Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-10-19
BORROWED PLUMES.

yaxarses of her sex--ElexsntIy
Dressed Ladies' fin am H0ur'a
aLadies' Dresses for. Rent"
These words are placarded on the door
of 468 Sixth Avenue, New York. The
building commences with q store, grows
upward into residences, and is all newness
and brown stone. The sign quoted is on
the door leading to the residences. The
writer read 1t and entered. A carpeted
stairway and hall brought him to another
door upon which the inscription is repeated.
Arsp brought out lsdy. She was under
thirty years old, above tie average in per-
sonal attractiveness, and well dressed. She
was lite surprised at male caller. A
slight lifting Of the brows over her very
large eyes said SO. -
@Will you walk In, sir?" and her lips as
sumed q business smile. "
The writer entered neatly Furnished
room thatwas somewhat Uttered with dress
making. The lady moved chair towards
him, and sank gracefully into another.
Then she laid enc hand gently over the other
in her lap, inclined her b ad coquettishly to
one side, and looked like polite interroga-
ton point. The visitor told her that the
novelty of her announcement had attracted
bis attention, and that be would like to talk
with her about her unique business.
SIT should tell you all about it, she
said, good-humoredly, "you would be tired
listening before got through
She was assured of the improbabil:ty OF
such 8 result, and urged to go on. She
needed no further questioning, but soon
showed herself good talker, as well as
woman of refinement and education.
A WoMANLY PASSION ANALyZED.
81 am the inventor of this business" she
said, ''slthough may have got the idea
from an article in the Sun some time ago
describing how dress suits are rented to
gentlemen. If you know anything about
women you know that the most of them
have not only passion for dress, but
weakness for novelty. The woman with
one calico dress wants two, and the woman
with ten silk ones wants eleven. The rule
is good with the owners of the most CON-
plete wardrobes. Another thing you may
not know; women don't like to wear the
same dress to more than one or two parties
or balls in one season. Now, 1t is upon
these female characteristics that thrive.
You would naturally guess that only poor
ladies hire dresses; but that isn't 80. Rather
the reverse is the case. A good many ofmy
callers ride within few blocks of here in
their carriages, and walk the balance of the
way. 1t wouldn't do, bless you, to be
caught hiring dress; but can assure you
that many borrowed one IS worn at FASH
ionable GATHERINGS. Sometimes, too, lady
from out of town wants to 60 to party or
to the opera. She has only 8 travelling
dress with her, and borrowed 6nery is her
only recourse. The business, however, Is
not entirely confined to renting party dress
es. There is occasionally call for street
dress, sometimes by shop-girl who wants
to indulge in an afternoon walk on Broad
way. Once in while an actress, suddenly
called upon to play part out of her line, or
from o desire for greater variety than her
wardrobe affords, rents dress for week;
but they usually want dresses that are too
snowy, or too peculiar or pronounced in
color and makeup for my business"
DISCUSSING DRESSES.
CHOW is that? Well I'll tell you. 1t
would half kill q lady to be caught wearing
o hired dress. To protect them against
such terrible catastrophe ] must alter the
appearance of a dress every time it is worn.
So, you see the colors must not be too odd
nor the styles too peculiar. Women beat
the dickens for remembering what ether
women wear, but by little ingenuity 1
manage to disguise my goods SO that they
can't be recognized. As have said, only
use col ,rs that are not too odd. alter the
trimming, too, every time it is worn. A
slight change in this respect Is enough to de-
stroy the identity. OF course, you saw
dress one night with one kind of trimming,
and the nexs night with another kind, and
worn by different lady in different gath
ering, you would not be apt to recognize 1t,
simply because the cut aud color were the
same. Besides, usually have two waists
for each skirt, so as to be able to fit differ
ent sized ladies, and these are not cnt ia the
same style. Here, for instance, is purple
silk skirt and two waists. One is low
necked and very short sleeved. That is
large enough for q tolerably plump lady.
The other is for slender form, and is only
cut out square in the neck, and the sleeves
are long. Naturally the plump ones want
the first kind, and the slender ones the 9TH
er. If all my patrons would grow of size,
it would save q vast deal of trouble.
Scarcely ever do rent dress without hay
ing to let out or take In the waist. Now,
here Is one wasworking on when you called.
Blue silk? No, no; that Is satin, not silk.
The waist is small now-if you were cor
set clerk you could guess at sight that it
didn't measure near twenty inches. 1t was
worn last night by 3 young lady whom
know TO be in more than comfortable cir
cumstaDces. She concluded rather sudden.
ly to go to party, and had nothing to wear.
That is to say, she had nothing that she
hadn't previously worn at gatherings where
the same people had seen her. The dress is
engaged for tomorrow night by lady slight
" stouter, and am letting it out and alter
ing the trimming" .'. i'- -
SOME INSTRUCTIVE POINTS.
"What do charge? Well, from So to S.
for party dresses, aud less for street dresses.
If they get spotted, torn, or damaged be-
yopd q reasonable amount of wear, charge
for that. You see, nice dress Is an easy
thing 20 spoil. A spilled cup of coffee, or
big grease spot, and it is gone. But have
an advantage that the dress-coat renter
HASN'T can make over my damaged goods
and often turn them out as good So new
again. Yet, with all the ex. edients, nice
dress is done for in about one season, so
you see the profit isn't SO great, after all,
when you consider the constant work of
AAlGIllk AuQ IL AWt lilly WOl-
risome, too. Women are 80 particular. A
dress never exactly suits, of course, and the
patience of what's his name-Job? thank
you-is needed to please them. A great
many, too, come out of pure curiosity, .jast
to find out If dresses are really and truly
rented. Perhaps they expec. to catch some
of their friends hiring one. They always
pick out dress, though, and say, Keep
that for me until Wednesday, or 'I'n make
ND my mind tomorrow l never look on
8 bargain as made with woman until the
money is in my hands, and l always get
my pay In advance. What security do l
have &C ainst losing a dress? Well, if the
lady gives her name spd address, insist
on sending it home for her. That gives
me an opportunity to learn whether she
has given Der right name, and if she has,
why, that Is security enough. The excuses
that my callers maze are funny O. ougb.
One Gays she has plenty Of dresses at home,
but will hire another just for the fun of the
thing; anot9 er hasn't time to get one made;
another can't see why it is any worse to hire
a ball dress than a masquerade costume.
As if Il cared why they pstronize me. /,
tfv -