Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1860-06-01
Grurral itlisrrllauo


THE CLOTHES WE WEAR
Il is interesting to note the changes that
have taken place within tho last thirty years
in the materials, the style and the mode OF
manufacture and sale Of the clothing worn by
American men. beginning with the head,
Che dress hat thirty years ago was always a
fur hat. A "iclt hat then was bat for boys
and for the commonest uses of men. The
SILK bat of the present day was unknown.--
There was comparatively littc trade IN hats
between the city and the country There was
halter in nearly every town; and man
who wanted new tile went to him and had
his head measured, as he went to the boot
maker and had his foot measured. Now we
do not know of small town that has genu-
inc old-ashioned halter in IL. For hats are
mostly gone ont of use, and country dealer
can buy hat OF the manufacturer and jobbcr
cheaper than be can make one. few years
ago., Kossuth came TO this country, and bis
hat was copied. Il was what is now called
ga soft hat'--or the old-iashioned felt hat
The Kossuth Juror rovolutionizod the hat
trade, and introduced a most desirable reform
The cap, which has been in and out of fashion
good many times within the last thirty years,
had become the only relief from the "stoye
pipe hiatt but the soft hat became iashiona-
BILE by association with the orator-statcsman
Of Hungary, and it can never again pass out
ofuse. Il is too pleasant in the wearing and
too graceful in its adaptation TO the head
ever TO he allowed TO become unlashonoblc.
To "como down peg" the necks of men,
thirty years ago, were cnyelopcd in a stock
three or four inches wide. In fashionable
circles these denominations were carried 60
rrcat extremes, filing the entire space between
tbe collar bone and the tip of the chin, and
being SO stiff that they could hardly be bent
~ ail In fact, bristles were not sufficient
for stiffness, and the pad or body Of the
stock, was soaked in a solution Of gum arabic,
and stretched and dried over a hot iron. We
remember these things WE'LL and can readily
-alll The actual and painfully apparent diff
Guilty that men experienced in bending their
r.ess downward, and in turning them side
isc Now we are at the other, and the more
sensible extreme. TO say nothing Of the
hcllthfulnoss of leaving the neck free and re-
licyng an those vessels from pressure which
pass between the head and heart, it is UNI
qucstouably more tasteful. No head can be
handsome that does not show the neck it
stands on, and the lower the neck Is dressed,
whom OF the ordinary proportions, the better
looks the head The small collars and neck
tes now so much in vogue have improved
Tine louks Of young and mlddle-aged America
ut cast twenty per cent.
The coat, wastcoat and trousers have PASS
Cd through two general changes of material,
within thirty years. Thirty years ago,
hroodcoth coat was a thing gin the country
o. bc kept an indefinite series of ycars-almost
thing TO be kept for Ito time. We ought,
perhaps. to extend this period to forty years,
lr thirty years ago matters had begun to
alter somewhat. Clothes for men and boys
were all made in the house, and made of
homcspun. We shuddor to think Of some Of
the fits Effected, or affected, by the tailorcsses
Of those days All the common clothing was
manufactured in this way. Then, after a time
10 became a matter of economy for farmers to
sell their wool, and buy their cloth, and 10, a
change The rough looking homcspun pass
cd away, and the universal Yankee nation was
covered with smooth shiny goods. glossy as
the silk hat Itself Then ready made clothing
became an article Of sale, and the modes of
manufacture were changed as essentially as
;he goods themselves. Homemade cloth and
homemade clothing have ceased to be. Moth
Ing but very small boys receive their breech-
ing at the parental Preside A new business,
employing tens of thousands Of men and wom-
cn and millions OF capital, is this ready made
clothing business; and the farmers and me-
clancs are its best patrons. Every where,
men and boys have dressed in better cloth and
in better style for the last ten years than ever
before in the country's history. The city
style of coat is on the farmers boy. away up
among the mountains possible before the
-tylc is a month old We know of nothing
which has so essentially spoiled rusucity as
the ready-mado clothing business. coun-
try church is almost as grand place as Trinity
or Grace and the people are the better and
the more seli-respoctful for it.
We have said that two general changes
have occurred in the material; we should
properly say in the style OF material Tho
second change is not yet complete, but it is
in rapid progress. The thin, glossy goods,
used once so universally, not only for coats
lint for surtouts, is passing ont Of style
Dressing in broadoloths is actually growing
vulgar, except among professional men; and
in the every day use Of it. heavier. rougher
class OF goods has come and Is coming, into