Breeches, Pantaloons and Trousers

1895

"Breeches," in the strict meaning of that term, were worn by the semi-civilized men of the east long ages before a single page of the New Testament was written, having been quite common among the Medes and Persians, the Phrygians, the Gauls and the Teutons. Breeches were very "brief" articles of apparel, scarcely covering the hips in the majority of instances and never reaching nearer than six inches of the knee.

"Pantaloons" were exaggerated forms of stockings reaching from the hips to the ankles and as tight fitting as a pair of knit drawers. They were usually of three different colors, black at the hips, red from hip to knee and blue to the termination at the ankle. They came in vogue during the first half of the fifteenth century at Venice and were worn by the devotees of the patron saint, Pantaloon. Such garments were always called pantalini by the Italians.

"Trousers," the only proper word to express the existing styles in "pants," followed closely after the "knee breeches" of the Revolutionary period, being first worn in England at Oxford and Cambridge in 1812. — St. Louis Republic.

Suspenders and Suspense

1904

A certain Congressman from a mountain district, says the New York Sun, is troubled with a weak, squeaky little voice which sometimes falls in the midst of what might otherwise be an eloquent peroration.

Recently in addressing the House on a matter connected with the tariff, he exclaimed: "Why, tariffs are like a pair of suspenders, sometimes tight and sometimes loose; but Uncle Sam needs them just the same, to keep up his-"

Here the Congressman's voice struck a high treble note, flared and stopped.

The House held its breath while he cleared his throat. The suspense, which seemed to last for fully a minute, was more painful to the auditors than to the orator, for everyone was wondering whether he would say "trousers" or "pants," and some were even hoping that he might say "pantaloons." Even "overalls" would be better than "pants," for "pants" is most unparliamentary.

But all fears were without foundation. He cleared his throat with the greatest care, and in a death-like stillness resumed his oration where he had dropped it: "to keep up his running expenses —"

The words which followed were lost forever in a gale of laughter.

Jersey Girls Do Not Wear Dad's Trousers

1920

But Two Were Out in Straight-up-and-down Things

NEW YORK, N. Y. — The sabbath calm of Montclair, N. J., which is said to be considerable calm, was shattered by a wild report that the young women of the town had taken to wearing trousers, and flaunting them on Sunday, at that.

"Look at those two!" exclaimed a staid resident as a couple of girls crossed the snowy street a block away. Sure enough, it looked as though they had usurped masculine attire, for below their very short skirts were straight-up-and-down things that looked like papa's pants.

But closer inspection revealed that the girls were not wearing trousers, but long, heavy arctic overshoes which were unbuckled. Flying loose that a-way, with the toes turned over, they looked — well, different.