Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-09-02
THE NAN DRESSAAKER.
THERE Is ONE m NEW YORK AND
HE GOES A BIG BUSINESS

=
Il Very ssssibiy.
Ths woman dre.maker. II faahic2ah2s and
high priced, expects 70 furnish ~ hsr own
figure. lacss, ribbon, vhalsboos aad al other
small articla which enter into the making
up Of . costume She does not usually ITEM
m tho bill for these things, and It Is aid that
mint tuiepA. ahsinths and other refresh
nents' are sometimes included in the general
lump Of ..findingxr The man dre.smAker 10
more insatiafA. He not only .naisss upon
furnishing all the etcetssas, but the material
it-ef Of which the costume is made He usu
ally cs.Aryes from $50 70 si25 for = cloth
gown made To order II be .'composes" re
ceiving or ball costume 70 suit the style or
taste Of his customer. his prices are regulated
by the length Of her purss and her willing
ness 10 draw its strings, and ofteC run up into
hundreds Of dollars Recently young lady
visited q Fifth avenue establishment and
asked the price for making . plain street
gown
The charge was 500. but va. reduced to
so
How much for the makingF' she inquired
Ninety dollars was the reply.
But | have some very beautiful broad
CLOTH and | wish 10 have it made up she
said
Very WELL 4" answered the tailor. blandly
I'VE will make il. The price will be SO"
DO you allow nothing for the rnaterialf
Nothing at all OF course, II you wish to
uss your own goods In preference TO ours we
have no objection: but make no deduc
ton In price.
As a ferryboat was making an effort to
enter its dip the other day there was over
heard a snatch Of conversation bet ween two
well dressed women They were evidently
discussing the masculine dressmaker. pro and
con-
"A man made garment has fit which no
woman can give, said one.
That may be-" said the other. little
spitefuliy but, in the eternal fitness Of things,
am sure it is not proper for man TO tit
woman's dress; and, according to my idea, no
modest woman will submit to such thing
1T is greatly matter OF Use, said the first
speaker The man simply looks upon his
customer as an object for whom he is 10 make
garment. He is an artist in form II her
figure needs improving by artificial means, he
proceeds TO make 1t nearly perfect As his
skill will allow The lady only thinks OF him
as the agent who executes her orders. And
then the finish man is 50 much more care
full and painstaking, and when the work Is
done it has perfection seldom seen in that
which comes from feminine hands. There
is no reason why a woman's gown should not
be made as well as a mans coat, and no
man would employ a tailoress to make his
coat"
Il care nothing for that" said the friend,
obdurately. Il would not have a man make
a costume for me if he did the work better
than any woman on earth could do it, and
charged absolutely nothing for his labor
Every man who makes dress or n bonnet
takes the bread from the mouth OF some
woman"
Does not every woman who sets type or
digs potatoes take the bread from the mouth
OF some mani
THAT is of no consequence" was the re
ply. "a man can always lind something to
do II one avenue is closed, he has thou
sand others open" Just here the gangplank
was secured, and the rest Of the conversa
ton was drowned in cries Of "Kee-abT
"kee-abr
Did you ever see girl behind the counter
OF store whose gown fitted her like glove
made for her hand, or pretty chorus girl
who wore street costume that might have
been made by WORTH These young women
could never get money enough to pay Fifth
avenue or Twenty third street prices. and
yet they wear costumes which compare ia
vorabiv with those made in fashionable
quarters.
They probably patronize a man who makes
a hundred dresses a week; who allows his
customers to furnish their own materials,
findings and all. If they wish; whose prices
are reasonable and whose fit, II not his finish
is well nigh perfect.
To get to his place Of business a person
must pass through one Of the most unclean
portions Of the city. 1t is swarming with
children who have great black eyes and very
dirty faces
From handcarts in the street you can buy
hard black bread for two cents pound,
bread and butter at penny slice, pretzels
from hawkers who crrry them about strung
on long poles, and at the stalls by the wayside
all kinds of fruits and vegetables in the last
stages OF decay, and yet many a lady who
might pay the prices demanded by fashion
able dressrnakers up town, and who possibly
leafs her friends to think that she does so,
braves all that is disagreeable in reaching
the place and that is uncomfortable while
there, TO patronlze this man.
He is Hungarian, and has been Ill this
country dozen years or more He owns the
building which he occupies and others in the
vicinity
"a u
ton, and he employs horde Of men to do his
work He is usually found in his shirt
sleeves with his hat on, and will smoke a
cigar while trying on a dress. II no objection
il made,
There is a single room where the fitting is
done and where the long string Of customers
wait in turn 1t makes no difference how
many are there or what haste one may he in,
the man does not hurry. Inperturbably he
works on for an hour, il necessary. in fitting
n single waist. There are no nervous jerks
in his movements hut every stroke tells
There is no carpet upon the door, no screen
to step behind when removing dress or put
ting one on. only bare wooden chairs to 81,
upon, and sometimes not enough Of them to
accommodate the people In waiting
Aud yet this man cannot do all the work
which is brought to him. His customers
represent all grades Of society. and in his eyes
they all on level
II should think you would move to a diff
ferent part of the city" said one woman.
what is the matter with thisf he asked
at is so difficult to reach"
THAT depends upon where you live said
he II am satisfied with my blaze Of pusi
ness. | would not exchange with any CUP
town tressinaker."
DO you fit all the garments yourselff
YES. | tried to have an assistant, but no
lady would consent to be fitted 10y him"
Il hope you will not move up town." said
one OF the pretty actresses, who was waiting
her turn to he served. You would have 80
much to do that you would never get round,
and we have to wait long enough now and
then you would put your terms far beyond
my means.
The last idea was an important one to the
speaker, for the prices demanded by the Fifth
avenue iressinakers. of either sex, and those
Al.