The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-12-03
SHAPES OF BEAUTY.
Curves Of LONELINESS Due to. the Soft Woo
OF the Australian Lamb.

Curves Of Loveliness Due to the Soft Wool
OF the Australian Lamb. |
The other night, while watching the
balletin a spectacular piece, a report
er turned to a well-known costumer,
who sat next to him, and asked if he
didn't think the prima ballerina had
beautiful figure.
.I ought to-" was the reply.
.Whyp" asked the reporter.
Because she bought much of it from
me-"
'.Much of whatp'
s1Of her figure; and could say the
same of nearly every man and woman
on the stage-principals ballet, and
supers."
There was no chance for further con-
versation that evening, but the report
or bore the conversation in mind, and,
calling on the costumer next day ask
ed for some points on the art of max
ing up the human form-that is, for
information as to how much of the hui
man form is the gift of nature and how
much of it is the gift of man.
The reporter had known that many
attributes of stage beauty were artiti-
cial, but after this conversation he ar
rived at the conclusion that no man or
woman need hesitate to go on the
stage because deficient in face or fig
ure. A trifing expenditure of money
will place such man or woman on a
par with Apollo or Venus.
..Hov are these for legsp" asked the
costumer, spreading out a pair of
tights.
Beautifully exclaimed the reporter,
for the tights were not of the ordinary
kind, but SO woven that their lines
seemed to follow the contours of shape
| ly legs. These tights came in five
| Sizes They are made of stocking ma
/ terial, like ordinary tights, but one
! can tell or, feeling them that the parts
| which cover the calves of the legs are
/ thickly padded. The padding is OF
| Australian lambs wool, which is so
1 elastic that when the tights are on the
padding stretches itself over the calves
and enlarges them. The reporter was
informed that they were intended to
| remedy only deficiencies in the calves,
| and wero much worn by actresses when
their costumes necessitate the wearin g
of dresses which reach only to the
knee, and by actors in costumes which
shoV the calves, such as knickerbock'
/ ers or old French costumes.
Tights for tho ballet come in the
same variety of sizes, but are more
elaborately padded, SO as to meet the
requirements of the case. Banet-dan'
GERS usually wear what is called shape
dresses-that is, short dresses which
barely cover the hips. Consequently
more deficiencies are likely to be no
ticeable than in the case first mention
cd. To remedy these, so-called cal
/ and thigh pads are made, the Austral'
ian lambs wool being woven into th'
stocking material at the points men
toned. For actresses who appear il
male costume calf, thigh, and wais
tights are provided. In these the hip
are made shapely, and at the sam
time SO fashioned that the waist look
small. Then there is an arm-pad t.
90 with short-sleeved dresses. This ii
also made of stocking material, pad
ded with Australian lambs wool at tn
proper points. 1t fits tightly, an
when a fiesh-colored ''skin" is wor
over il, the wearer appears to have
lovely, plump arm. Indeed, it shoul
be stated that in all cases the paddle
tights form only the foundation
..Skins" have to be worn over ther
all.
A slim actor need not be afraid
play Il heroic character; for he can b
made staiwart-onc-half rs big agai
if necessary. For him there are pat
ded shirts which give him splendi
chest, aud also arm and shoulder pad
There are special arms padded for Rt
man characters, and shoulder paC
are often used to make the shoulder
even. for frequently one shoulder wi
be lower than the other.
The reporter asked the costumer
he could make crooked leg straigh
and he replied that he had often cure
people of, bowleggedness, and mac
their legs straight-an operation b
yond the skill of the most accomplish
ed surgeon. Padding out the hollow
and judicious proportion of pad
ding at other points is all that
equired. Or course, there are spe
| cial ways of padding for certain
lines of character, and the costume
can turn a shapely man into hunch
back or fat man.
Then there are special cases in whic
tho deficiencies are SO difficult to rem
edy that plaster cast is taken of tn
deficient limb, and skillful workma a
set at work to make a special pair G
tights which will hide the deficiencie
shown in the plaster cast. This usu
ally has to be done in case of bow-leg
gedness; also in case of large calye
and small thighs, in which case tn
| tights have to be nicely graduated. A
an example Of the difficulties he some
times had to deal with, the costume
told of a case in which he had to pro
portion pair of legs, tho calf of on
/ being twelve and oDe-half inches, thn
of the other fourteen inches. Tho de
| ficiency he has most frequently to rem
edy for women is the dent made b
the garters. Actors most freQuentl
want calf and thigh tights. The re
porter vas surprised to hear that tn
wearing of padded tights is as com
mon among actors as it is among &C
tresses. Nine out of ten actors pad
Of the women on the stage the ballet
dancers make the greatest demand TO
tights, as the excess of dancing hard
ems and thins the legs.
Many fashionable tailors send thei
:, customers to this costumer for paddle
|, tights. The demand at tho time tigb
! trousers were worn was enormou:
He also supplies dudes with corset:
Officers of the National guard ofte
| wear corsets. Since ladies riding-hat
its have become shorter a special lin
OF ladies' padded tights are made fo
riding.
Verify, the human form divine
largely q question of money.-Ne'
81 York San.
4 "Templeton" writes from Boston |