The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-12-10
"who's Got The Buttonq''

Twenty-Five years ago the buttons used
on dresses and cloaks were made mostly
of metal, some in imitation of silver and
some of gold. They were of great size,
in fact quite as large as a modern indi-
vidual butter-plate. Calcoes and chint-
yes were adorned in those days with
agate buttons in all colors, puppies and
reds predominating. After these. there
came in smaller buttons of various
kinds, among others the variety known
as horn, which had long run and was
very popular. AT this time, too, there
were worn immense buttons of solid
pearl, through which the prismatic colors
were always shifting, in changing lights.
There were nickel buttons, decorated
with designs of stars; there were queer,
brass buttons, and glass ones, wonder
fully and fearfully made. There were
conical, white porcelain buttons the
more pointed 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 were set very
thickly together on dress fronts, and for
a time were so small as to be scarcely
visible. The metal buttons, too, depre-
ciated percepibly 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 a craze
for buttons in designs of gooseberries,
currants, raspberries, blackberries, and
grapes. Masses of bright little curr4nts
| used to fill in the front of a woman's
dress, and great blackberries worn on
silk attire used to half tempt the unwary
into taking bite of the luscious fruit.
Solid jet balls, too, were used at this
time, and formed a trimming for dresses
not unlike the jets used nowadays.
There were also used long Jet buttons,
very similar in shape to fat dark color
ed worm. These were used largely on
dress fronts with braided plastrons and
various other designs, and were consid-
cred very recherche, as they were always
expensive and required incalculable time
! and patience to keep them sewed on in
place. There was a time when buttons
were not considered an essential part of
dress, so far as harmony of shade and
colloring was concerned, but that day
Is long since past
The buttons nowadays are selected
with more care perhaps than is any other
element which enters into the makeup
of costume. The colors in them
| must harmonic with the body Oh
the dress, down to the finest shadings,
and the size must be proportional ac-
cording to the style of goods used, and
the design of toilet followed. Street
suits, made of rough imported cloths
are now adorned with buttons of enor-
nous size, mostly in bronze, and deco
rated with q various designs. Some are
made In medallion heads, some in land
scapes, some in wheat sheayes; Others
are made of shell and are many-coloreC
and brilliant; still others are limitations
of cameo, and others are curious mix
ture of gilt and silver. These button!
would never do for house-wear, but worI
in the street on heavy clothes they arr
quite appropriate and very stylish. They
are decidedly expensive, and their only
| rivals are the novel bronze buckles, somt
| of which come In beautiful designs o
| locust leaves, and are made to serve thu
same purpose as buttons. The old-fash
toned button-molds, once so fashionable
| have been revived of late in crochet but
| tons, and viii be used this season OF
black cloth and silk suits. Small croche
buttons and fiat silk-coyered are Away
| preferred by modest women, and SO ar
always used to a great extent. Tn
| gaudiest buttons used are the big gil
| ones, which are usually affected b.
schoolgirls and very young ladies
/ Handsome bronze buttons are the rag
SO far this season, and viii probably con
| tinue to be so, Judging from present ap
pearance.-Denver-T Tribune Republican