Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-09-09

act form from which to make deductions
like the above. The data must come prin-
cipally from those who are engaged in una
king OF puryeyiDg clothing for women, a
work which is divided into multtudinous
branches, and which cannot, in any Of its
various forms, he msde an exact science.
Zoe custom Of making gowns, eloaks, etc,
from careful measurements worked out By
charts, diagrams, or some of the numerous
fsystems" Of the day, is very modern,
twenty or twenty-five years ago he dress
makers blocked out rudsly . sort OF rough
! ketch in cloth of the garment to be made,
And this WAS then PINNED on" 10 the fu-
{ ture wearer, and with taking in here and
letting out there, with pinching aud nip
ping and basting and shipping, it was
fnsliy reduced to the required proportions
and made.
"a LOVELY FIT"
A pattern was often cut from one success
full model of this sort, in those uncritical
DAYS, TO be ussd for many days and by
many persons thereafter.
However satisfactory to the welrer this
process might be, one readily discovers that
1t gave no exact measurements 10 the seek
ers after such facts. So, although inter
= views were sought with women who had
been making lovely gowns for other Wo-
meu for the last fifty years, and 10 one in
stance with one who bad succeeded her
mother in the business and had books eX-
tending over long period of years, yet no
exact figures can be given except for The
last quarter Of 3 century.
These, however, are very instructive.
TlL Il. l. he
average waist of young lady was 20
inches, while Is was considered the proper
sizs for true gentility, aud many boasted
@. Of II, Is, and eysa-oh, horrors !-l5
inches! IL was q very buxom matron who
would confess to 81 or - inches Going =
little farther bsck than this, who does not
remember a grandma whose waist, &C
cording to the family tradition, grandpa
could span with his two hands?
Comparing with these figures the facts
which the modern dIessmaker and cloak
maker furnishes, and We find that the
average waist measure for young woman
of this year of grace is from "a to %
inches, with bust measure from SO to 50.
''Of course there are exceptions" said
well-knoSn furrier and elOakmaker while
talking on this subject; I'VE DO have Gus
toners who lace tremendously. LcOk q,
this order for a closs-fft ng jacket, for in
stance; the bust measure is IS, indicating
n large woman, while the waist measure Is
only % inches How she can complies
herself to that size is 8 mystery but she
does"
''Doy Won have many such customsrs?"
mo; it is only occasionally that orders
are given for garment of q certain sizs and
the customer agrees to get herself into it
The majority Of those for whom We maxi
garments have sensible, well-propOrtioneC
figu:es which do not seem 10 be greatly
changed by compression Of any sort.
With the question of height and weight
the makers Of costumes have lite to do
as either outer garments or dresses require
that only = port on of the entire height
should I've measured. The dressmakers,
however, say that there is corresponding
INCREASE of HEIGHT,
which is indicated relatively by the larger
bnst and waist measures The larger bust
measure, moreover, implies usually an ia
creased weight, "a 10 IL usually al indlca-
: ton Of the plumpneSs of the fgurs
rather than the chest development rs iu
the case OF men.
The glOyemakers when interviewed o.
this question, said that there was probably
no Increase in size in the goods they sold
though gloves we're no doubt more com
Portable 10 the hand nos than formerly,
owing 20 the fact of their being more care
fully cut, made and fitted. The sizss OF
which the most gloves are sold are six and
six aud quarter, and they have been the
'HnI9 Il
true, however, only of = good class OF
goods and in large city. In the cheaper
goods and in the smaller cities, towns o.
country larger sizes are sold; this also hss
net changed relatively for long tune, but
remains the fact to-day as il WAS years
ago.
The bootmaker agreed substantially
with the man who dealt In softer KID.
The pointed toes and high pointed heel
set half way under the foot in which our
grandmothers used TO rejoice are now a
thiog OF the past The little satin slippers
msde ~ this absurd fashion were pretty to
look az, and = brides shoe of that time NO
doubt made pretty drinking cup, but for
real sensible, Practical, every day use, the
modern Waulkenphssts and English toed
shoes and boots are immensely superior
articles.
These modsra shoes are not really any
larger than the earlier foot, coverings; bur
q scientific knowledge OF anatomy hiss bsen
combined with the skill of the shoemskers,
and the result shows in vastly more con-
Portable and sensible foot gear. Everybody
knows the WaulksRphasts, with their
= broad soles and low, wide heels; the so
called London tOed" shoe and boots Is
another sud still more modern and II
seems rs though
PERFECTION HAD BEEN REACHED.
The toe is pointed, for the foot Is moi
SQUARE at the nd, and there is TO reason
WHY the boot should be; but the boot Is
nearly straight on the inner side and
curyes on the outer, thus bringing the
noiut where il should be, in = position to
accommodate the great toe with comfort.
Then the uppers are 20 put on the sole thst
tbere is more room for the thicker portion,
the inner SIDE of the foot, than is allowed
for the outer and thinner part. From
three and half 70 five continue to be the
average sizes sold, a. for many years past,
with . majority in favor Of four and half.
IL will be SEEN, of course, that while the
statements of bOotmskers end gloves dc
not mention any increasing size OF feet and
hands among ladies, vet il amounts 70 the
same thing practically. The increase at
the most would be very slight, and this
could be easily accommodated without be-
ing perceived, even in the more scientific.
eally eut and adjusted articles of to-day in
this line. Toe only fair test would be to
have some of our modern girls try to step
into their grandmother's shoes in literal
fashion. 1t IL safe to affirm that, if cut
and made as those were in ye olden TYNE,
the modern shoes would have TO be q size OF
two larger in order to be wearable.
When we think of the sixteen-ineh
waists, and the pointed, high-heeled slip
pers, we cannot wonder that our grand
mothers ''epjoysd poor health" a. many
of them did, though working hard and
rearing large families at the same time.
Indeed, We need to 60 back no further
IL L. - A.. e. -