Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-08
co,r,,oy-sEysE CLOTHES.

| The Mall and Express felicitates the
| h,,.,,es.-uen ~ New york on their resi-
dencc in a city which Is sufficiently cos
| mopoDItan 10 allow them to dress as
they please without attracting attention
| 10 their disregard of fashion. we AUNT
| that this privilege Is a most oeSrao'e
| one-especially during these humid days
| that try mems souls-but IL strikes Us
| that the men throughout the coun1r!
are taking equal liberties with the mooes'
| II Is one thing TO look nice and another
| 10 feel comfortable. and as between 'ne
two. a practical man does not take long
| 10 decide. In truth, one might aiihos'
say that nowadays that which Is the
most comfortable is the most fashiona-
bic. Some great authority OF blessed re-
membrance inaugurated reform In dress
n few years since, and while an Adamic
raiment IS not yet permitted. we are rap'
idly adopting clothing which at least aie-
viates our misery in the summer
Civilization never produced more tor
turing article than a starched shirt' anu
though for many decades men have sur
fered Incarceration within It's confines
the hare have now been thrown down
and the neglgee affair has superseded IT,
The struggle was long and vicious, ana
the enemies Of mankind strove persist
emily to proong the misery, but in vain
Stir colored shirts. gaudy as November
sunsets, were offered as compromise
but they. too. were ultimately scorned
and swept aside by common sense. The
starch literally and figuratively
speaking. had to be taken out Of them'
and to-day thousands Of businessmen
rejoice in their abolition.
And them out of the chaos of reform
we saw the high collar retreat before the
dog-star and its "turn-down' predecessor
once more assume in summer IT'S hold
on mankind's neck. Glorious was this
Identification of tried and trusty friend
that had been temporarily set aside, but
always missed and lamented.
Next some great manor rather phi
enthusiastically concluded that there
was no good reason why law-abiding citi-
zens should be tortured with toothpick
shoes or with boots that demanded polish
ing every day, and so the fine, deep
chested russell footgear was blushingly
introduced. Though not thing of
beauty, it promises to be joy forever
and is a monument to the memory Of its
Inventor.
Following these contemporaries
revolutions in fashion, or at least in GUS
tom, came gauzy cravats and white duck
pants" and a score Of other little odds
and ends that brought their respective
quotas of happiness. They were all pre-
cursors Of still better things, and paved
the way for the crash suit, which burst
OH US a summer or so ago.
So to-day we have no reason to enter
serious complaint about our clothing,
save in the matter OF cuffs, the most
useless of frippery, and with a compare
lively small outlay we can purchase gar
ments which at least do their part to
make us comfortable. And what IS better
still, Fashion, If not approving, at least
condones our efforts, and the ladies UNI
hesitatingly aver that We are showing
our good sense. Nay, more, some of
them even think that for a man to look
cool is for him to look well. At the
watering-places a negligee costume is as
essential as an evening suit, and of the
two. il is by far the most popular with
the men. The New York men, IL it affords
them pleasure, may continue to rejoice
in the liberties allowed by a "cosmopoli-
tan" city, but the rest of the world does
not intend to be excluded from the
blessings accorded these quondam cri-
terions Of American fashion.