The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-12-27
THE DRESSING or sHor-MlNDoWs

TIE 0nESSfNG 0f SdOf~ WtMO0WS
An Art which Is Recognized By the
Business Community.
baltimore SUM-
ANY one passing through a shopping
quarter cannot help noticing the taste
and profusion shown in the dressing
of the shop windows. Colors and fab
RIGS are grouped 80 as to catch the eye
and arrest the attention, and the work
shows the hand of an artist.
A reporter made some inquiries on the
subject of the window dresser of one of
our large retail stores.
i cannot say, he observed, that
have any rules that adhere to in dress
ing the store and windows. OF course,
take care to put such colors together
as will harmonize well, but in doing so
! rely on my taste, and combine such
goods as think look we'll, without any
set of rules on the subject Window
dressing is an art never was taught,
but acquired from appreciation of color,
and the incentive the rich stuffs by
which am constantly surrounded give
me to. display them to the best adyan-
tage. 1t is not my province here to
dress windows, but do it because there
| is no one else who can do it as well.
Window dressing is an art that cannot
be taught. / have tried repeatedly to
teach it, but have always failed /
have trained no less than dozen young
men to this work, so as to relieve me OF
| it, but not one of them ever rose above
an assistant II I leave them to them
selves and tell them to dress the
windows, they make botch of it. f 1
dress window, say with lace certains,
Rnd my assistant sees me do it, be can do
| it the same way afterward, but If given
promiscuous lot of stuffs and told to
arrange them in the windows, he would
be completely at sea. /"
dressers2" was asked.
| Yes, there are lots of them in New
York and in some of our large western
cities, but do not know of any in Bal
timore. These professional window
dressers make good living at it. Some
| of them have a list of stores that they
dress two or three times week, and re-
eeiye regular salary from each.
Others are engaged by one only, and
are kept simply for this purpose. A
clerk that can do this will be paid extra.
It is strange how few have taste in this
way. Out Of 1000 statesmen, perhaps
only one will display an aptitude for
this work. It is just like dress drapery
Out of 100 dressmakers who can sew
neatly, and even trim well, very few
can drape artistically.
of course, to make handsome win
i dow display, you must have the goods to
do it with. Rich goods and such as are
/ snowy and attract attention are best
For rich broeades, evening silks, etc.,
some rich ground must be chosen that
will throw them out we'll 1t is habit
of mine to show goods as want to sell
hem-thus, If there is plain and plaid
or embroidered goods that 90 together
to make up a costume, I will show them
that way in the window. An aIomina-
BILE habit with some window dressers is
to put stiff paper inside the folds of silks,
satins. ETC., and set them up in rows in
the window, than which nothing can be
more ugly. The idea with me is to make
them look graceful The way goods fall
is the best. No pins should be used. 1t
spoils he goods and makes the effect
| stiff. In all my experience of window
aItSSlHS HoNtT SpOiieu Dut Que piece u
goods, and that was piece of pink satin
brocade which faded from being placed
too close to the glass. Delicate tints,
such as pink and lavender, will
fade from the reflected light, even
when there is no sun directly upon the
glass No goods should ever really
touch the glass. In summer the heat
and in winter the dampness will affect
it. Windows are rarely dressed with
dressgoods during hot weather, table
linens and napkins, hosiery and lace
curtains, taking their place. Excepting
during the dull season, windows are
dressed every other day. In Europe
they are changed every day.
Much of the effect depends upon the
window and light. Windows cannot
be dressed fat, but to look well must
be higher at the back than in front
Frames or stools are the foundations or
which the display is made. Sometimes
after window is dressed it looks dull
and heavy from the street. Then a few
laces, handkerchiefs, fans and glove;
tighten it up wonderfully. There's {
good deal of satisfaction in arriving at q
beautiful and harmonious result. ani
ones success in this varies, just as
suppose it is with any work that may bt
called artistic. I think window-dressine
is artistic work 1t might be classed
under the sal of art decoration.