The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-02-10
MEN WHO WEAR C0RSETS
NOT ALL AMERICANS, AS A FOR
EiCN PAPER iNTlMATeS.
Encli,hnen and German Military Chcors
Wear Corsets-Tho Sorts of Men Who
Resort to Bracing Of This Kind-rhree
Glasses of Wearers

| lisheI long article on the subject OF stays
or cOrsets for men. The little information
| the article contained was credited 10 IN
| American interviewer, and only American
| men Of fashion were accused OF having a
| weakness for this feminine necessity. Inc
fact that many men wear corsets has been
known for some time, but the statement
| that the habit is confined TO Americans "a
| entirely new and utterly false. II IS ana
| always has been difficult 70 get any post
| tive information on this subject from the
| persons who make the corsets OF tue men
who wear them The former are retlcent
from & business point Of view, while tue
latter yehemently deny thar they wear
STAYS because they are ashamed OF IT,
| which IS 10 their credit There i large
business done IN this line, not only in this
city, but in many foreign cities.
ENGLIsHSlEN WEAR THEM
| Many Englishmen wear cOrsets, and
| these Gentlemen suffer more incOnyeul-
ence from this source, where they are far
| from home, than from any other The
| places where men can buy cOrsets are
| limited in number, and known only % 4
few, who keep this knowledge 10 them
selves \ stranger therefore. has 10 rely
| entirely upon his own resources. \ well
! known manufacturer Of cOrsets on Broad
way was recently visited by dappcr lit-
| tie Enclishman who was only about five
feet tail and he carried cane and wore
a high SIX hat, q surprisingly tai. collar,
a red uecktie and a pair u white leg
| giuRs He was not Shy about his needs,
as an American would be, but mincing up
10 a pretty young saleswoman' said
Can get corset here?
Tor your sister,
| "Nom exclaimed the young follow, lit
ing his eyebrows in surprise for my
sell
You will please, said the young wo-
man. drawing herself Up until size looked
seven feet tall, mot attempt to joke with
me You will find the bOokbeeper IN the
Office,
The poor little dude would have been
! panied If il were possible. but as it was
| hot he was only astoui4hcd. lie spoke %
| tie manager, and was informed 10 q irsd
| manner by that gentleman that the ium
| had not yet found enough idiots ln tAs
country To- make it worth their while 20
construct corsets with the front tie same
shape as the back.
"Wel. can't you make ones' ne asked
NO sir, we cannot, and that settles
it"
The firms that make corset5 Tor men
| have only one difficulty II is tla- ri nro-
| curing a clerk with tact enough ID hold
customer when he gets him. In This
country men Ike 20 appear masculine, II
| they have Auytbiug manly about them =
| clerk must not smile when he Is artle-
| told by p customer that he wants 20 order
q corset Tor friend who Is precisely the
| customers shape and size, AMI who IS zoo
modest or TOO much eugrossed ia business
| 10 attend to the matter himself some.
| times the friend in the background Is de-
| scribed as being an Invalid and in need ~
the corset 10 hold him together when he
COUGHS None Of these statements dc
ceiye the clerk, but he goes 10 work az
| the order Just as if he believed the Gus
toner, frequently making pathetic IN
Guries regarding the precise physical con
ditlon of the atling friend
THREE CLASSES OF wEAREEs.
There are three classos Of men who wear
! corscts-those who wear them for then
health or physical comfort, the idiots who
| wear them with the idea that it improve
their shape, and the dudes that wear them
so that their coats VIII set upon their
| backs without wrinkle. The first are
| usually very corpulent men % use the
| EXPRESSION Of a fashionable tailor, would
| wabble too much without them The
second sort are the simple minded fellows
who believe that a slim waist causes the
| breast 10 bulge out, aud that this, with
| pronounced hips indicates SURPRISING
! strength Some Of these men arc 50 slim
| that their waists any way could be-
| spanued with the hands, out this Is nor
| considered, aud they wear corsets that are
drawn 50 tight that they look like sau-
sage with q string tied around the middle.
| The men who wear c0rsets for the sake OF
their tailors are usually Of that contempt
| ible class known as Washers
| When u man begins wearing corscts BE-
| is hard 10 tel where he will stop Ii be
begins a careful inspection Of his person
| he is apt TO grow very dissatisfied with
the handiwork Of nature, and attempt IN
| his clumsy way, 70 improve upon her
He will end, probably. in making himself
| look like freak or monstrOslty OF
| some kind Many man Of good shape
| has begun in simple way 70 improve
| himself III the matter Of physique and
ended in becoming a monomaniac on the
| subject A well known tailor not far
| from the Hotel Brunswick said that he
| had never seen a corset on any Of his
| customers. but he knew very well that
several Of them wore this article Corsets
are not known by this name among the
men who wear them or by the manufact-
| urers The masculine corset IS called the
compressor OF the patent elastic sup
| porter - Military men are fond Of corscts,
| il Is said, and many OF tue regimental
swells consider one OF these articles
necessary adjunct TO their wardrobe.
| Many Of the corsets worn by men are
| made IN Germany, where they are in great
| favor among the officers Of the German
| army \ great deal OF trouble Is taken
| BIZ some Of the men to have their corscts
made in rich and fowery designs. Some
| are made of brightly colored silks and
| trimmed with rich lace. \ woman %
| more apt 10 learn whether man wears
corset than one OF his own sex Especially
| is this tue case when the man is Waiting
| Whaleboue IL i. said, will creek audioly
| when any undue strain is brought 10 bear
/ upon IT, \ man with tightly laced
| corset IS bound 10 be discovered By the