New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-16
CLIMATE AND COSTUME.


against Northern stupidity in neslecting TO dress
in compliance with the requirements OF lne
climate. If the extreme days OF the hea'eu
period like those of the last week, are 10 Dc
taken as the standards of the temperature Oh
the season, it would only be practicable 10 uii-
dress for the climate, as the natives OF Africa
and the negroes of the West Indies and Brazil
are accustomed to do. But for the average
summer weather between June and October the
whites of then Temperate Zone are far more
sensibly clothed than are the whites and edu-
Gated blacks and Indians of the tropics for their
seasons of intense heat. When Newly orkefs
with their light wooen suits, flannel shirts ana
straw hats are advised by ill-informed c9!tlcs
to dress on hot days as the white people 10
in Equatorial climates, they are invited TO Jump
out of the frying-pan into the lire.
There is no quarter of the world where inc
DEGREES of fashion are more arbitrary than In
the tropics especially when superior ana IN
ferior races are living side by side. There was
time when white duck suits were generally
worn by men of the better classes in the West
Indies and Brazil. These comfortable costumes
have been largely discarded for social reasons
and from the impracticability of keeping them
dust and smudge A Portuguese merchant IN
Rio. Pernambuco or Para appears in the streets
on the hottest days in digniied but very
warm suit of black with either silk nat or
high-crowned felt. There is n social reason
for this preference for the most uncom,ortaoie
colors and styles. The ignorant blacks dress
in light colors and wear straw hats The ed
ucated classes. whether black or white, cannot
afford to be identified with the lowest social
LAYERS. The black coat and the silk hat con-
vert an educated mulattO in those countries
into the social equal of the white merchant
[f he takes them off and dresses in closer ac-
cord with the exigencies of the climate, he DIS
qualities himself for associating with the whites
on terms of equality. The Ignorant blacks are
the only people in the hot countries south OF
orr own who can respect the climate ana dreSs
with special reference to the conditions OF herce
heat.
A traveller starting on the Equator at Para
and making the circuit of the Brazilian coast
| towns as far as Rio will observe among the
blacks of the lowest class a gradual process
Of adaptation TO the environment. In the be-
ginning the men will have trunks or short
trousers without hat, shoes, shirt or coat; at
/ MaranndO me uullhS VIII NC IOh6UhO"N" "iAN
brought below the knee, and loose-iittng
shirt will be tapping over it; at Pernambuco a
ragged coat goes on over the shirt and straw
hat covers the head; at Bahia shoes and stock
ings are added and at Rio the costume of the
negro laborer is completed by cheap waist
coat. BY a similar process of evolution the
women start at the Equator with a long tunic
or chemse at the next town they throw over
il a calico skirt and waist then shoes are worn
and light wrap is thrown over the gown ;
and finally there are handkerchiefs, fans and
lavish display of brass earrings and bracelets.
At Para children in the negro quarter are stark
naked. and at Bahia and Rio they are decently
If cheaply clothed. From the Southern tropic
70 the Equator there is gradual relapse to a
state of nature on the part of the Ignorant and
degraded classes but this can hardly be what
critics of weather costumes in the Temper
ate Zones have in mind when they urge North
erners in the midsummer periods OF incement
heat to adapt their dress to the habits OF hot
lands. With far greater reason could the ed
ucated classes of Hrazil and Southern countries
generally be advised to initiate the cool and
sensible summer costumes Of our own Zone.