Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-11-25

Ola style and New stJls-HlstOTicnl Data
Origin Of VAIious Fa'hiOns-A Long StorI

Old style and New stJls-HIstOTical Data
Origin Of vaIiOua FashIons-A Long StorI
About Trinlng bat Curious Matter.
In the last century, when the coats had
large tapping skirts, II became the custom
las may be seen 10 HOgarth' Gpictures) 20 but
ton back the two corners Of the coat, and
also TO button forward the inner corners, 20
as to separate the tails for convenience In
riding. This custom left Its traces In the
uniform OF our soldiers down to the introduce
ton Of the modern tunlc, and such traces
may still be seen In some uniforms, for eX-
ample, thOse Of lord lieutenant and Of the
French gensdarmerie. In the uniforms Of
which speak, the coats have swallow. tails,
aud these are broadly edged with a light
colored border, tapering upwards and getting
| broader dOwnwards; at the bottom OF the
tall. below where the borders Join. lat which
Joining there Ia usually button there Il n
small triangle Of the came color az the coat,
with It's apex at this button. This curious
appearance Is explained thus The two cor
| nofs one Of which ls buttoned actually 10 the
edge Of the coat but had to be fastened a
little Inland, as Il were; and thus part OF the
coat was visible OF tho bottom OF the call
| light colorcd border, although sewn to the
coat, evidently now represents the lining,
which was shown, and tho corners being
turned back.
Il was not until the reign OF George III
| tuht Cohps Welo Vue OeOh ~ tho waist IN aIe
| our present evening coats, but since, before
that fashion was Introduced, the coats had
become swallow-tailed In the manner eX-
planned, It seems likely that this form Of coat
was suggested by the previous fashion. And,
indeed, stages of development OF some
what intermediate character may be observed
In old engrayings. In the uniforms Of the
last century the cOats were double-breastcd,
but we're generally worn open, With the flaps
thrown back and buuoned 70 rows OF buttona
on the coat. These haps, Of course, showed
the liulng OF the coat and were Of the same
color as tho taUs; the button.holes were
usually embroidered, and thus the whole Of
the front Of the coat became richly laced.
Towards the end Of the century the coats
were made tight and were fastoned together
in front by hooks, but the yestiges OF the
flaps remained In q double line oil buttons,
| and In the front OF the coat being OF dlhef,
ent color from that OF the rest, and being
richly laced.
A uniform OF this nature Is still retained
10 some foreign armies. This seems also u
explain the use OF the term "faclnga," as ap'
piled to the collar and cuffs Of a uniform,
since, as we ehall sec hereafter, they would
be Of the same color Rs those liaps.
| II may also explain the habit Of bTaldlng
the front Of q coat Us Is done In our hussaI
and other regiments. In "lIistory Of Male
Fashions" published In the London Chronicl,
In 1853, we end that 'eurtouts have now fOul
laps on each side, which arc called dog
eaTs;' when these pieces are uuhuttOned they
hsP bnskwsrds and fOrwards, like so many
supernumerary patches Just tackled on al one
end, and the wearer seems TO have been play
Ing at bscksWords III bis coat was cut =
pieces. Very spruce snldrts hayt
no buttons nor holes upon the breast Of thest
their surtouts, save what are upon the ear
| and their garments only wrap over thel