The morning call., 1892-08-21
THE SCARFPIN.
An Apparently Small Matter Treated In
an Erudits Way.

An Apparently Small Matter Treated In
an Erudfts Way.
Ciothier and Furnisher.
The underlying principle in the matter of
what jewelry men may wear is the utili-
tartan one.
In the exhibitive sense the scarfpln is un-
doubleday the most important article Of
Jewelry worn by the well-dressed man. The
justification for its wearing, when 1t is worn
properly. is beyond question.
The purely adventiti0us exploiting of the
scarfpin as a piece OF jewelry is happily
numbered among the has beens" The
memory of those days OF the low-cut waist
coat-the shirt-covering scarfs seeming for
all the world like huge chest rotectors, into
which big coral pins were thrust-repre-
senting the vulgarlan epoch in mems wear
at lis zenith.
Then the diamond breastpins with safe
ty attachment-some of them chained to
the shirt front by gold chain-came to be
the cherished bauble of the crude fashions
oil the times. The idea of diamond with a
string 10 it-a jewel with safeguard, tell
Ing at once OF It's value, and warning off
depredatOrs-presentsa comical contrast to
the conservative character of the current
regime.
The assertativeness of neckwear as a
dominant factor in the masculine ensemble
mas had much to do with the enhanced i'm
p0rtance OF the searfpin. Indeed, from It's
position in the fabric, and because of its
glitter which first catches the eye. it is, per-
maps. the most conspicuous appurtenance
OF mems wear. There has come to be, there
lore, OF necessity affixed etiquette OF the
scarfpin that may not be defined without
offending good taste.
In the "all-over" big .carfs, the Burllng-
ton "Once over" and the rest there is, as
with all the De JoinvilIe school, including
the Ascot, an absolute necessity for the
scarfpin.
There are in these instances certain por-
lions of the soaring to be held together in
certain place and in certain way. The alb
sence Of the scarfpn under these circum-
stances would indicate that such an article
was not In the repertoTy of the wearer Of
the neck-dressing. 1t were therefore bad
judgment to attempt to wear fine neck
scarf incompletely, and a punishment of
lmpecuniOsity at the same time.
The scarfpin should always be worn with
the fiat, made-up scarf. There is place for
its insertion, and by seeming to hold it to-
gether 1t attains utilitarian place, in that
1t is an aid in CLOSING over the percentage
OF made-up suggestiyeness that is always
more or less associated with the initiative
article.
The made-up fat or puff scarf, If worn
without searfpln, discloses its artifici-
allty in all the badness of its mechanical
infeTiority. 1t is a curious paradox in the
fashions. therefore, that the soaring that
does not actually need the scaripin in reality
requires it most of all.
In the self-tied De Joinville, or its made
up reproduction, the scarfpin must pierce
the cross folds at the intersection.
glarlng error is sometimes made in In
PRODUCING the pin into the small triangular
section above where the cross occurs. This
converts the scarfpin into puTely adyen-
titlous piece of decoration and takes away
from the bit Of jewelTy that phase OF
utility which gives TO gentleman the
primal right to wear ii.
In all scarfings the scarfpins must be
placed SO that when seen through the
waistcoat opening 1t will appear in the
center Of that space. To be plac ed TOO high
Ia the scarf, too low, or on one side would
destroy the conformity.
The insertion of the minute searfpins IN
In one corner of the searfng a few years
ago was a pre;tified notion, which was
tinctured with an effemnate flavor.
1t was clearly IN the nature Of a desire 10
look fetching"-another phrase that be-
longs alone TO the vocabulary of the fair
sex.
No matter how irregular the fold NAV be
made in the De Joinville type of knottIng,
the head of the scarfpin must lrrevocably
fall in the center of the fabric. Otherwise
Ii Is out of balance seen within the lapel
framery OF the coat, and the entire scheme
Of costume thus becomes one-sided
The idea. moreover, betrays a striving for
desire 10 be different from the regulation
vogue, and the difference does not have the
merit of aiding the ensemble but is far.
fetched attempt at best.