New-York tribune., 1880-10-24
HoW STAGE DRESSES ARE PACKED.
From The London Era.

In the new play of A Million" Mrs. Florence
was to wear four new Partisan costumes As N TINS
pay she ls a leader of fashion, her toilets must be
examples of richness and STYLE In the first act she
has black satin, with an Overdress OF eXqusltely
brilliant need ework. This work is done upon a
black crepe foundation. IL was ordered from BIus-
sells BY Worth. who made the dress. he embroidery
WAS SIX months IN working. vest front. sleeves
brete'Ies and high Drectolre collars OF the en-
bruldery adOrn the cOrsagc The second dress Is
also black satin. Ii IS trimmed laNlshIY WIN "A
beautiful lace of point iapphque, which forms pam
iers Oh the side and the entire sleeves. These aer
alone cost 500 while the value of all the lace upon
the dress l. $4,000. The entire front Is trimmed
with plating OF maze SATIN, SO arranged on the
bodice as to completely disguise the manner OF
fastening. Upon the train this malZ- satIn Is gath
cred into rOsette-hke trimming that resembles but
tercups set in tluilng Of black SATIN his dress
was made by The Russian modl-te Mu,choNltZ -
also the third costume dinner dress 3l crepe
de Chine. trimmed with $500 worth Ol Nalcnc-
ennes lace. The square Ii led with aceand
with the lace seeVes' IS HnIsheu NI'H s'I'
and pearl fringe. laclng OF GIT coTG,
with tasses OF Glt ana pears. auoihs
the front OF the dress. rms dress Is worn III the
third act and As A Million" Is only a thIee-act
pIov II follows Uhat Mis-. Florence must make a
change of toilet III the last act III order To present
the four dresses. above stated Tins Is the case
a q the transformation Us made Wllhlh thiec mlh-
utes during dialogue and Is probably one Ol thc
quickest changes on record Iins last costume Is
rccep;Ion dress made of an ludescn Dably beautHW
material called &" fountain foam, o. account OF MS
cnangeable lInts and Intangible misty l'o@. Inc
color seems in one light to be blue ana in another
soft pink pom the SIDES OF tnc 'hlIb are pdNc' VI
beautiful hand embroidery, ana ID IrOnt - PeTiecI
pyramid of fringe. Ine low cOIsdge J. hlcd win
silk Illusion, and embroidered leaves conllne the
shoulder bands. Pink tipped feathers WIN pears
for the hair, a diamond necklace with emerald ana
diamond cross. and pink and whlte satn IAN, are
the ornaments accompanying tins costume. One
naturally begins 70 wonder how ali thesc elaborate
structures oI lace, satin, velvet ETC., are carried
about over the country 10 lOOa on presentation Us
fresh as If never worn before
With a view 10 getting little useiul Information.
antlciDatOry of summer Journeys and corrective OF
much destructive packing. Mrs Florence was ques-
toned tins particular point; heT system OF
marking she SAWS, is a most thorough one. BY
lethOd she OvcrcOmes all tIe dlfncutles attenulhg
travelling with, and the wearing oi, such ward ward
robe With the dresses for Mighty D0liaf. Whcn
are no less elaborate than those described, ana LOT
" Million she carries two trunks. Ihey are I'M
uense wooden affairs. They were made to orGer Tor
her IN NeW-lOTk. As the MAKER blmseli s'hu, hc
could not afford 10 construct such ones fOf plVale
persons because they would last lifetime OneoI
these trunks contains nine trays. Each tray hoids
a single dress. and The whole trunk has nothing IN u
beside these nine dresses. III Is the duy oI 'lIs;
Florence's French maid to pack tins trunk aud
every dress put m its place after each performance
Tins is done according 10 the manner IN use al Ihe
Partisan dressmakers where professional packers
are employed The dress Is taken. and II u IS sep
arate from the cOrsage, 1t can be !ald I'D the Tray
with only slight fold at tie top Of tbe skirt. Inc
train IL spread out first; then every pun or -iod u
kent up by soft wadS Oi yellow fs'ne paper, Whlie
having been found to darken whte ana dehcateiy
ttutrd sltIus This is TO prevent the crcnsing, or
crushing TO which velvet and satin are particularly
liable. Large sheets OF the paper are tueh piace9
over The whole. The bodice ~ next taken, ana
lad out fiat like "a bat upon the paper-cOyere SKIRT
The sleeves are filed with paper So as 10 retain ih5
shape made by the arms; every DuttOh IS coV9IvI
with paper and under bead frInges. etc. are lad
peces OF paper to prevent Il dscoioraton or cuIilhg
over the whole Is then placed final LAYER. when
the TOP tray is reached, and perhaps the next one
also besides the paper a sheet Of the.hnest cotion
batting such as ,fIsts il placed over IT. and ID
tnrn over ms "A layer of OIL silk lhis Is precau-
tion against the penetration of dampness or oust.
The second trunk is divided into compartments nr
boxes. One box contains a collection OF parasol.'
another fans, another st0cklDgs another JewelrN'
etc These are each labelled. For instance, on the
boot-box may be read, BLACK emDr ldered ho0Is,
worn with black costume IN 'Miglty Dollar" By
tins careful arrangement there u no confusion or
tossing of Things during the necessarily hurried
dressings These franks, notwithstanding theIr
valuable contents are necessarily Kept az the thea
ire The costumes are. of course. more Vnluabie 10
their owner than ~ anyone some idea OF their
estimated value to her Indicated bj the feet that
thew are insured for $4,000. he diamonds and
other precions stones n will naturally be inferred.
are not included with the jeweiry They are de-
pos,ted In place of safety each night alter the
perfOrmancc.