Men and their Clothing.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5115, 24 November 1894, Page 6

Men and their Clothing.

If any simple-minded persons permit themselves to entertain the idea that men reck little of Fashion's changes, a perusal of some of the English Sooiety journals would cause them a rude awakening. The old injunction to "take no thought for the morrow — wherewithal ye shall be clothed," seems to have no meaning nowadays, for fashionable women or for tens of thousands of their male friends ; and it is perfectly safe to assert that Solomon in all Mb glory -was never, never arrayed like the up-to-date dude of the present day. If remonstrance or satiric attaok is ventured upon, the dresßy man complains that he "is compelled to be constantly seeking for something new, because his sistera and His cousins— and even his aunts— systematically appropriate his articles of attire, and wear them unblushingly. When, owing to aßpell of intensely hot weather, man began to use a comfortable " cummerbund," the women straightway purloined it. When he sought further comfort in a loose, full bow for neck-wear, every society woman must needs have one precisely similar. On the other hand, the women- declare that their domain is ruthlessly invaded, and we are gravely assured that in the United States this thing has gone on to an amazing extent. la Now York, the young men have taken to wearing open-worked eockß, and danoing ahoes "so very tight that they have been obliged to cat away a considerable portion of their socks before they could manage to stand in them"; those who have the wherewithal to purchase them, use pocket handkerchiefs with a monogram worked in precious stones ; and, mirabile diclu, "embroidered, lace-trimmed night-shirts have long been patronised by the gilded youth of New York,- whose dressing-tables present a very similar appearance to those of their' sisters, with articles of gold, silver or ivory adorned with diamond monograms, bottles, essences, unguents, powder, and manicure cases, besides perfumes of the costliest sorts, and every possible device for the promotion and encouragement of the moustache, the' careful training of the eyebrows, and, in some cases, even of the noae itself."

It is abundantly evident that the question, "Wherewithal shall we be clothed?" is made an absorbing one, and that there are certain points as to which the trend of fashion may be readily determined. Men's headgear doea not at the moment show any very marked tendency to change ; and as to the other extremity of " the human form divine," the best boots, it is satisfactory to know, "are made with a sensible shape of sole, which is broad across the foot," while brown boots of a dark shade are quite orthodox for morning wear; and " spats are appearing on most of the welldreaaed men in London." Trousers are gradually reverting to the peg - top style which Leech and other caricaturists bo frequently illustrated. But it is in tweed suits that one of the more imarked changea is being brought about, " such tones as cornflower blue and terra cotta having been rather closely approached." And since ties of positive colours, and strong-toned at that, are worn, with vests of varied hue, there is no difficulty in appreciating the comment that some of the combinations have a rather loud effect. But the youthful dude is not content with these thinge. He demands— or his "set" demands for him— that his tias and his sooks shall be en suite, and so "colours that were once seen only in ladies' hosiery, such as sky-blue, seagreen, rose-pink and wistaria mauve, are now common enough." Aa for men's evening dress, the enthusiasts would dearly like to follow New Tork examples, and array themselves in plum colour, dark sapphire blue or bottle-green coats, with plush knee-breeches, but for one deadly fear that posseßseß them. They might then be so easily mistaken for Jeatnes de-la-Plushe, whose attire is appallingly gorgeous. By-the-way, the grandfathers I of the present generation may watch with I Home measure of interest the attempt that ib being made to have the hall-mark of faßbion set upon the old " fob and seal," though this little revival of an old style of wearing the watch and chain will scarcely keep back the ejaculation, 0 tempora, o mores \