on his part to 60 in surtout and white duck col
ored trowsers. Most probably the livery servant
at the door would refuse him admittance, telling
him to come again tomorrow morning, as his mas
ter was engaged with company. His taste Is at
liberty in the choice of waistcoat.
Moreover it matters little or nothing about the
quality of the coat, or the age of it. thread
bare coat will do, if the rest is right We remem-
Der once observing gentleman in an evening dress
at SOiree who looked somewhat remarkable be-
hind. He had on one of the old-fashioned short
wasted coats that were in vogue some twenty or
thirty years ago, and the sleeves were short and
tight. Being familiar with him we made some re-
marks on the novelty of the cut, he laughed and
said that coat is twelve (now twenty years old,
but | am rather proud of it, for it was made by
Stutz the cloth is excellent and though seedy, it
looks like the coat Of a man of some standing, for
don't think that even at the old clothes shop you
could find coat of such venerable and respecta-
BILE antiquity; you might in the wardrohes of some