Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-12-09
"wHO'S GOT THE BUTTON 90
Buttons Viewed from a Standpoint Of
Years Ago.

Twenty-Five years ago the buttons
used on dresses and cloaks were made
mostly Of metal, some In imitation of
silver aud some of gold. They were OF
great size, IN fact quite as large as a
modern individual butter-plate. Cali
cos and chintZS were adorned IN those
days with agate buttons in all colors,
purples and reds predominating. After
these, there came in smaller buttons of
various kinds, among others the variety
known as horn, which had a long run
| and was very popular. At this time,
too, there were worn immense buttons
OF solid pearl, through which the pris-
matte colors were always shifting, in
changing lights. There were nickel
buttons, decorated with designs of stars;
there were queer, brass buttons, and
glass ones, wonderfully and fearfully
made. There were conical, white por-
celain buttons, the more p ,inted the
more fashionable; there were brass
buttons in designs of acOrns; there were
buttons made of brass open-work, over
red lining; these, and myriad of others,
made up the quaint sum Of buttons
worn a score or SO of years ago.
After this, small pearl buttons, or
shirt buttons, as they were then called,
came into use. They were set very
thickly together on dress fronts, and
for time were so small as to be scarce
ly visible. The metal buttons, too,
deprecated perceptibly in the matter
of size, the glass ones and porcelain
ones as well, until the rage for small
buttons was as great as the rage for
large ones had been.
About this time there came in craze
for buttons in designs of gooseberries,
currants, raspberries, blackberries and
grapes. Masses of bright red little cur
rants used to fill in the front of a wo-
mans dress, and great blackberrles
worn on silk attire used TO half tempt
the unwary INTO taking a bite of the
lucious fruit. Solid jet balls, too, were
used at this time, and formed a TRIM
ming for dresses not unlike the Jets
used nowadays. There were also used
largely ON dress fronts with braided
plastrons and various other designs, and
were considered very recherche, as they
were always expensive ard required
incalculable time and patience to keep
them sewed on in place.
There was time when buttons were
not considered an essential part of a
dress, so far as harmony of shade and
coloring were concerned, but that day
is long since past. The buttons nova
days are selected with more care per-
haps than any other element which en-
tiers into the makeup of costume.
The colorS in them must harmonic
with the body of che dress. down to the
finess shadings, and the size must be
proportioned according to the style of
goods used, and the design of toilet fol-
lowed. Street suits made Of rough lm-
ported cloths are now adorned with
buttons of enormous size, mostly In
bronze, and decorated with various de-
signs. Some are made in medallion
heads, some In landscapes, some in
wheat sheaves; others are made Of she'll
land are many colored and brilliant; still
Others are limitations OF cameo, and
others are curious mixture of gilt and
silver.
These buttons would never do for
house wear, but worn in the street on
heavy clothes they are quite appropri-
ate and very stylish. They are decid-
edly expensive, and their only rivals are
the novel bronze buckles, some of which
come in beautiful designs of locust
leaves, and are made to serve the same
purpose as buttons. The old fashioned
button-molds, once so fashionable, have
been revived of late in crochet buttons,
and will be used this season on black
cloth and silk suits. Small crochet
buttons AID fiat silk-covered buttons
are always preferred by modest women,
and so are always used to great extent.
The gaudieSt buttons used are the big
gilt ones, which are usually affected by
schoolgirls and very young ladies.
Handsome bronze buttons are the rage
so far this season, and will probably
continue to be SO, judging from present
appearances.