The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-09-30
BUCKLES ARE NOW LEFT
 TO THE RELIC COLLECTOR

and Several respectable buckle makers waited upon H. R. H. the Prince of Wales to call his attention to the distressed con dition of thousands of worlkmen in the different branches of buckle manufacture owing to the prevalent wearing of shoe strings"
 His highness promised to give the mat ter his careful attention and assist by his example and influence, but the cheap and convenient shoestring had gained too strongsa hold and the buckle had to give way. In America precise and conserva- tive people wore small clothes and buck led shoes till about the time of the second visit of Lafayette, and when he appeared in yellow trousers strapped under his shoes the last buckle was banished to the attic or the scrap heap
 The largest collection of buckles Is probably that of Sir Ponsonby Fane. He has 100 specimens of the various metals mentioned, as well as glass, jet, gun metal, and even wood. His collection Is being constantly added to, since after court ball or levee many stray buckles are picked up at the palace"
 The conservatism of the English Is shown nowhere to better advantage than in this very matter of buckles Appar- ently they still wear the style which was in use in 1S0O though they admit it is mo- toriously insecure and that the steel teeth are quite as likely to run Into the foot as into the shoe.
 The regulation material is cut steel, which Is blackened when the court Is in mourning. It Is a regulation that arch bishops and bishops must wear silver buckles, while clerics of lower degree must wear the black steel.
 In the Highland dress the buckle still plays an important part and the chief tains wear on state occasions the very buckles which were worn under similar circumstances by their ancestors. 'The buckle also forms part of the uniform of the five kilted Highland regiments, the Black Watch. Sutherland, Seaforth. Cor don and Cameron Highlanders Each regi- ment has a separate pattern of It's own, of which sealed pattern is kept at the war office, which has not as yet in its ardor for reform of apparel in the army so far made any alteration in this direc- tion."
 In many of the museums of this coun- try, notably those in the New England states may be seen buckles which did service here. In the full-length portraits of General Washington they are always in evidence, and are large and handsome.
 When he sent his first order to London for clothes for himself and Mime. Wash ington a long list of things for Miss Custis years old" was added Among the articles were satin shoes and white kid gloves aigrettes, and coco pins. large, short, and minikin, and silver shoe buckles and sleeve buttons. In addition to all the articles of dress for Miss Custis, it Is pleasing to see that the busy man had time to order "a fashionable dressed doil to cost a guinea, gingerbread, toys. sugar images, and comfits.'
 To appreciate what loss masculine dress suffered when the "effeminate shoe string took the place of the dlgnified buckles, with Its accompanying small clothes and long stockings, 1t is only nec- essary to compare those two statues in Union square. the young Lafayette on h.s first arrival here with his buclSled shoon and well-turned calf. and his neghbor, Lincoln, who is vainly trying to hide his awkward trousers under long cloak.