Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-05
COST OF DRESSING "A DUDE.
xyhat the American Swell Spends in
eornment-Swells' Tailor Bills.
- L. VA Nlrk .StLr.

lightly touched MN "llu,duu WIN ""'Neu
49, very little more teebly than he did
sSrtv Years ago. One of those little old
',.r who never seem to grow old. His
,-ao-tod stick and bundle are as much
ut At him as the blind mans dog. This
r Danjel Pratt, known everywhere and
generally as "the Great American
srayefer." The Wandering Jew him self,
n hi. Manifest days, did little more wan
dsring than old Daniel, except that the
i.tr-r restricted himself pretty much to
l,a continent; and he not only has done
''rSar.d deal OF walking, but large amount
TI+,ltipg also. HIS OratOry may or may
ga[ he handed down 10 fame, but as the
~ri,ioatDr Of a term descriptive OF a
snsrips Of the human race. he is entitled
IA piche IN cOntemporaneous history.
In the course OF his travels Daniel one
nav stopped at Massact usetts town
famous as the seat OF great university.
pnn6Ie in hand be trudged out on to the
o1mIus and mounted big empty soap
6.y Then he lectured. The crowd of
Students that formed his audience list
and for some time in silence, then a
taII slim young man, in loud clothes,
Interrupted the proceedings with the re-
mark:
"Daniel, you're a crank"
The tIRveler paused in his harangue
torepIy: yes, / ain. And you, sir, are a
dude
The students roared with laughter.
The exact meaning OF the before unheard
OF term was never questioned. 1t SO
exactly fitted, i'll some ineXpllCable way,
the OBJECT upon which it was 50 sum-
marily cast.
That was how the word ''dude"
originated. How it came into general
Use as the name of a peculiar species OF
man which was heretofore vaguely
designal ed as DarWin's missing link, is
well known.
1t may not be generally known, but it
is nevertheless a truth, that there are
human beings ambitious to be ranked
with this new species, and to these, as
Well as the general public, 1t may be OF
some interest to learn how much such
persons pay for their hobby, how much it
costs in fact, to be a dude.
Although Daniel PRATT was the creator
OF the term dude, it is the tailor that
makes his existence possible. Other
tradesmen help in Il small way, but 1t Is
ibis artist mat the dude depends on. In
New York the most fashionable tailOrs
NOW have their shops aud establishments
on Fifth avenue, the region to which the
species are Indigenous or easily &C
oImated. OF course a real swell OF a
dude, whose pockets have heavy golden
lining, sends to Loudon Tor his gorgeous
a par |, but he is one in hundred The
ninety and nine, whose pockets have only
plain nickel plated lining, go TO Fifth
avenue. in reality they have TO pay
nearly as much, and in reality it makes
very little difference, as all the leading
al builders come from 1.-The other side,
you know"
Ia the first place, let US take our dude
q. disappointed Nature left him. First
come the undergarments. These must
necessarily be of silk. No dude could
wear awning but SILK. The dudes tay-
0ri places Tor the purchase OF everything
Oh this nature are three shops very near
Madison square, almost all within the
shadow Of the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Suits
OF six underwear cost from SIP to $36,
Sometimes even more. Ii made to order
they come a little dearer, sometimes as
high as $50 a suit, but such a price is
fancy one, and few even of the wealthiest
dudes pay il. A fair average price would
be so. Few OF the dudes BUY more than
haI a dozen suits at one time, and
usually not more than twelve year.
Six Tor summer, very light, and six
heavier ones for winter. Twelve suits
he SOCKS. Two dozen pairs a year salts
n,s the most particular Of dudes. The
seeks, Ike the underwear, must be of
silk, and Of many cOlors. The best silk
socNs seldom cost more than So. Twenty
four pairs at IS cost 1912. The outside
footwear is the next item.
George UOey can scarcely be called a
dude, built might be mentioned in pass
ny that he has contract with boot
maker on the Rue st. Honore,
Paris, for fifty pairs a year.
Therefore in considering the cost
OF equipping a dude, one is well within
the mark in allowing him tnirty-six pairs,
comp lsng every kind, laced shoe, but
ton shoe, shoelets and boot. Shoes cost
various prices. The most fashionable
maker IN New York, therefore the dudes,
sometimes charges $24 for a single pair.
ne shoes nobody for less than SIG. AL
loving the dude, then, thirty-siX pairs of
SHOES IN year, and charging him the
low price OF $40 per pair, ne would pay
$''p Tor his shoes. Aud does any one in
Ne" ork pay that mucn in year for his
5l'ts: you ask. Yes, a good many do.
LOOK at the books Of any fashionable shoe
maker.
Having dressed the dude so far at an
EXPENSE of $l,06S, the next necessity in
Iue wardrobe is the bosom shirt. The
luxurious dudes pay all kinds OF prices
uI mis- necessary part OF dress, 1t must
We Wdue TO order of course, and rarely
c'sIs less than s.. Three dozen will be
SuuuSh lor year, and the three dozen
CDs. FloO. Collars cost about forty cents
yLaCu only, and twenty-five cents is the
""eSl price. The styles change often,
Tro"eNtr, and therefore many are needed.
al1e dozen IN year is fair estimate,
wv Tau NOSE at twenty-five cents cost $40.
ddolY cents is the price of cuffs. Three
Ven pairs would amount to Sl4 40 The
f,lce oI neckties varies. Probably fair
t,e'aSe price would be 81 90. and fully
WV ooIen are required in a year. That
10" estimate. The cost is $50.
Nv comes the most expensive part Of
,Ho ures-, the outer suit. An ex-king of
s"g u4oes IN one year bought thirty-siX
t. ana siNty-nine additional pairs OF
''">eI5. But take thirty-six suits as the
,til"eu number. A Filth avenue tailor
b- ",ses nothing for the cloth in the suits,
H.. ''' Ine workmanship and his name.
rr ""' al Kinds Of prices. one price TO
b' ""0'atr TO another. For an ordinary
S'"e'' suit the price runs from $50 to
w.. ,U'bNays, irocks and dress suits
more Morning coats, after-dinner
.'.Ne''' smoking Jackets and coats and
fT..'''' CIFers aud sundry, may cost any
W., including every kind OF coat,
l,a 'oaJ ana trousers, a tailor who Gu
tnn t." 'he fashionable dudes considered
mo. ."Ii average price. Thirty-siX suits.
n,''' WOULD cost $500. Some dudes pay
pr1.a,Hl4lh that, many pay less. The