Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-03
BREECHES.
The Changes Through Which Mans
Most Important Garment Has Passed.


cincinnati EaQUirer.
If there is anything in this world that
man is particular about, it is his breaches.
or, as the Americans all say, pants. From
the time that Adam discovered that the
world was without tailor, and he hadn't
any clothes, the aim of each masculine
has been to get apparel which will set off
his form to the best advantage. The STYLE
and quality of pants are a mark of civili-
cation, for in barbarOus lands nothing bat
a clOut hides the nakedness of the savage.
The style of trousers changes with each
generation; indeed, until the beginning of
the present century our modern pants
were not worn, and knee breeches were in
vogue. George Washington, the Father
Of his Country, wore clothes like the base
ball players of the present day, and
wouldn't now receive an electoral vote
should he appear in his fdll-dress suit.
When Daniel Webster went to Dart
mouth to be examined for college, he had
ON blue jeans hOmespun breeches, as
tough as the hide of a rhinOceros. Then,
as now, it wasn't the pants that made the
man.
The fOppery of dress was at it's height in
England during the reign of Henry Ill.
and the reignS of Louis NV, Nv, and
NNI., of France, were famous for eXtrav-
agance in attire. The mobiles wore what
was called "bOmbastedr breaches, which
were pulled out from the hips to the knee
and tied with gorgeous ribbons or bands
of gold. The richest materials were used
in making these garments, and thousands
of dollars of the people were squandered
in the purchase Of magnificent breeches
for the Kings favOrites.
PantalOOns first came into use in Venice
during the fifteenth century. They were
worn by deVOtees of the patron saint,
Pantaloons, and were called by the Ital-
ians pantalini. To don them was an evil
dence of foOlishness or buffOOnery, and
the individual who appeared in pantaloons
much resembled a clown. They were
nothing more than long stockings, of one
piece from the hip to the knee, very tight
fitting, and frequently the legs of different
hues.
The Saxon ancient breecheS were very
similar to these, and were rendered more
attractive to the barbarian eve of the
early Teutons by bars of variegated
cOlOrs.
The pantalini of the Italians were in
troduced in England and France during
the sixteenth century, and after a consid-
cradle period of disuse were worn as full
dress during the reign Of George III.
During the Plantagenet reigns the long
garments hid the breeches from view. and
hose completely incased the legs. The
breeches of the Celts and SaXons were not
worn by the Romans, who would not dis
card the tOga, the ancient and time hon
ored costume Ofthe race.
Brooches in the strict meaning of the
term-fOr trousers is the only proper word
to express the existing style of wearing
apparel from the hips to the ankle-were
worn by many of the nations of ancient
times, notably the Modes and Persians,
Phrygians, Gauls, and Teutons. The
''bombastes" breaches were introduced
no ORR info II
VIII. always appeared in puffed-out
breeches.
In the reign of Charles l. they were
worn loose to the knee, and ended in a
fringe or row of ribbons. After the re-
stOration the petticOat breeches of the
French began to be worn, and were the
mode for some years. The plain, tight
knee breeches, as worn by our fOrefathers
who lit into the revolution" were intro
by William III, and the final change to
the modern trousers began in 1912, in
England, although in Oxford and Cam
bridge Colleges an order was issued dur
ing that year that all students appearing
in trousers should be considered as alb
sent. Mrs. Siddons, the great actress,
wore trousers wien she performed elmo
gen" in London in 1902.
Wellington adopted trousers in the Brit
ish army, and they were for a long time
called Wellington trousers.
1t was good age for tailOrs 200 years
ago, and they were more important per-
sOnages then than now. Fine breeches
were in demand and sold for fabulous
prices.
The real cause for the change in the
mode of dressing, especially in the style
OF pantaloons, Is to be attributed to the
influence Of the French Revolution, when
all the ancient ideas regarding dress were
buried in the ruins and blood of the licen-
tious and eXtravagant nobility. For al
most one hundred years people of the
civilized earth, with the exception of Tur-
key, have been wearing trousers which
are now in use. They are more comfort
able and durable than the costumes
of the past, and become equally
well the fat and the lean legs of this gem
Grafton. DIR. Mary Walker, the strong
minded female, has stepped out from the
ranks of her sex and shown her apprecia-
tion of mans pants by wearing them her.
self. The style from tight to loose breeches
changes every year or two in order to
give the tailOrs IA chance. But knee
breeches are seen only in plays, and are
to be found in no other place than in the
shop of the cOstumer,
3Will the knee. breeches of our ancestors
ever come into vogue again? For many
reasons it is to be hoped they will. Our
trousers scrape up all the dirt and become
frayed at the bottom. The knee-breeches
set off fine calf to the best advantage,
and pretty hose can be worn where it
will show. Boots are rapidly going out
of fashion, and now nearly everybody
wears shoes on account of the incOnveni-
ence OccasiOned by trousers worn over
high-topped boots. Knee-breeches could
at least Obviate this difficulty. OF course
they would look strange for time, but
what innovation has not seemed ridicu-
lOus? Certainly the tailors would not OBJ
iect to the change, for 1t would open to
them a wider and more profitable field Of
usefulness.
The Turks still cling to the traditions
and clothing of thier ancestors, and wear
the knee-breeches pulled out like blad-
der, and tied just below the knee with a
ribbon or cord.