Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-10
REVIVAL OF The BANpANNA
Various Old-Time styles, Quaint and
Beautiful, Coming Into
Use.

There was a time, say 30 years ago. when
red bandanna handkerchief were an article
Of extensive and common use. Middle aged
and older men were in those days likely
to carry a red silk bsndanna, II not daily
at least upon occasion. as on Sundays;
and among what might be described as
old-fashioned men there were many who
never carried a handkerchief of any other
kind.
1t was a handkerchief Of this sort that
was pictured with one corner OF It hanging
n~egligently from a coattaIl pocket Of the
stately gentleman who always appeared In
frock coat; in tucking it's capacious folds
into his pocket that corner strayed out. II
was a handkerchief OF this sort that was
brought into use when, as in the old phrase,
the same stately gentleman blew his nose
sonorously, this soft, volumfnous and really
luxurious handkerchief being a silk ban
danna printed perhaps with a palm leaf
pattern or with some geometrical or other
design.
For children there were provided many
red cotton ba%ndannas, while In the south
red cotton bandannas were commonly used
by the slaves, by the women to tie around
their heads, and there was silk bandannas,
too, put to this use. No picture of an old
hihiiV sOulHeTn NANNY WOULD De complete
around her head and knotted in front with
around her head and knoted In front with
the ends projecting on either side Of the
knot.
So OF the red bandanna handkerchief
the war things we're different. The red
bandanna seemed to have largely disap-
peared.
There were. to be sure, still men who
carried red bandanna silk handkerchief,
as there ever since continued to be some;
but stu, after the war, the red b~andanna
largely disappeared, supplanted by white
handkerchief of linen or Of cotton, and
white handkerchiefs have continued to rule
substantially ever since.
But in the last five years there has been
here a comparatively limited. but SIN grow
ing revival of the old-time bandanna.
In this revival, in which the use OF them
might be discarded as a fad, the red silk
bandannas are mostly worn by younger
people, both men and women.
Women tie these gay handkerchief about
their heads as part. Of a bathing outfit.
Men use them largely as handkerchiefs
a red bandanna tucked in the pocket of a
white flannel coat giving an agreeable
dash of color.
Men wear them as neck handkerchief,
tied with a loose knot with flowing ends In
front, and they wear them also on the
tennis courts or on the golf inks in place
Of a belt tied around through the belt loops.
Again, women buy them in sets OF three
Of which they make shirt waists.
Many of the red silk bandannas now.
shown-and these silk bandannas are pro-
duced In various other colors as welfare
very beautiful. Among the simpler hand
kerchiefs are those found in various solid
colors that are known as diamond tie spots.
Such a bandanna, which might be orange
colored or green or lavender or red, has
scattered upon it at regular intervals dia-
monds Of white where the silk has not been
dyed. These white diamonds are made or
left In the handkerchief by tieing the silk
there lightly around, s, thai the silk under
the tie can't be reached by the colorinR
when the handkerchief is dipped in the die
pot.
Then there are handkerchiefs with pretty
patterns printed on the white silk in gray,
giving a gray effect, half morning; and
then there are the greater number Of these
handkerchief, the red bandanna, with de-
vices and patterns in a great variety Of
designs, ali these other than those Of the
diamond tie spots being printed on the
handkerchief from blocks upon which the
design is first drawn.