Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-07-28
FUN DRESS FOR MEN.
A Fashionable Tailor Thinks the swallow 1a
n H.

A Fashionable Tailor Thinks the swallow Tail
II Losing Its Grip.
'sThe past season was the most signlncant
one in fifty years ~ far "a mems fashions are
concerned" )" said "A fashionable tailor the other
day "because 1t showed that the old time and
allsuilicient dress suit was losing It's hold.
Men have grown rostive under the severe
and rigid dress suit rules Of former years.
They are moving toward more elaborate cos
tunes and they'll get there before long, too"
"pye watched the restlessness of the dress
suit he continued slowly, "with great
care, for knew that as soon ~ the deadlock
WAS broken 1t would only be question OF
time when knickerbOckers, bNCkled shoes,
and rutfles would come in. The first indica-
ton was bro%j satin or silk collar and lapel
for the evening coat This made stir at
first, but now threetourths of my clients
have silk or satin lapels on their coats Then
came white waist coats-at first very simple,
but this season made Of figured silks of really
gaudy patterns and further decorated with
gold buttons. Many OF the buttons had the
monogram Of the wearer wrought on them,
and some had crests. Then came a signih-
cant change-the triumph of pleated, stamp
cd, ribbed and decorated shirt fronts. They
became almost universal before the season
ended. Tho straight collars OF a few seasons
ago were replaced by rolling collars, and
the little shoe string ties by broad
black or white brands Then the coat
tails were rounded oil and made smaller
and the coat drawn in at the waist like the
coats oi the eighteenth century. / saw the
way things were tending, and built up some
of my shoulders with great success. The
trousers were then decorated with a broad
satin band, and your fashionable man OF 'S6
was properly clad. Add very low pumps,
colored hose, and the latest wrinkle from the
Prince of Waes-a bright red, blue or yellow
silk handk orchief thrust into the open waist
coat front-and everything was complete.
These are small things i'll detail, but very
important a. indicating the bent Of fashion.
A plainly dressed man of two seasons ago il
eclipsed by the dandy of to-day, with his
snowy shirt front, dash OF collar in handker-
chief and hose, delicately tinted waistcost,
loosely tied cravat and highs .shouldered,
tght-waisted coat"
"And you think all this precedes knee
breeches?'
"Surely, tennis and bicycling have shown
a great many men how becoming knee
breeches are. They are infinitely more grace
iul than trousers, II a man has any sort OF a
leg at all. Noman wears kneo-hreeches when
he plays tennis because they are comfortable,
because they are not The stockings irritate
and are exceedingly warm, and the garters
above the knee are no end of a nuisance. a
pair OF loose flannel trousers are infinitely
more comfortable and convenient, But the
mind of man is bent on knee-breeches, and
the influence oil woman goes with it Men
now wear knickerbockers in the country,
though they never touch a tennis racket or
throw a leg over wheel. 1t Is result OF the
desire to look picturesque.
The japanese In Dress Suit.
The landing of japanese prince at New
York in the conventional Prince Albert suit
and silk hat is a sad indication of the ten
dency towards uniformity of dress through
out the world. The people on the streets OF
civilized cities present now substantially the
same appearance, and everything like pic
turesque national costume is receding far
into the rural regions. The process con-
tinues, and the Orient even is beginning to
succumb. The traveller from New Zealand
who is to sketch the ruins OF St Paul from
London bridge will doubtless be adorned by
a plug hat, Prince Albert coat and patent
leather CATERS.