Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-08
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
MEMS FASHIONS NOW TEND TO-
WARD WHAT THEY WERE THEN.


Resemble the Fop of a Century Ago.
Some of the Old Styles-Fashion Con-
sists of Just Two Things.
Mems fashions have invariably begun with
eccentricity brought about by a revolution
in society OF morals, and are as invariably
driven out by vulgarity-that is, common
use by the crowd The essayist Hazlitt says:
fashion begins and ends in two things it
abhors most-singularity and vulgarity.
What was yesterday ridiculous from its be-
ing new, tomorrow viii be odious from its
being common"
At the same time fashions have tendency
to work in circle.
1t is now exactly hundred years since the
origin Of our present tail or ''clawhammer"
coat came into existence, while the modern
dandy has returned to the bunch of seals
dangling from the fob and talks seriously Of
introducing satin knee breeches for dress
wear.
The dress coat of today, which in its pres
emit form has lasted with but the slightest al
teration in style for nearly forty years longer
than any male fashion ever lasted in previous
centuriesl, owes its origin in cut to the alter
ations in 1889 Of the cutaway coat Of the last
years Of Louis XVI, of France
IN wAsHINGToN's TINE
The facings OF the military uniforms TO be
seen in all the portraits of Washington were
at first detached 50 as 10 flap loosely, and
then, standing forward, left the collar only
turned over, and so gradually made way for
the square corners at the bottom of the lapel
This threw back the side Of the coat until the
ugly, but useful, fish tails were the result
Transition in male attire, as well as in poll
tics, was the order of the day, and it is not
unlikely that many of the free and easy fash
ions of 700, the year which saw as great q
revolution IN European costume as ever oc-
CURED, came over from America to Paris
with Lafayette and his companions, for the
Quakers Of Pennsylvania and the woodmen
Of the new country could have neither time
nor inclination to devote their energies to
powders and puffs.
The overcoats Of this period we have al
ready seen return with one or two capes and
very little alteration, except IN the set of the
collars and cuffs
Here the dandy of the period allowed his
taste to run wild. The material was usual
the finest Lyons fabrics known as taffet
poult de sole and gros grain, terms still n
use for the thickest line of silks. These were
embroidered with metal, gold, silver OF cop
per threads end patterns, which not only rep
resented buds and flowers or stars, but often
launched out into tees and sea weeds, cas-
cades and pyramids, and even INDUCED in
pictures representing perfect panoramas Of
country farms or military camps
The three cornered hat Of S. stin worn by
the soldiers In SO, was already altered to the
chapeau cornes, or horned hat, which Eng
hsh adnirals and directors of the British
army have not yet discarded.
But the flaps Of this hat were falling, and
the pointed crown was already visible, sur
rounded BY narrow brim, though the hat
band was in soIne measure decorated with a
bunch OF ribbons or a cockade.
A FRENCH DUDE N 1890
A translation from the French of that day
will describe a dandy of 1870 better than any
modern writing: The elegantof the day is en-
tirely unlike his predecessors He has turned
over TO old men and soldiers the hideous cooked
hat Lately in vogue. He appears now as often
without powder rs with, leaving the curly
growth Of nature urrsoiled by -four and grease
This head he now adoTns with the tall
crowned round hat with its silken band and
Its national cockade. Lafayette introduced
tho red, white and blue as the national colors
of Francel BE wears his frac from the En-
glish frock coat) diminished behind to q
Gods tail, adorned N front with two short
revers or facings, which look like an outside
vest left open TO show the wide waistcoat be-
Meath
"a long cTavat Of various cosors ending in
lace &C both ends Is tied carelessly two or
three times round the neck end fastens In q
bow beneath the chin The breeches Of ksr-
seyTners or doesl1in tight to the leg fasten be-
meath the knee with a rcsette and an oval
buckle over ieug striped stockings usually
made Of silk With this either top boots, the
lower part shining with English Hacking and
the tops left in KID orcaif OF thenatu-al color.
or low shoes without heels" Buckles were
still worn on the shoes, and the hunter after
bric-a-brac may still find as elegant steel shoe
buckles In this country as be can IA Paris or
London.
When acouple Of years later me shoe buckle
was replaced by the shoe tie It was almost as
bad 10 the old Conservative mind as tbs depo-
Stlo1 oS monarchy.
When Minister Roland presented himself
en- bis nomination before Louis XVI the
poor being thought himself insulted By the
shoe ribbons worn by the new functicnary
Never betcrs had nuything but silver or 1iia,
rnond buckles appeared at court. The mas
Ter OF ceremonies nearly tainted. and even
zen Dumour1ez, who had rot then thrown
on ne roysl party, turned up his eyes and
CALCULATED: Society Ia indeed sostf'
THEY CALLED THEN -PASTALooyS-
IL Is interesting TO know that braces or
suspenders had not made their appearance a