Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-23
[From the Home JonrnaI.l

At several of our more fashionable dry
goods shops there are departments devoted
to the making up of ladies cloaks, 6dsquines,
waists, etc, and as the persons employed
therein are skillful, a vast amount Of pat
ronsge is bestowed upon them. A few
days since, having occasion to purchase
in one of the palatial edihces in question,
l noticed party of ladies who were being
measured for cloaks. They diEested them
selves of shawls and jackets, and were
duly Strengthened up, pushed about, chuck
ed under the chin, patted on the neck,
bosom and back by the measurer, great
hulking bearded man The fellow is a
six-footer; should be in a regiment of
greanadiers; would make splendid drum
major, if size is a requisite; and yet there
he was mincing and paving over the Ia
dies, who submitted to his manipulations
with all the air of being used to it. felt
annoyed to see this man so unceremon-
iously handling these young women, and
wondered at their lack of modesty in sub
mitting to it. Is it possible that Young
girls do not shrink from this ordeal. /
hope they do. Though had the evidence
that ladies, married, supposed, were not
the least disinclined to allow the male
measurer to fit their waists for cloaks.
purposely called several times at the shop,
and ascertained that the business done in the
making-up department is very great, and
concluded that we are fast drifting into q
state of affairs very similar to the Laisser-
aLLer af Paris, the bright, beautiful, frivol-
Gus capital of France; the home Of fash
ion; the birthplace of caprice; the ruling
monarch of all woman-kind- Paris die
tates, and the mandate, be it ever so ab-
surd, so oatre, so riSqHe, even, is obeyed
with blind submission.
If our ladies will submit to male meas
uring for cleaks, waists, or 6Gsgues what
is to ensure that ere long, they will not
initiate the ladies of Paris, and enrich an
establishment such as Worth's, on the Rue
de la Paix, in that city2 suppose that
your readers have all heard of this won
derful man, the male measurer, Worth.
He was clerk at Gagelin's, in the Rue
Richelieu, and, at his advice the establish
ment undertook the making up of cloaks.
The ladies were soon attracted to the place
by the taste displayed in the articles man
and from the novelty Of the
fact that men, not women, took their meas
ures. Worth, who is q shrewd fellow,
saw the length to which this idea might |
be carried, and so opened dress-making
and cIoak-making shop, which he fitted up
in the most magnificent, but tasteful man
ner, and he measured the ladies for dresses
as well as closks and jackets. This was
piquarlt, and the bLGss women Of fashion
began to flock to Worth's. In q short
time it became matter Of course that no
lady was properly prepared for ball or
soiree unless Worth had fitted her, and his
business increased to fabulous extent.
The most aristocratic ladies Of Paris, the
noble and the wealthy, came in their car
riages, waited en- nsGsse in the ante-cham-
bers of Worth, that he might as their
turns came, dress them. In their under
garments, they stood up to be laced, tight
sned, fitted BY Worth, who pulled and