The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-14

PANIALOONS AMI BOO1S-hDfESI va
THE HIGH CROWNED HAT-OUR GRAND
MOTHERS BoNNETS-THE TIGHT-LAC1NG
PRACTICE-YOUNG LADIES DRINKING
VINEGAR TO KEEP THEM THIN-HOOP-
SKIRTS, THE NAvARTNo BONNET, AND
THE GRECIAN BEND THE LATEST
"AGoNYn--AH, THE GOOD OLD TIMES OF
SIMPLICITY AND HONESTY.
The following Recollectons OF Long
Life" by Rev. DR.. Jeter, are well worth
reading: .-
My first recollection OF fashion is that old
men, especially those Of the better class,
wore short" brceches,"'' as they were called,
With knee. buckles and long stockings, close.
ly fitting the legs. Young men and old men
not governed by fashion wore. pantaloons
or hreecbes, with legs descending to the
ankles. In short while pantaloons sup
planted breeches, except in rare cases OF old
or eccentric men. Pantaloons were worn
mostly without suspenders, but gradually
their convenience brought them into gene.
raj use. Pantaloons. made at first to tit The
limbs, soon began to be cut according to
The arbitrary dictates of fashion. At one
! time the legs were OF enormous size
| large enough for mail-bags-and at another
they were made OF cla,tlc stuff and fitted
| the limbs az closely as the skin. Boots un-
! dcrwent changes quite as striking 2S dld
| DantaIoons. When [ was boy old men
wore fair-top boots. They were long enough
to reach the knee, with n broad belt OF
smooth leather, of its natural color. around
the ton. and the remainder polished with
blackng. They were pressed down and
rumpled about the legs so as to expose to
view a considerable portion OF the stocking
between the upper edge OF the boot and The
kuee-buckle. The dandies wore boots OF Il
different style. Their legs were still. reach
| ing rather more than half way to the knee,
| cut at the top and in front in the form OF
heart. with 4 black silk tassel suspended
| from the lowest point OF the indentatlon.
They were called "suarrow boots why
| know not, nor am I sure that my spelling
OF them is correct.
BOOTS,
in my early days, were rather mark OF
gentiIity; but they soon became common,
and were worn alike by gentlemen and by
wagoners, at first over, and afterwards
under, the legs OF pantloons. Coats have
undergone q great variety Of changes with
in the period Of my memory. They have
been made with rolling and standing col
lars, and with long tails, short tails, wide
tails. narrow tails, and some without tails.
The Methodists all wore round-breasted
coats, such rs were fashionable in the days
of the Wesleys. Even Methodist boys had
coats OF this style. Quite likely Metho-
dist would have been expelled from the
| society, il he had appeared publicly in a
! iashonably-cut coat. 1t is certain that nc
would have been cenSured and reprOvcd
| for his sinful conformity to the world. For
mauy years
THE METHODISTS FIRMLY STOOD THEIR GROUND
against all changes of fashion. At length,
however, the round.brcastcd was gradually
succeeded by the frock coat among them
| 1t was recommended by its simplicity and
comfort; and, perhaps, forty or fifty years
ago it became as rare TO see 4 round-brcast'
ed coat as, few years previous, it had been
to notice a froci coat.
The high-crowned hat, tho mark and the
absurdity of civilization, has maintained its
place through all the mutations OF fashion.
| Its brim has been sometimes wide and
sometimes narrow; its color has changed
| from black TO brown, from brown to white,
and from white 10 black again; its form has
frequently varied from the high to the low
crown, sometimes narrowing, and again
widening towards the top; and it has been
manufactured of wood, straw, and leather,
and OF wool, cotton, and fur; but still the
stove pipe crown rules Christendom.
Shirts have played no inconsiderablc part
In the world Of fashion. Old men and
daudies were adorned with
RUFFLED SHIRTS
sixty years ago. Most men had their shirt.
bosoms plain Or pleated, and wore them
concealed, or more or less exposed, accord.
| ing to the prevailing custom, or their va.
! rious tastes and fancieS. Collars have
changed, know not how often. from wide
to narrow. and from standing to turning.
| Collars detached from the shirts were not
used until about the year 1926; and they
| did not become common without delay and
considerable opposition.
| Whether it is from instinct or training
that women are peculiarly devoted TO fash
| ions, know not. The fact is unQucstiona'
| BILE. All the cautions in the Scriptures
| against fondness for dress and costly orna-
n,ents arc addressed to the gentier sex. My
observations have shown that the warnings
have not lost their appropriateness. In my
early years
wOMES'S ATTIRE,
within the range OF my observation, was
exceedingly simple. Five or six yards OF
calico or cambria were deemed an ample
pattern for the dress OF a lady Of ordinary
proportions. 1t was made with cores, so as
to admit OF due expansion in walking. II
was perfectly plain in its style, and free
from ruffles, iurbelows, and plcats. The
bonnet Of those days was designed to cover
the head and to protect the face from the
rays Of the sun, and it was we'll adapted tc
its purposes. 1t was sparingly supplied
with bows and ribbons All the other gar.
ments and adornments OF the sex were ir
harmony with these chief articles of ap
parel. The Methodist ladies' OF The time
contributed much to restrain the cXtrava
gauces of fashion. They had style OF
dress peculiar to themselves. 1t was sim
pie, neat, convenient, and, as 1thcn thought
and still think, very handsome. For some
wears they maintained their style with I'm
tlinching simplicity; but the change o.
taste and
TIDE OF FASHION
gradually weakened their principles ant
swept away their peculiarities OF dress. II
came to pass that Methodist women could
not he distinguished by their Vestments
from other people. :.
The first manifest departure from the ole
fashions was a dress short in front and lone
| behind. 1t greatly offended the common
taste, but it was fashionable; and from the
Inv OF fashion there was no appeal. The
garment was modified by the varying tastes
OF its wearers; but those who took the lead
liza fashion wore 1t half way to the knees
before and traiIisg in the dust behind; but
il was far from riyalling in length and gor'
oeous sness the train OF q modern belle.
zsrh;Ia 7 ,roS ousita yOIInp. the practice oil