The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-19
MAN AND COLORS.
Weakness of the Male Sex for Gorgeous At
tire, and Where 1t May Lead Them.

Weakness of the Male Sex for Gorgeous At
tire, and Where 1t May Lead Them.
San Fra: scisco Chronicle.
Mans genuine love of colors is expressed in a
hundred and one undenable ways. Be he at
tentive to the adornment of wife, mother,
daughter or sister and ambitious to have her
look well according TO his idea of appearances)
before his fellowmen, he will delight to see her
| in bright dresses, ribbons and bonnets Black
and neutral tints rather disgust him. no matter
how rich and costly the fabric Witness the
throng of gentlemen admirers who will congre-
gate around the butterfly bedecked, simperiug
young maiden at an evening party, then answer
if man does not like ostentatious display The
Martha across the room may be more intellect
ual, more accomplished than her sister of bril-
liant rament, but the majority of cant
see for the life of them why she should wear
funeral clothes and colors" Often woman will
dress in gaudy apparel simply to please the male
head of the family or delight the taste of her
many admirers.
an effort to lay to the charge of man all the friv
olous, undue admiration for brilliant dyes, but
simply to show the sin if such it bel is equally
attributable to the taste of both men and women
and the outgrowth of natural instinct, and that
yha conventional male attire is rather the result
of custom than of desire on their part.
Since the introduction of black silk socks with
bright-coored clocks, socks of crimson, navy
blue, pretty plaid and crimson stripes, few men
can resist the temptation to purchase Them
dress their pedal eXtrcmities with fantastic
hosiery and indulge in the accompanying essen
tial requirements-low shoes and a profcien-
cy in the art of dangling and caressng one foot
over the knee of the other in an unconscious
manner that exhibits the pretty but otherwise
concealed underwear
Going still further and giving facts from real
life: A month six weeks ago a gentleman
and lady entered large y-goOds store Post
street for the ostensible purpose of purchasing
five yards of unbleached Canton flannel with
which to replenish the gentleman's stock of I'M
dprNVear The OblpOp clerk 6ata1DtiDa6 In
please land probably with some consideration
for his own taste not satisfied with offering diff
ferent grades of the unbleached article for in
Spection, presented several bolts differing in
color. Among them was piece of olive green,
which called forth the admiration of the male
purchaser. His heart and eyes were set on
the pleasing shade that i'll order to yield to his
fancy, the five yards of material intended for
the manufacture of his underwear were select
ed off the bolt of olive green Canton flannel
introduced into the market for decorative art
purposes.
When death enters family and it becomes
necessary for the male members to attest their
grief by proper clothing; they will frequently
put on cream or light stone-colored breeches and
a drab hat with the regulation piece of black
bombaZine wound around it, The change in head
attire is no doubt due to a desire to display the
mourning band to better advantage by contrast
but the lightcoored pants subject is mystery
not to be solved save by the theory, man delights
in relief of color"
Shades of Henry VIII and Elizabeth forefend
from the revival of varied hues and rich orna-
mental robes for the decoration of male kind!
Even with the few loopholes they now possess
for INDUCING that taste, they have already made
some advance toward brilliancy of attire through
the medium of smoking-caps morning gowns
and jackets, neckties, gloves Innings and facings
of hats, pantaloons, etc, beruffled, pink and
blue edged nightshirts gay hosiery and
striped undervests and drawers making them
look, when en- dishabIe, like zeb1as.
Give man but half chance, remove the arbi-
trary rules of general and approved custom and
in less than ten years assemblies, congresses and
senates will be obliged TO take cognizanee of the
fact and by law and act enforce economy and
moderation in male dress, as was done in Eng
land couple Of centuries ago 1t became neces-
sary for Henry VIII to enforce an act pro-
hibiting the use of gold silver or tinsel, satin,
silk or cloth mixed with gold any sable fur,
velvet, embroidery in gowns or outermost gar.
ments, except by gentlemen and knights WHO
had ESQ per annum while Elizabeth consider 4
it incumbent on her to further restrict the s, oe
gorgeous apparel She added an en-" ,.t,,amt NV
which except those worth g "a nor ',onn,S
or 8200 capital We're to w NJ cloth above fer,
shillings per yard. Jre.cing from these ances.
tors men deligbs as thoroughly in butterfly
adornments ara rainbow dyes as the most YER
social world