Dodge City times., 1888-03-22
FOLLOW THE FASHION.
4 Fanous Chicago Rabbi Talk, on the
Mode of Dress.

MOde OF Dress.
Fashion, said DR.. Hirsch, is indeed
the great ruler of this world. 1t is an
unconscionable despot to which men
are willing slaves. The heavy artillery
of the pulpit made no breach in its
ramparts. Eve forfeited paradise, and
the result is the thralldom of mankind
to fashion. Let the world denOunce
fashion as it will, men are infected by
it. The question whether nascent
modesty forced man to cover himself is
not yet decided. The origin of dress,
though generally thought to be arbi-
trary, would, if all the facts were con-
sidered, show nationality. In northern
climes it first originated, for there pro-
lection against the cold weather was
most needed The loins were first
covered. When weaving WAS discov-
cred the style of dress became more
varied. The garment worn then by
the Greeks was thrown around the
body much after the fashion that plaids
are now worn. The garment later on
assumed the appearance Of a sleeveless
shirt tied in the middle. This was the
first type of dress and from it sprung
the swallow-tail. The pantaloons were
also the invention of northern climes.
In Egypt cloth was worn around the
legs. To the Germans the credit of
first introducing pantaloons into
Europe is due. 1t was composed of
two parts, tied at the waist Hence the
name of the garment in every language
is in the plural. The name was given
to it by the people of Venice, who were
the first to join the two parts together.
Dress also had a symbolical value. By
it the different classes of society were
distinguished and it also marked the
differences of nationality. as each ma
ton had costume of its own. The
dress of the peasant was different to
that of the miner, and the drawing
room called for garment different
from that worn while travelling. The
play of fancy, therefore, had not as
much to do with the introduction Of
dress as generally supposed. Political
ideas. too, influenced the change cf
dress. A hat for years had been the
exponent of certain political proclivi-
ties. The Spaniards. prior to the Thirty
Years War, wore stiff silk hat. After
the war the soft hat was assumed. In
England, political parties were symbol
lied by their headgear. The Puritans
wore stiff hat. That style of hat
was imported to America and it be-
came the symbol of independence. It
was taken back to Europe, and it was
so obnoxious to rulers there that the
Gar of Russia banished man who
wore it from his realms. and another
ruler put a man to work on the streets
for the same offense. The Kossuth
hat put an end to the autoc-
racy of the silk tile in America.
Before Kossuth came here to
walk the streets with soft hat was to
invite crowd to follow you, Modern
democratic ideas are leveling all dis
tinctions in dress. The colored waiter
and the guest appear in the banquet
hall wearing the same style of dress.
The dudes, noticing this. sought to
effect difference in attire by requiring
the members of their set to wear swal-
low-tails of different color. The
head-dress also serves the sense of
beauty. but this applies more particu-
larly to the dress of women than men.
In nature, Darwin says, the male bird
puts on his finest plumage to be in
favor with the female Women put on
their fine hats for men, or, perhaps, to
arouse the jealousy of their own sex.
The cloud colors were at first in
vogue because the people were unedu-
Gated. Their place is now taken by
profusfon of shades of colors toned
down. AS one man is no man all have
to admit, no matter how they object,
the dictates of fashion. The genius
had the prerogative of standing aloof
from all fashions. The crank and
dude also had their own styles. As
the people were not all geniuses,
cranks or dudes, they will obey fash
ion. Sensible men will submit to it
as long as it does not injure health.
When it does common sense will pro-
test against it. Fashion is an evidence
of civilization, and as such the scepter
will never depart from it. Chicago
Herald.