Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-09-30
A NEW YORK SWELL.
The Last Importation with Quizzing
Glass, Untanned Shoes and Green
Trousers.


Ne'o York Letter to Washington Star.
The society man OF the present day in
New York usually inspires a sentiment Of
sympathy or pity In the heart of the casual
observer, so very uncomfortable does he
look in trying to be stylish. A man Of fash
Ion some years ago, when loose garments
were the thing to wear, presented an easy
ana breezy appearance, but now he cannot
De stylish without being uncomfort able.
Inc terms ere synonymous. Inis was
brought forciblY to my mind to-day by the
appearance OF the son of a wealthy
v all street banker. / don't suppose
ne would care il his name was pub
Hshed, as he is used - seeing it
In all the SC 2iety papers, and is the acknowl-
edged leader OF the more exclusive society
men OF New York, but l won't give 1t this
Time. His brother, who is in Washington
curing the session of Congress, never
achieved distinction as a society man, or In
any other way indeed, except IN fighting 8
former Secretary of State. Nor was his
Iather ever much of 8 society man. He
however, lives for nothing else. He has
Just returned from England with an entirely
new and absolutely correct wardrobe, aud
mas already begun 70 exhibit z. he Is shoIt,
cut fairly well formed, and he constantly
wears the single glass, while his accent
gstonlshes AmeTicans-and Englishmen, too,
1 fear. When l saw him he was coming
around the corner Of Tenty-eighth street
into Fifth avenue, and the windows
Of the swell little Knickerbocker
Club were alive with Weak-look-
ing faces, eonvulsively holding the single
eyeglass, and gazing eagerly at the latest
imported clothes. The Young man Che is
about thirty did not walk easily. He had
on pair Of dead black shoes, with untauned
leather tops. They were decorated by fancy
stripes along the sides OF the foot and over
the toe, and were so sbsu-dly narrow that
they looked like deformed feet, and
rendered the movements of the young man
lar from graceful, though he struggled hard
to preserve appearances. His legs were
covered by pair Of trousers that were
simply amazing, so tight were they cut. It
would almost be impossible to sit down
without splitting them across the knee, as
far as can be judged from appearances.
They were as tight as eel skin all the Way
down, lifting around the ankles as snuglY as
stocking. This remarkable expose Of a
mans developments is not advisable when
his legs are not up to the standard. The
trousers in question were very light green
with dark stripes. Above them was a vest
that stretched from the chin to a line just
even with the hip bones, and was cut straight
across. The vest was OF light material and
looked odd, 1t was so extremely short. The
cutaWay coat was bottle green, and fitted
like jersey. Il was indeed a trial OF the
tailor's art in one sense, but 1t is far too
tight to be becoming. The sleeves were
nearly as tight as the trousers, and the coat
tails were very long, hanging as far down
behind as the knee. He wore a collar that
Tapped over in front, and was GER
tainlY higher than any other collar
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 a green scarf with
hounds head in diamonds for pin. Above
1t all was one Of the huge English Derby
hats with great curling brim and heavy
crown. He wore yellow gloves, and carried
a stick with twisted handle by its lower
end, so that the handle dropped nearly to
his feet. The vacant stare completed the
effect, and he limped along while the others
enVied him! This is no ideal sketch, but
faithful picture of leading society man in
New York in the year Of our Lord 1882.