MEN’S DRESS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1105, 15 May 1883, Page 1

MEN’S DRESS.

Why are buttons placet! on the back of a coat ? The tailors they are there to ‘ mark the waist.’ But why should the waist bo n arked ? As a matter of fact, the only reason for the existence of these two buttons is that they are a survival from tbe time when they were of use, when men buttoned back the long flaps of their coats in order to walk more freely, or found them useful in sustaining the sword belt. Wo have no flaps now, we wear no swords now ; then why keep the buttons ? Another rudimentary organ may be found at the end of the sleeve. There is always a cuff marked, generally by a double row of stitches, which performs no useful service, unless it be to remind us that our grandfathers had facings to their sleeves, and that the little buttons which still appear at the end were of real use when the sleeve was tight at the wrist. Another inevitable feature of the coat is the collar. In old times this collar was of some service It was large and turned up well in inclement weather. In order to allow of its buttoning properly around the neck a nick was necessary. But though we hardly ever think of turning up an ordinary coat collar, and find it of little use if wo do, we still preserve both it and the nick as survivals. '! he stovepipe hat, too, is dily the carcase on which our ancestors were wont to display ribbons and knots and oilier gauds. In itself it is both ugly an! uncomfortable. 'Hen no wear absurd neckties that do not lie and pins that do not pin.