Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-10-12
MEN AS DREssMAKERs.
Ladies' Who Have Their Suits Made by
TaiIOra,


"a woman's much easier to fit than
man," said a fashionable down
town tailor the other day, as
he sat cross-legged on his table
making button holes in a pigeon-breasted
garment somewhat resembling a coat,
to Washington Star reporter.
They're much more satisfactory to fit.
There's form-grace-symmetry; beauti-
full Not all angles like men.
bah! You can't fit man. But look at
that" he cried with burst of profession
al enthusiasm, holding up the garment
that lay in his lap so as to display the
swell of the bust and graceful curve of
the hips. ''Look at that. Isn't it grace
symmetry-form 30
''What is it," asked the Star man, who
stood with his head on one side eyeing the
garment from distance. "What is it?o
''Whaty Why ladies' waist. What
have | been talking about? You don't
think there Is man with such a form"
''Do you mean to say you make ladies'
garmentsT
"0f course. l fit dresses on some of the
most fashionable ladies in Washington.
You don't think they could get a dress
maker to make a waist like thatS No one
but man-an artist tailOr-could do
that"
"But how do you manage? How do you
-How-that is, how do you fit them-try
them on, you knowf asked the scribe,
trying to hide his bushes behind red
bandanna.
"Manage? Manage? Oh, yes; l see.
Easily enough. The fitting is very easily
managed. You have never been to Paris?
They know how to do everything there.
The fitting is easily arranged. Our Gus
toners are ladies who have travelled
ladies of refinement. Fit? Why. just a
few minutes ago | measured a lady for
pair of pants"
ga PAIR of what?"
"a pair of pants. Ladies wear pants
with their riding habits. They wear them
under their riding skirts. This has been
the custom for some time. They wear
their skirts shorter than formerly-just so
as to touch the ground when they stand.
Then they wear pants underneath, nothing
else; no skirts. Oh, ah, you are wonder
ing how l manage about the pants" he
added, noticing the puzzled and embar-
raised expression which had taken pos
session of the scribe's countenance. cit
is all extremely delicate and modest. You
ought to go to Paris. We measure the
size Of a ladY's waist. Then the distance
from the waist to the floor. Then we have
her sit on a table and measure the dis
lance from her waist to the table. Sub
tract this from the distance from her
waist to the floor, and we have the length
OF her-I mean the leg of the pants.
When they are cut and basted she tries
them on for herself. The fittingis all man.
aged very nicely. We make a great many
ladies' suits. In fact, all the fashionable
ladies, particularly those who have been
to Paris, have their suits made by tailOrs.
Washington is getting almost like Paris.
The ladies have good taste. could name
lots of LADIES' don't know how many
who come in and have their measures
taken, just as graciOusly as men would,
and they are much easier to fiji and pleas
anter to serve than men. Aud The trying
on of garments? We have parlOrs, aud
maids in attendance. They retire to a
parlor and put on the garment, which is
basted together, and when they get it on
l am sent for and 90 in and fit it, taking it
in here, marking it for alt ration, and let
ting it out there. When | have finished /
retire, and the lady again changes her
garment. Everything is very modest.
This is the custom altogether in Paris,
and is very rapidly becoming so here"
"What is the cost OF lady's suit?"
sit depends somewhat upon the matGri-
al. Some are $50, some 800, some 1925
and more"
'Do you make party dresses, or any,
thing of that kindw
mo, We DON'T DO an JhIng at JnaU. Iney
can be blown together by a dressmaker.
We make walking suits, and superintend
tie preparation Of the better part OF their |
Fashionable ladies' generally |
have quite number of different styles OF |
cloth suits, and heavy silks anu satlns.
These are what we make, Sometimes we !
have a lady's entire wardrobe brought /
here, and repair it, as it were. We change /
the cut of some suits, alter the looping in /
on another; arranging the drapery; and
then make new suits to supply the places
Of those which cannot be worn any more,
and to keep up with the latest fashion.
Then we make large number Of riding
habits. We have a wooden horse which
they sit on while we arrange the folds of
their habits.
cob, yes" ne added, drawing his legs
up under him once more and running his /
hand over the face of his goose; ''tbe Ia
dies costumes that are intended to fit are /
made by men,"