Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-04-14

A
home is becoming something
each spring with more colorful
suits, shirts, ties and hats. Adj
vance showings of clothing in
the Merchandise Mart, Chi
cago, plainly show the trend.
George Bryan Brummell,
better known as Beau, died
in 1910. Since then the pre-
vailing colors of mems
clothes, as if in mourning,
have been somber black,
dark blue, dull gray and subdued
browns. During Beau Brummel's
lifetime and before, mems fashions
in England, France and colonial
America approached the apex of
perfection, but as man became
more interested in making living
he lost interest in his clothes. Now,
say the fashion experts, we're
emerging.
Still in Infancy.
This trend, however, is in the in
cubation stage. So timid is man in
his dress life and the use of color
that he limits his indulgence to
brightly hued pajamas, a red bath
ing suit and an occasional green
necktie. The designers of this years
spring and summer clothes had con-
templated bright green to smash
precedent but the men rebelled. The
fashion experts then settled for Off
shades like blush green and grey
ish green, a few group stripes and
heather stripes. Considering the
handicap, it was signal victory.
There's ample precedent for mems
fashions, though let's hope the Twen-
tieth century male doesn't become
SO vain as that of the Eighteenth
century whose wardrobe is de-
scribed by the historian, H. Dennis
Bradley: "At least six coats of col
ored velvet and white satin, trimmed
with gold and silver lace with per-
haps one made in a palmer fashion
for use on mournful occasions. With
these he would have the choice of
perhaps dozen long waistcoats,
made in blue satin, gold brocade,
green silk, white satin, scarlet, black
silk with fringes, all laced and en-
broidered in colored silks. His ward
robe also contained nine or ten pairs
| of breeches of velvet, satin and
| cloth; half dozen three-cornered
hats, silver laced, scalloped, laced
with gold point d'Espagne, some
with gold binding, and some bound
plain; three dozen ruffled shirts and
three dozen lace neck-cloths, and
like number of white silk, black silk,
and fine cotton stockings; cambria
and silk handkerchiefs galore; shoes
adorned with buckles, set with dia-
monds; silver handled swords; sill
yer mounted pistols and as varied a
choice of jewelry as his means
would allow"
Beau Brummell Brought Order.
Later in the century Beau Brurl-
nell introduced semblance of taste
to this profusion of color. Employ
ing fewer hues and blending them
expertly, he strove for quiet good
taste and introduced what is con-
sidered today to be the essence of
style-the ability to wear clothes
with an unconscious flair.
American mems clothing hasn't
always been dull. While the early
Puritan fathers were straight-laced
they were sufficiently style conscious
to clothe themselves tastefully.
Beginning in the 1866, and infiu-
enced by the industrial revolution in
England and America, mems clothes
and women's too, of course-re-
hected the drabness of the times.
Machinery tended to standardize all
domains of life, not emitting fash
ion.
Now that Victo-ianism has passed,
fashion experts think man will be-
come "emancipated," as did women
earlier in the century. Take it or
leave it, here's thumbnail sketch
of modern mems fashions. Obvious
ly they were not designed to replace
the time-tested overall:
Mixed suits and trousers are fash.
ionable, with liberal use of color
such as dark green coat with willow
green Stacks. Right now big yarn
tweed is the rage on the Pacific
coast, which is becoming the Gre
alive center in both mems and WON.
ems sports wear. Slack suits may
run the range of color and fabrics,
with rayons. cottons, linen, hopsack-
ing. twills and poplins holding the
edge.
Coats Become Comfortable.
That the prim dressed-up look of
10 or Is years ago is passing, can
be seen in topcoats. They're COM
Portable, loose and casual, usually
made Of heeces, shetland and chew
lot. Popular off-shades, II the de-
sign is herringbone. plaid or small
all-over effect. are between brown