The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-11-08
THE DUDE OF THE DAY.
He Is Called s'TOp-Hatty," and Has
Remarkable Clothes.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
'"The rising generation OF cubmen is becom-
ing in appearance particularly top-hatty. term
that has even degree more OF meaning than
that haekneyed adjective, smart, =" writes the
enough of sporty suggestiveness in his makeup
to give a tang TO his personal appearance and TO
give him individuality in crowd without Great
ing adverse criticism. The young man who has
acquired the proper stoop when he walks. ana
has the proper apoplectic appearance about the
face and neck Is top-hatty, but this new term
IN the vocabulary of the macaroni Of the day is
more appropriately applied in sartorial manner.
For instance, the young blood. to be really top
hatty must have a high turnover collar, the
top edges of which must meet in front. The
linen must never glisten. He wears little bow
tie of unusual color and wide f1aring ends. His
sack coat is short and has fullness around the
bottom that makes the coat stand out from his
hips in cute, effeminate way. His trousers are
very full about his hips, and as he walks the
fullness of the seat is exposed in a manner that
is, must say, far from picturesque or artistic.
but. nevertheless that peculiar baggy fullness 10
the back of the trousers is real top-hatty. His
little dinky coat is Enclosed and furnishes
view of a short oube-breasted waistcoat. with
buttons in the shape Of a triangle The trousers
naturally long WASTED, and gathered in
tightly above the hips. that when the top
hatty man sits his waistcoat wrinkles only In
one deep crease about in the region of the dia-
phragm The waistcoat his chest remains
full and rigid. especially full. Now this notice
able full-chestedness of the macarpnieS OF the
day is rarely natural, but is acquired in several
ways. naturally and unnaturally. Some men
sort TO an unusually wide, deep and heavy shirt
front. Others resort to the new masculine stays
that may be found at certain of the advanced
haberdashers apd some few resort to a method
which is termed inhaling the abdomen or
drawing it upward and thus swelling out the
chest. This operation narrows the waist, but
expands the chest. II require much practice 10
keep the abdomen and the chest in this position.
Men inclined to a superf1uity OF abdomen find
great difficulty in acquiring this necessary shape,
and in cases where the grth is greater than the
chest measure he has to resort to the method OF
building out his chest and thus he acquires that
charmingly heroic appearance seen In many men
inclined to embonpont. Clad in this armor the
of-the-century apoplectic knight becomes
decided sartorial ornament. Two other neces-
sary points in the makeup Of the top-hatty man
are his hat and his walk With the abbreviated
coat and waistcoat goes small derby hat, low
Of crown and narrow and rolling of brim. The
feature OF this hat is it's tendency to settle
little toward the left eye, just enough to keep IL
within the realm of jauntiness. The accepted
gait of the extreme young man Is peculiar
combination of awkwardness and grace. He
moves with his head and shoulders thrust for
ward and with his feet wide apart He appears
to be on the point of falling forward and
deavors to save himself at each advancing step.
a position that would be the quintessence Of
awkwardness but for the graceful and easy
swing that Is given to the body and arms. or
course, there few other finger points in
the outfit of the top-hatty man. such tiny
turquoise clasps to hold down the band OF the tie.
a jeweled watch chain. gray gaZee-skin gloves
and buttons with the owners initials on them