Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-04-15
HOW FASHIONS ORIGINATE.


HOW FASHIONS ORIGINATE.
Some Instances Culled From the Records
of the Past.
1t seems that trousers originated in
the Gallo nations that finally overthrow
the power of Rome. When the Roman
Emperor Aurelian led Tetricus, the bar
barian, in triumph, the latter was ar
rayed becomingly in a pair of So
bracche, Boston not then having been
founded, and the word pants conse-
quently unknown. The fashion thus in
PRODUCED into Rome was plant of slow
growth, the Romans believing that any
division in the garment below the waist
was mark of effeminacy. Gradually,
however, as luxury became rampant,
the trouser leg became more pro-
nounced, and close trousers became the
general fashion.
Alexander the Great had a twist in
his neck. 1t was therefore fashionable
for every one in that monarch's court to
carry his neck in the same way.
The use of powder originated in the
fancy of French mountebank, who
dredged his head with -four in order to
emphasize his idiocy.
The peruke is said to be due to the
misfortune of Philip, Duke of Burgundy.
His hair fell out, and his physicians adj
vised him to cover his head with arti.
fetal hair, which he did, and thus set
the fashion.
One day Francis l., of France, was
struck on the chin with a piece of tile.
OF course, the wounded part could not
be shaved. Thus boards came again
into fashion, after having been out for
nearly century.
Charles the Seventh of France had a
pair of ill-made legs. He wore long
coat to conceal them. Result: Every
body else wore long coats.
Few articles of dress were more pop-
ular at one time than the Spencer, the
origin of which is extremely curious
Mr.. Spencer, an Englishman rather par
ticular in his dress, one time remarked
in company that no fashion was so
ridiculous, but would be adopted If
worn by person of sufficient import
ance. This was objected to, whereupon
Mr. Spencer offered to bet that if he cut
off the skirts of his coat and walked
out with merely the body and sleeves,
some one would follow him. The bet
was taken, the coat prepared and Mr.
Spencer used it in London, past wel1-
known tailor whom he knew was al
ways looking for something new. Thus
the Spencer came into use.
At the battle of Steinkirk, which took
place on the morning of the Sd of
August, 1892, the French mobiles were
surprised In their sleep, and hastily
rushing out OF their tents, they arranged
their lace cravats in the most careless
manner. The French were victorious,
and to commemorate their victory, it
became the fashion after this to wear
the ncck-oloth in a neglige manner
Hence the origin of the steinkirk cravat,
as it was afterwards called.
During the reign of George Ill, his
royal highness the Duke of York had
duel with Colonel Lennox, and the
worthy colonel succeeded in shooting
away one of the dukes curls Hence it
became the correct thing to wear a curl
on one side of the temple only.
When Fox, the first of Quakers, was
sitting in church and the preacher said
any thing which he didn't like he
moved aolemnly, put on his hat and
kept it on until the disagreeabIe remarks
concluded. Hence arose the Quaker
custom of wearing hats in church
A curious instance of how a fashion
was nipped in the I'd took place in
New York during the early part of this
century A party Of you swelis one
day rugged up coach and six and drove
around town in style. l his melted
another clique of young m n, who, not
to b. outdone a thus sort of tn pg, i'm
med ately fitted out a coach and eight
and appeared upon the principal streets
in great splendor So amusing was this
to the workmen of the town that a party
of sixteen carmen determining to bur
lesque the whole affair, dressed them
selves in clean white frocks and APP
pared in the post fashionable parts of
the town in . new coach, which was
driven by NO less t an sixteen horses
tandem. Each man had his hair pow
dered Thirteen acted as Positions and
the extraordinary appearance If this
singular vehicle sent a nd guffaw from
one cpd of tn town to the other So
ridiculous did the carmen make this alb
surd custom Of emulation appear that
no flu Their attem was made on the
part of the young swells, who, how
ever, too the thing in such good part
that one of them wrote an ode called
Carmen Triumphe '-Clothier and Fur
asher