The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-10-10
B DE LUXE.
Advancing Civilization Brings KeenSs
Regard for Good Dress.

WIN II Il hINnNA appreciation Va
the creature comforts, a nicer re-
gard for the little retlnements of
dress and manner of living, says
the Haberdasher. A bathless race
is generally a decadent race, for
cleanliness, begets self-respeet,
self-respect breeds ambition and
ambition is the driving wheel that
sends a nation spinning onward
toward the Utopian goal. We as
a nation have left the bathless
and lob cabin age behind us as a
child sheds its swaddling clothes.
We have learned that comfort in
living is made up of little things
and in our appreciation of those
little things and our ability to
make them subservient to our
uses we yield to no other nation,
however proud its pedigree. 1t
used to be the enjoyment of GER
tain luXuries was confined to the
wealthy class, but to-day even the
middle classes and, to some ex-
tent, those low in the social scale,
share in this enjoyment. The av-
erage American with only a mod
crate income lives in a style that
makes the visiting foreigner sit
bolt upright and rub his eyes.
Things that he regarded as con-
comitants Of luxurious living the
Americans regard as every day
comforts that he would no more
dispense with than the telephone
on his Office desk, the type-writing
machine beside it, or the dozen
and one devices which enable him
to transact business conveniently
and expeditiously.
This growing tendency toward
more luxurious living has been
noted with qualification by the
makers of house coats, smoking
jackets, breakfast coats, shaving
suits, lOunging robes, bath gowns
or by whatever name one may
choose to describe these home
garments, and the most costly
and sumptuous fabrics, the finest
Innings and trimmings and the
highest degree Of artistic handi-
work are employed in their pro-
duction. The prices for the best
imported garments range from
$15 upward into the hundreds and,
%curiously enough, the cost seems
to be in no wise prohibitory.
More are sold to-day than ever be-
fore and the workmanship is of
the carefulest. 1t is necessarily
slow and consequently their out
put is limited. Fhe most exclu.
sive shops take these goods and
sell them the year round, though,
Of course, the dgmand is briskest
toward holiday time, when they
make truly royal gifts.
In smoking jackets all silk mat
elasse is much favored. Pie gar
ments are silk lined, trimmed with
silk cord and come in many snowy
designs, including the rich Per.
SLAMS. They retail at $40 apiece.
Silk and worsted jackets with
plain stitched edge, satin lined
and silk faced shawl collar sell
for $50. For velvet jackets, or
breakfast coats" as they are
also designated, silk lined and
with a tuxedo collar, $25 is
asked. Broadcloth jackets of
wine color, also seal brown, myr-
tie, green and navy blue, with sat.
in binding, from SIS upward. Eng
lish suiting cloth jackets, silk
cord trimmed and frogged, fetch
from $12 upward.
Bath robes come in imported
cameps hair cloth with black silk
velvet facing on color, cuffs and
pockets, silk cord trimmed and
with silk frogs and silk girdle.
These retail at $35. Silk mat
elasse and brocaded dressing
gowns are satin lined and have
silk cord, silk frogs and silk cir
dies. They cost $50 apiece.
One would naturally fancy that
the sales of such costly garments
would be sporadic, but while the
demand comes mainly from shops
with an exclusive clientele, quite
a few are sold to the large de
partment stores throughout tn,
country and, odd to relate, t,
some department stores tina.
haven't a reputation for handlin,