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, May 18, 2023

Easter Dudes!!!

 Easter Dudes

 

Who cares for the Easter girl? Not I.

It’s the Easter dude who passeth by!

Him I would sing in these Easter lines,

Walking along where the glad sun shines.

Get on to his niblets, will you please?

There is no bag to his trouser knees;

But his trousers! Oh, what a wondrous thing

For a painter’s paint or a poet’s sing!

His coat’s not in it, nor his new silk hat,

Nor his necktie red, nor his eyeglass flat,

Nor his dogskin gloves, nor his heavy cane,

Nor his patent leathers, nor high disdain!

Oh, no! Not these. Not by any chance,

But always, ever, his Easter pants!

Pale gray, mauve tint, Old gold pants! Soulful, yearning,

Restful pants! Sunkissed, just pressed.

Paid for (?) pants!

Wild and wooly Easter pants!

Will J. Lampton.

Edwardsville Intelligencer (Illinois), April 13, 1892, page 2 (widely reprinted).

 


New York, April 2. - The Easter dude can be very resplendent this year in new togs, the like of which Solomon in all his glory surely never attained.

Shakespeare could write a play,

  But he never saw the day

That he could wear his collars

  Just this way!

. . . [T]he spring styles are more generous in novelties for men than for women.

The greatest changes comes in the style of neckwear. . . . The front of the new collar is high and straight like the back. It fastens invisibly upon the side. . . .

Another collar is very tall and turns over with small points at the front. This is a very dudish collar. It is called the Derby,” but is much less sporty than the “Churchman,” which is very tall, turns over and has broad lay-back points. . . .

But the Easter dude is not confined to collars for his new dress. He has an assortment of marvelous new neckties, the most popular of which is the stock. . . .

The new four-in-hands and Ascots are very much flowered. They are of richer material, cost a little more and are kept for frock coats and semi-dress occasions. The tie for all the time is the string. This is very narrow and makes into a butterfly bow. . . .

The Easter dude may wear a great deal of jewelry, exclusive of the “sparkler,” which he may prefer to omit from his wardrobe. He may provide himself with jewelled trouser fasteners for bicycle use, and incidentally snap them upon his shirt sleeves in the stress of athletic or office exercise, and he may have pretty hose supporters - garters - with jewelled clasps. . . .

The Easter dude will be very particular about the small belongings of dress, and for that - as John L. Sullivan said of Mrs. Fitzsimmon’s presence at the prize-fight - no real gentleman will have any criticism to make!

Harry Germaine.

 

 

The Morning News (Savannah, Georgia), April 4, 1897, page 18 (widely reprinted). 

 

 




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