Evening star., 1917-03-07
PRES|DENTSSET
STYLES IN DRESS
Personal Characteristics OF
Men Who Shaped Destinies
of the Nation.
BACK TO THE EARLY DAYS

chesterfield of all the United states
Presidents.
:. Fillmore, too, was polished; Lincoln
The tallest, Madison the shortest, Polk
the Ieanest, Cleveland the stoutest,
Taft the largest.
:, But few people of the great republic
have any knowledge of the personal
appearance of the Presidents who ruled
The destinies of the nation in its earlier
days and who shaped very much the
fashions and customs of the times in
which they lived while occupying the
position of President of the United
States.
George Washington. in personal ap-
pearance, was among the finest Speci-
mems of humanity who has ever been
chosen to the Office. He was tail and
well proportioned, except his hands and
teet. both members being very large
His hands were actually deformed
His biographers say that his gloves
Were made to order by reason of the
1argeness of his fingers and the de-
formity of his wrist joints
His Dress at First Inauguration.
At the time of his inauguration he
appeared dressed in a suit of dark
Brown cloth, with knee breeches, metal
buttons, on which eagles were en-
bossed On his shoes were silver
buckles, at his side was a sword His
hair was dressed and powdered. after the
fashion of the day and was worn In
o bag.
a handsome man. with clear, strong
lines, wide forehead and brows. HIS
figure was large and round, OF middle
height. but of stout and well KNIT
slined to corpulency. Like all per-
Sons of rank in those days. he wore
an embroidered coat. silk stockings,
silver buckles on his shoes. He was
so dressed at his inauguration.
THOMAS JEFFERSON was no dude.
From the descriptions given of him and
the many paintings found in public
places, he is presented to the present
generation as many-sided character.
So far as personal appearance goes he
was tall and slender. His hair was
sandy, his face freckled. He had large
hands and feet, bright. hazel-eray eyes,
and, it is said, when he smiled he
showed his perfect teeth. Concerning
his dress, he was not one of those who
believed in putting on much style,
When he appeared before Congress
to deliver his inaugural address he
wore a long blue coat with gold but
tons, blue trousers, and rough Ameri-
can shoes tied with leather strings.
His headgear was usually a large felt
hat carelesSly pulled down over his
eyes.
Madison a Small Man.
JAMES MADISON was little man. He
is classed as the smallest or most
diminutive of those who have filed the
presidential Office. His exact height
is not given. but it can be judged from
the descriptions given of him that he
classed by one of his biographers as
a small-framed, pale. thoughtful faced
man. Aaron Burr nicknamed him as
'great little Madison" a sobriquet
often applied to him in after years. Of
his dress, it was usually simple. When
he appeared in the Senate to take the
oath of office as President of the United
States, at his first inauguration, he
wore suit manufactured from the
wool raised in this country. This was
presented to him by Col. Humphrey and
Chancellor Livingston.
JAMES MONROE was the last of the
cooked hats He had served as a
captain in the revolution, and. both in
1917 and at his second Inauguration, in
1921. he rode to the Capitol at the head
of an immense throng Of soldiers and
militia, and was dressed in the con-
tinental military style. James Monroe
had been designated as the stately Nir-
gfnian, for he was nearly six feet tall.
He was very slender, man of polished
manners. His usual attire was a dark
blue coat. buff vest, small clothes and
top boots. He wore a cooked hat of
the revolutionary style and has been
called by many writer's the last of
the cooked hats because he was the
last OF the Presidents to adhere to the
FASHION of the past century.
This President Methodical in Dress.
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS was methodi-
cal in dress well as everything else.
For one who had associated so much with
uniformed and giddy dressed court people
OF all nations of the world. ii may be.
said to his credit that he cared not to
follow the fashions of these European
courts. On the occasion of his inaugura
non as President of the United States
ne wore hlack cloth suit wholly of
American manufacture. In this he was
following the example of Washington and
Madison in wearing homespun goods.
ANDREW JACKSON had more striking
characteristics than any man who had
preceded him as President of the T-nited
States. He often appeared in public
wearing a military cloak and carving a
stout hickory cane, by which he earned
the sobriquet of "Old Hickory" Dressed
In plain clothes. he rode to the CapitoI
for his inauguration without an over
coat
MARTIN VAN BJ-REN was trained
and htted as man of fashion His dress
was fauitless on the day OF his inaueIIra-
ton.
JAMES X. POLK was our leanest
President, consequently his clothes never
appeared to fit him.
Adopts Citizens Attire.
ZACHARY TAYLOR early appropria ted
citizens dress in place of the regular uni
form of the army. During his term as
President he usually appeared wearing
an old silk hat. well set on the back of
his head. and a black broadcloth sui,
that never was intended for so small a
man.
MiLLARD FILLMORE was of remark
ably attractive personal appearance a
man OF grace and polished manners
above the medium in size and a well
dressed gentleman. There was nothing
conspicuous about him other than il
might be said he was a COMMONPLACE
practical man i'll almost everything he
did. '
FRANKLIN PIERCE was a handsome
man, polished in manners. and il would
De hard TO find his equal for social
popularity 1t was said of Mr. Pierce
that he had the finest pair of eyes
known to all the long line of Presi-
dents. His dress was always neat
and plain.
JAMES BUCHANAN was above the
medium in height. His neckgear and
clean-shaven face gave him much the
appearance of a clergyman. His face
was indicative Of his Scotch-Irish par
entage- Being bachelor. he could