Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-11-04
SLAVES OF THE STYLES.
What New York Society Idioi
Brought from Europe.


Nclr York Letter % Washington Post.
The society man of the present day in
New York usually inspires asentiment
of sympathy or pity in the heart Of the
casual observer, so very uncomfortable
does be look in trying to be stylish. A
man Of fashion, some years-ago, when
loose garments were the things to wear,
presented an easy and breezy appear
ance; but now he cannot be stylish
without being uncomfortable. The
terms are Synonymous, This was
S,s.@ught forciGiiy 70 my mind to-day by
the appearance of the son OF a wealthy
Wall street banker. don SSlnnose he
would care if his name was published
he is used to seeing it in all of the So
eiety papers, and is the acknowledged
leader of the more exclusive society
men of New York, but wont give his
name. His brother, who is in Wash
ington during this session of Congress,
never achieved distinction as society
an, or i'm any other way indeed, ex-
cept min fighting former secretary of
state, who tried to corner Peru. Nor
was his father ever much of society
man. He, however, lives for nothing
else. He hasjust returned from England
with an entirely new and absolutely
correct wardrobe, and has already be-
gun to exhibit it He is short, bus fair
~ we'll formed, and he constantly wears
the single glass,
while His Accent AstOnisheS Ameri-
cans.
and Englishmen, too, l fear. When
| saw him he was coming around the
corner of Twenty eight street into
Filth avenue, and the windows of the
KnickerbOcker Club were alive with
weak looking faces, convulsively hold
ing the single eyeglaSS, and gazing eager
IL at the latest imported clothes. The
Young mantle is about 3Ol did not walk
easily, he had on pair of dead black
shoes, with untanned leather tops.
They were decorated by fancy stripes
along the side of the foot and over the
toe, and were SO absurdly narrow that
they looked like defOrmed feet and rem
dered the movements of the young man
far from graceful, though he struggled
hard to preserve appearances. Ills legs
were covered by pair of trousers that
were simply amazing, 80 tight were they
cut. Ii would almost be impossible to
sit down without splitting them across
the knee, as far as can be judged from
appearance. They We're tight as eel
skins all the way down, fitting round the
ankle as snugly rs a stocking. Ihls re-
markable expose of a mans deVeiop-
ment is not advisable when his legs are
not I'D TO the standard. The trousers
i'm nueslion were a very light. green,
with dark stripes. Above them was
a vest that stretch from the chin just
even to line with the hip bones anu
was cut straight across. The vest was
of light material and looked odd,
IL Was 80 Extremely short.
The cutaway coat was bottle-green
and fitted like a Jersey. 1t was indeed
a trial of the tailor's art in one sense,
but it is far to tight to be becoming.
The sleeves were nearly as tight as the
trousers. and the coat-tails very long,
hanging rs far down as the knee. He
wore a collar that Tapped over in front,
and was certainly higher than any
other ever saw in America. 1t forced
his chin up in the air, and caused the
sunlight to scintillate on his single glass.
Around the neck was q green scarf
with a hounds head in diamonds for a
mn. Above 1t all was one the huge
English derby hats with great curl
ing brim and heavy crown. He wore
yellow gloves, and carried stick with
a twisted handle, by its lower end, so
that the handle dropped nearly to MS
feet. The vacant stare completed the
effect. and he limDed along while tue
Others envied him. This is no ideal
sketch. but a faithful picture of lead
ip,r society man in New York in the
the wear of our Lord 1882.