By today's standards, men wore formal dress every day in the 1890s. The
color lithographs and line drawings of men dressed for work that are
shown here bear striking contrast to men in the streets now. That very
fact makes these clothes more than interesting today, they are actually
time capsules for the lifestyle of a century ago. Heavy woolen cloth
that has lasted a hundred years, and practical styles that were always
comfortable and smart-looking bear witness to the time before
automobiles and electricity. Now they have become antiques themselves.
The hundreds of cloth swatches that appear have subtle patterns and
plenty of texture to withstand much use. Vintage clothing collectors and
designers will marvel at their variety.