My Mission

Robert Sale-Hill’s poem, The True Origin and History of “The Dude” (The New York World, January 14, 1883) introduced the world to the word Dude, and kicked off a full-on Dude craze. A-Dude-a-Day[i] Blog is dedicated to preserving and sharing pics, pieces and poems from the early days of the Dude-craze of 1883. You can read more about the history and origin of the word Dude on my blogpost, "Dudes, Dodos and Fopdoodles" on my other blog, Early Sports 'n' Pop-Culture History Blog.


Thursday, January 7, 2016

Dude #8 - Detailed description of a "Dude."

The Dude is a style of young man, described by an exchange to be of watery smile and educated whisker, altogether given over to innocuous pursuits and without the faintest approach to speculation in his eye.  He does not elbow his way into society, for, as a rule, he is entitled to social recognition; nor does he seem to court notoriety, since he is of a shrinking kidney.  All he asks is permission to carry out his simple scheme of life and to indulge his modest eccentricities of dress.  He likes do walk arm-in-arm with a twin Dude, never appearing to notice the world or to ask the world to notice him.  He makes a point of attending "first nights" at theaters, and upon these thrilling occasions he arrays himself in a hat seven sizes too large for him, and in a sack overcoat (generally cream-colored) about thirteen inches shorter than the dress coat underneath.  The Dude is now an institution in New York.  It may take two or three years to raise him here in Austin, but a stray one may put in an appearance at any time.

The Weekly Democratic Statesman (Austin, Texas), March 29, 1883, page 7.



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