The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1896-11-19
THE COMMON BLACK COAT
Il II Feared That II May He Superseded
by One Of Lighter Color. s

1t II Feared That It May BE Superseded
by One Of Lighter Color. H 81
II would appear from one Of their
trade organs that tailors are becoming q
little anxious about the prospects Of the
black coat Of civilization. They fear it
ID in danger Of being superseded by q
garment Of lighter hue, If not Of varie.
gated pattern. Perhaps, II they we're to
give voice to their deeper apprebensions,
they would say that there was more at
stake than the black coat There can, at
any rate, be little doubt, whether the
tailors are willing to admit 1t or not,
that with the fate Of the black coat il
bound up that Of the black waistcoat.
Whether the two have been lovely and
pleasant in their lives is matter Of
opinion, but we feel sure that in death
they would not be divided.
We mean no disrespect to.the vest in
describing it az a parasite Of the coat.
II is humble dependant which has
only found its way into society under
the wing Of its, influential patron, to
whom it adheres with single breasted
fidelity, rewarded ON the other side by
an attachment which is rarely broken
save for short period during the sum-
mer monthR .z rig fseaif, ts49
The trousers, IL is true, are connected
with the two upper garments by no such
feudal tie, but their. own union is com.
plete and, except in very hot weather,
indissoluble. Hence, the more farsight-
ed tailors no doubt perceive clearly
enough that If the black coat goes we
shall be within measurable distance Of
the tweed suit" Nor are there want
ing those who would do their best to
accelerate the catastrophe.
Animated by the restless spirit of the
age, its impatience Of sobriety and its
thirst for change and color in costume,
az in life, there is q school Of so called
reformers who Gre endeavoring to urge
the wearers Of black coats to revolt. Let
them give free play, exclaim these an.
archistio counselors, to "their taste in
checks and stripes" and they will be
able to cut o far more picturesque figure
at far smaller annual outlay. With the
outlay, of course. the public is not con-
\cerned, though that matter. doubtless,
is not without its interest for the tailors,
but we own to some uneasiness at the
idea Of the entire community indulgine
its multifarious taste in checks and
stripes in headlong pursuit Of the pic.
turesque. f@ YA
We have all of Us, indeed, seen the
experiment tried under very favorable
circumstances. but with more thsn du.
bious results by those little bands Of
vocal and instrumental artists, gener.
ally six or eight in number, who are
usually to be met with at race meetings
or ON the sands at popular seaside re-
sorts These pioneers of dress reform
have entirely discarded the black coat
preferring one of gayer color, with no
ticeably elongated tails, and the free
dom with which they indulge their tastt
in checks and stripes may almost be sale
to border upon license. Yet the effect
even with the addition of an open shir
collar Of Elizbethan proportions, cork
ed face and banjo cannot be described
as entirely picturesque. London Tele
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