Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-08
A MAN DRESSMAKER.
HOW He FITS TAILOR MADE
GOWNS ON WOMEN.
why We Want to be English, So Eng
hsh-An Encounter With - Dude-Tbe
Uses of Tall Young Women.

see how a man dressmaker fits a gown"
said friend We went up the stone stairs
just south OF Delmooicos, over which a
strip of rich red carpet was spread, and
entered Rsdferns S.
As my friend was not roll ing in wealth
marveled. Redfern gowns cost something
Yes" she said, Sin answer to my expires
sion of astonIshment; this is the path Of
high prices, but it leads to perfect fits.
would rather have one gown that fits well
than half a dozen that Pm not sure Of"
And viii you be sure Of this oneN
"Oh, it's English, so English, you know"
she replied. with laugh. Do you suppose
the tailor to her majesty, the queen, the
Princess Of Wales, the rest Of the Guelph
family and ever so many other royal high
uesses can errp
/ To be sure, there was the British coat of
arms over the door, and as soon as we got
inside there was the Eng ism accent ON
every tongue, the "Neo, madames," and
! "Yeys, madames" of the native Bcitis hers
in all their purity. Every thing was Eng
lish, from the small serytor in red and gold
livery at the door to the managers them
solves, who are quite young men. But it
was all very agreeable English. Every
! body was polite, without being in the leas,
clfusively So. Every employee knew her
duties, and discharged them with the utmost
courtesy and dignity.
One sees so many cheap employees in New
York, meets with so much ignorance and
lack of training, that anything like the
manners Of Redfern's people make an inn
preston. Every one there was dressed as
well as any lady need be-nOt showily, for
style and elegance, not show, is the specially
there. Later on 1 ascertaned how it was
done. They are carefully trained, and re
ceive $500 a year and their gowns and
board and lodging. Cutters, of course, re-
csive mora. They live in the house, after
the Cuban fashion of the employer boarding
his empl oyees under his business roof. They
are all tall women. None are received
under five feet ten. This stature makes an
elegant garment look more elegant. Dumpi-
ness is at a discount in all cloak rooms
We went up stairs to a fitting room
there are thirteen of them-and the fitting
process began The filter wore a gown of
broca1ed silk 80 snug that wondered how
she could use her arms as rapidly and
skillfully as she did She pinned the gar
ment into shape on my friends handsome
figure with a dexterity absolutely stunning
to a looker-on. There was no waiting to
begin operations. She was ready at the
instant appointed, and when it came to fix
ing time for the second and last trying
on she had no voice in the matter except to
say: Suit yourself, madame"
And how the shears few around the
neck and armaoles Of that basque, cutting
and slas hing apparently reckless of conse-
quences, yet making no mistakes An as
sistant-there is one to every fitting room,
clad in blue and gold Hvery-helps the lady
on and OFF with her clothing, AMI hands the
filter pins, scissors and other necessary i'm.
plements of crucifxion.
went to the second fitting, for than the
man was to assist. The gown was almost
completed, the sleeves in, the skirt hung.
It was put on and one Of the Redfern
brothers called in. He gave it a compre-
hensive glance, walked around the lady,
stopped, took hold Of it and pincted in a
seam till the waist was as taut ASA drum
head.
1T must be tighter here" he said, and
he spoke as one having authority.
But madame oesn't want it very snug"
said the filter.
Madame herself spoke up. ST think my
.houlders are too broad to have my wais
narrowed too much, and then you know
we American women don't lace like the
English 10 we!'
Tho rro,,nr
Madame continued: English ladies do lace
don't they3'
Eyes, they lace" he said, Loyalty trying
10 dodge particulars on that subject
But there is no lodging the fact. We
ear no end of twaddls about the comfort
able ami healthful garments of Eaglls
women. but they are death on corse
strings. Wherever you ses them in swell
attire you will see bodies laced AMI stayed
and whaleboned till they look like hour
classes.
Another English dressmaksr tod me tina.
English women frequently wore their gown.
% tight that tool like an enormous shoe
1uttoner was necessary TO make them meet
1t all l asked the Redfern filter how il
vas She smiled and admitted that she had
known similar cases, ami indeed her own
Gown could only have been brought to
gether by forceful persuasion American
women are not prone to tight lacing, but
they are the fussiest in the world to work
or.
The sleeves the skirt, the drapary Of the
new garment were all inspected by the
young man and pronounced good, and the
business Of fitting, usually so wearisome,
vas done. And the gownl 1t was, indeed.
a beauty in its quiet elegance, giving its
,earer the distingue look which only
as,eful garment can give to the most beau.
ful woman. And what was iti Only a
lack English serge, with little silver
lraiding on the collar and Ground the
wrists, and small silver buttons down the
ront Of the basque. It was a genuine
aiormads gown, if there ever was one.
Che tails OF the basque were stiirened.
tilchel and pressed like a coat aud itI
howell plainly that the hand of the tailor
vas over all. The skirt was kilt plated
laIow and finished with a long graceful