The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-21
HOW TO DRESS WELL WITH LIT
TILE MONEY.

Remarkable Development of the
Ready Made Business in Late
Years-Reasons Why Garments Are
Cheap.
NEW YORK, Nov. 17.-Everybody, ex-
cepting the people who write on the sub
ject for the newspapers, knows that the
old and important question: How much
does it cost mau to dress?' is as difficult
to answer as toe equally old and less i'm
portant one How big is piece of chelkN
1t costs a man just as much, or almost IS
little as he chooses to spend on his clothing,
and on that proposition hangs an interest
ing story. Twenty years ago, the average
city man who felt obliged to appear we'll
dressed would seldom buy his clothing at
ready made clothing store" His gar
ments, at least his better ones, were inva-
riably made to order. To-day many of the
conspicuously well-dressed men of the me-
tropolis buy all, or nearly all their gar
menty ''ready-made."
"How has the change come aboutF
asked of MIR. Leopold Liffman, who has,
with his partners, done much to develop
the clothing business.
The art OF cutting is as carefully studied
and practiced in the factories now as it is
in any of the tailors' establishments where
fancy prices are paid bv the customer for
individual attention. Naturally, also, there
have been some improvements III what
may be called the mechanics of the trade,
such as the cutting of numerous thicknesses
of cloth at once with circular knife, run,
like a circular saw, by steam or electric
power, but these are of comparatively little
importance in our business, since, after all,
hand labor is necessary for the most of the
work in making clothes, and individual
skill is the main factor in the production.
While it is true that man on the same
amount of money can dress much better
than formerly, it is also true, and is almost
a sequitur, that he can dress as well as he
did formerly on much less money, and the
smallness of the sum now required to fit
man with a complete suit of coat, vest,
trousers and overcoat, is most amazing to
those who have not studied the question. 1t
is difficult to establish grades in the infinite
variety in which men dress, but it may be
done approximately, and for the sake of
illustration | will suppose four cases. The
first is a man of comfortable means who
goes into society" dimes occasionally at
Delmonico's, and is q first-nighter," but
who economies whenever he can without
sacrificing appearances. He may dress so
that his clothes may never be noticed by
anyone (which is said to be the true test of
good taste) on very little money. His even
ing suit will cost him from $2S to $35; his
business suit will cost from 500 to $25; and
his morning dress suit, or Prince Albert,
will cost $24 to S28. These clothes, it is
understood, will fit him as well, and will
last as long or nearly as long as if made
to order by a first-class tailor. His over
coats will cost, say $40 for the light one,
and about $25 for the heavy one.
The difference between the expense of
dressing in this case and in the next one,
which is that of Woodworking clerk
who is compelled to make a small salary go
as far as possible, is that the first man will
duplicate his suits oftener, and have a
greater variety. The latter may buy
trifie cheaper if he chooses, but he can main
tain an excellent appearance by wearing
clothes which will cost him as follows: A
good business suit will cost him from SIS to
SIS; his Sunday suit will cost from 500 to
$22, and his light overcoat would be about
S15, while his winter coat would be 81 or So
more in price.
The third case supposed is that of fairly
well-to-do-mechanic who wears his working
clothes ordinarily, bur wants best suit"
for Sundays hIgh-days, holidays and bon
fire nights" He may buy working suits
for $l2 to S14, and "best suits" for from
ST. to $50.
The fourth case is that of the poor devil
who has no income and no regular employ
ment, who is forced to be content with the
cheapest garments that will keep him warm
and preserve him from the appearance of
tramp His clothes will not last long, but
he can buy them for very little. An over
coat that with care will last a winter, and
keep him from suffering, may be had for 80,
though he may, if he is in lnck, spend as
much as $40, and full suit of coat, vest
and trousers, of approximate fit, for any
thing he likes or is able to pay over S..
These prices, that the last-named man
pays seems preposterous, but they are the
fignres at which very many people buy their
clothing How long the clothes will last de-
ponds on the wear they get.
FALEs-CURT IS.