Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-31
NEW YORK LETTER.
uLrRA-ExcLUsIvEs or FASHION DIS
DAM TIE PUeLtc SHOP.
Eow Effectiveness in Securing Dress-Goods
and the Like Ia Ranagsd-Mr cleve-
lands Law Practies-LAwysrs
OF Yesterday aud To-Day.
Correspondence Of tho Richmond DisDa,ca.l
NEw YORK, March 80. 1889.


Many a woman has looked at her own
small purse and longinglY at the costly
fabrics displayed by the great stores
and has thought that IL would be a glo-
rIous thing 10 shop II only she were Mrs
Astor-Nrs. Aston standing for begenus
OF rich women and has pictured to her
self the pleasure which that lady must
take IN shopping expeditions.
She will be surprised to learn that
Mrs AstOr knows nothing about the de.
lights in question that she has never
felt the pleasant thrill OF looking at an
exquisite fabric displayed on a counter
and saying, while Others look enyiously
on: &c choose this it ID mine for
Mrs Aston never goes shopping at all
that is, never IN the ordinary way.
The ultra-oxclusiyes Of fashion disdain
the public shop. No buying and bag
CLING in the msrket~place for them.
An article which had been displayed on
public counter they would not wear a
thing which the popnlace could buy or
duplicate is shorn for them Of every
charm.
now ExCBCsIyHNRss IS ATTAINED.
~ AtEA tIflk ttuAhIlo arc lIuh~lAitH
which cater 10 them exclusively.
Neayers and other manufacturers
make designs which are sold to private
houses only, and which the large dealers
are not allowed to handle Thus they
manage TO dros in fabrics and styles
which have the desired virtue Of exclu-
Hivcness
Another motive to keep the leaders Of
fashion away from the shops is the fear
which they have OF being utilized as
advertisements by commercial dealers.
They are fully alive to the advantage IT
would be to a shopkeeper to have their
carriage waiting before his door and TO
be a le 70 say, " Mrs Vanderbilt is one
Of our customers, or, " We mado Mrs.
Ormc Wilson a cloak Of that sort" Orr
aristocrsts would never regard with pa
thence their names or their pictures
sihxed o. commercial articles, a thing
which I understand IS common IN Eng
land. and no drcssuakcr will ever be
allowed announce over his door,
" CostIJse- Pc Mr. Aston. Where our
eXclust their clothes Is kept a
profound at, and 10 dressmaker
dares 20 drudge that he sold dress to
one OF them on pain Of dismissal.
rug NJ PLUS ULTRA.
This is how it ia done. On quiet
street.. ont Of sight Of the great tho
Toughiares. there are iucOnspcuous
Offices The uninitiated would not think
OF looking there for rs much rs paper
OF pius but they contain, nevertheless,
the latest Partisan kinks IN womens
wear, from Worth dresses TO undcrgars
melts As you enter one Of these places
little IS to be seen, for goods are not DIS
played but when you ask for gar
mcnt. presto box after box Is brought
out AMI opened. and, with a rustic OF
tissue wrappings and n rush of liberated
perfumes, you are surrounded with be-
wilierment of dainty and exquisite gar
mcnts, the He piDS Uirq Of their kind
They have the desired appearance Of
never having been seen before hy mortal
eve, but TO have been made for your
Own express dcicctatlon.
Almost everything is made in Paris
and j. brought thence by these brokers'
who are constantly going back ami
forth. always sith many private orders.
All the Undertaking comes from there
and is hand made tits the most charm
ing frou-frou stuiT imaginable as would
be seen if / were permitted 10 describe
it in its different phases as my lady wraps
d, IA successive envelopes about her.
May l venture
HOW NV LADY RoBFs HERSELF.
First comes 4 silk-ribbed SHIRT 1t is
OF white. or possibly of black, bnt in no
instance cOlored even the dcmi-mOnde
have discarded colored underwear. 1t
ia low necked and without sleeves, as IS
necessary TO permit the wearing OF eve
ming gowns, and clugs like a cobweb.
over It comes the corset of linen coutiL
It is not very tight, for women do not
lace ~ tight as they used to. Mrs. For
tunatus draws on pair Of long
black silk stockings and fastens
them above the knee with garters
elasped 10y gemmed buckles, or, If
she prefers the American method OF
fastening, with stocking supporters.
Then comes the cate cO,s& Of batlste or
nainsook. They reach Just over the
knee, are slightly gathered there, and the
elaborate borders of needle WORK and
Nalenciennes lace are caught up each
with bow OF ribbon. At tins stage she
tucks her feet into pair OF suede SIP
pers and puts on a flannel skirt, hand
embroidered. which just reaches the
knee. and over 1t one OF batiste DOrdCred
with Valencionues lace which inst covers
the flannel. There Is corset cover
Of. batiste with elaborate frills OF
Valenciennes and at this point We may
be pardOned Ii We pause. " horls OF
lace above the black stockings; bliiows
OF lace about tho shoulders and the
black silk undergarment just peering
above in exquisite con,rast-lt is an
effect q daaSe1tsc might envy. Next
comes small hustle and the long skirt,
either Of white, hand.embroidered or
lace-edged, or else Of ehangeable SILK
with pinked ruilios in either case but
one. And SO my lady is ready for gown,
boots, and outside wraps, which must be
heavy to make up for the light weight oil
the garments underneath.
COST or UNDERwEAr.
All this is Of such gOssamer con1ls-
tency that it weighs but trlfie, bat It's
cost il rather heavy, as msy be seen 10y
yearly tAii lDI uudNtNiotNihh 40 "FP-N''
mated below. Mrs. tortunatus buys
what is called "a set " OF esch garment
at least once year. A set Is ioar pieces.
She buys dozen pair OF black stockings
Tor the same length OF time. and possibly
some colored ones. Her cOrsets are OF
white linen cOuui or of satin. Some
women are satisfied with two year,
and have them Numbered, while others
put on fresh one every two weeks, 1T
% the average prices OF the private
houses that are quoted below;
-Four six shirts ......................l@ 10
i Our uient~prae ....s--+..-....s.t - uJ
-Four flannel skirts. ....-..-...-+-...te 10
-Four bspiiste skirts. ......--......,.,@ ~
HAil-dOzon hong white s4irs........@ ~
one long siik 81 ift Inconvenience. II ~
Iisif-oOzon cofsol- overs ............H ~
Blk cor-t ts -.r...-s- .'st-r'ssV@ ,t
ono dozen pair stockings. .8 % |