The Washington critic., 1888-07-26
THE WARDROBE WOMAN.
A Peculiar Parsonage Long Known :
the National Capital,

]. NJ Stafford in America. AN
article which appeared few months
since in HdFp0Ts Bdgdr mentions the
wardrobe woman as convenience to
be enjoyed specially on British soil.
The name is doubtless local, but per-
sonage very similar in general char
acteristics, though with a slight varia-
tion in her method of doing business,
has long existed in our own National
Capital, albeit in the march Of inn
provement she is likely soon to be-
come q relic Of the past.
The trade" is apparently confined
exclusively to the Colored population,
and is very frequently combined with
the avocation of laundress. The
wardrobe woman--to borrow the ap-
propriate title from our English cous-
ins--is privately recommended from
patron to patron, and invariably
throws a veil of secrecy over her busi-
ness. Not even to the servant who
admits her does she name the real
purpose of her coming, and wonder
ful Is the invention displayed i'm de-
vising pretexts for seeing the lady
of the house"
Unlike the British wardrobe
woman" she does not purchase the
articles in which she deals-her capi-
tai would not suffice for that-but
takes home whatever may be given
10 her charge, the owner, at her
urgent entreaty, fixing liberalization,
and sells them 10 her customers re-
ceiving for her own trouble a com
mission of ten per cent. on the dol
lar. Possibly it is for this reason
that she never attempts to cheaper
| any piece of clothing, but frequently
even suggests higher price than the
owner would have dreamed of pro-
| posing.
This system, of course, demands
faith in the wardrobewoman's hon
| esty on the part of the patron; but to
| the credit of the cOloTed race be it
said, that no instance of theft of any
| article thus committed TO their care
| has yet been even rumored, while in
| several cases these poor women, after
being defrauded by their customers
! of the whole or part of the am cunt
the latter had agreed to pay, have
themselves made up the deficiency,
claiming that they were responsible
for everything placed in their hands.
| Nor does IL require any large degree
of trustfulness on the side of the
patron, when it is remembered that
the articles thus placed on sale have
survived their usefulness to the
owner, and, as a rule, would be value
] less for purposes Of charity.
The "customers" found for the cast-oH
garments are principally colored servants,
addicted to balls in winter and piCniCs in
summer. Hence the more snowy the
apparel, no matter how flimsy, the better
the price IL commands in this market A
shabby tarletan ball dress, whose satin
bodice could no longer be termed white,
save by courtesy, was triumphantly ex-
hibited by a colored maid servant, who
had actually paid $40 for the absolutely
worthless bit of finery rendered glorious
in her eyes by its tattered "train."
Plain, serviceable woolen dresses
are regarded with disdainful eyes
by the sable bellies, and a tailor
made suit is carelcssly passed by.
They will not believe that anything so
plain, so dowdy, can possibly be fashiona-
bic, and the one thing absolutely de-
structive to the sale of any article is the
word "old-style." The nap may be worn
in patches from cloth coat, showing a
cotton foundation, yet it will bring twice
the sum, If the cut is correct to the finest
product Of French or English loom,
too long for "de fashun.n
The customers go to the wardrobe
woman's house to seek what they desire
but, If business is dull, she packs into q
bundle dress, wrap, or what she con.
siders tempting bit of finery, and
trudges from house to house TO exhibit hel
wares in the kitchens. Oltentimes room
is left half swept with broom resting in
the corner While the housemaid flies
down stairs in answer to the cooks sum
mons TO inspect the pack Of this novel
peddler. Gloves, shoes, ribbons, under
clothing, even jewelry, are offered for sale
in this way
1t is by no means an unusual thing fol
one of these wardrobe women, when ap
piled to by a customer for some article
not "in stock" to set of on round o.
calls upon ladies whose Cast-oil ge .ment:
she hf' sold, asking in most pc suasivC
accent Or ian ole black silk gown mos
wore 90" or "a white party.gown thai
would dofur cullud gal to be married
in"
Occasionally they come to their patrons
saying that a lady vino has put ON mourn
ing has placed in their charge some new
dresses or bOnnets, whose beauties they
eXtol butt would be against their Codt
of etiquette to offer these things to an
employer, and American women arr
usually too fastidious to be tempted, ever
by great bargain, TO purchase articles
whose previous ownership is unknown tC
men, and this is secret most rigidly
preserved.
New Tesd9nts of Washington are no
seldom amazed by the offer from Coloret
servants TO buy some piece of clothing
that has especially attracted their fancy
"when it is done wore out, Miss" but
unless accident betrays it, somewha
long residence in the city is needed h
learn the existence and peeuliarities o
the curious traffic carried on by thes
American wardrobe women.