Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-02
SOME COSTLY DRESSES.
GOWNS THAT MAKE A LARGE HOLE
IN THE BANK ACCOUNT.

GOWNS THAT MAKE A LARGE HOLE
| IN THE BANK ACCOUNT.
A Fifth Avenue 1fodiste Talks Freely About
Profit There Is in Making Them-Women
That Make Her Head Ache.
"Some people have an idea that we get rich
very fast in this business" remarked Fifth
avenue dressrnaker to a reporter.
They get their impressions, she continued,
"frorn the knowledge they have of the prices
asked by those who have what is called Sc
lect trade
''The fact is, though" she went on, shat
our profits are not so very great. Rich people
do not throw their money ANY, any more
than poor people Some who have unlimited
wealth squeeze the price down to the last
penny, and every one of our customers wants
to know where the cost of everything comes
in, and few Of them are over generous in al
lowing the margin Of profit we have to de-
pend on for our livelihood.
'"They seldom consider the great expense
we are under in maintaining our tablish-
ments If we don't have fine establishments,
including a reception room, dressing room
and what not, they will not patronize u.s.
| The appointments Of the place, too, they ex-
pect to be as luxurious as those Of their own
homes, and things In general must be in what
they consider exquisite taste.
''See those curtains there, !" said the speaker,
pointing to the pink and blue hangings at the
window, made of some sort of oriental stuff
"Well, they cost over three hundred dollars,
and got them at bargain at that, and
there is rug IN the reception room for which
paid $3.50. 1t costs something to keep up
that sort Of thing.
''Yet we are often told by our customers
that the prices asked are simply outrage
ous,' and that dressmakers who do work
for one-tenth the sum We receive get along
well enough"
'Do rich people ever try to cut down your
prices" inquired the reporter.
''Do theys / should say they did" was
the answer "Why, I have one customer
who gives me headache the way she
wrangles every time she comes here to save
S. or $40 on a dress for which she pays three
hundred and some odd doDars.'
"But that woman doesn't make anything
out Of me-" added the pretty dressmaker,
with a fash of her dark eyes and toss of
her head, because I always ask her at least
SO more than L do any Of the rest of my
customers"
GOLD DOLLAR FRINGE.
els $500 a common price to be paid for
dress" asked the reporter, who is a man
and not up in such things.
''Oh, my, yes! Not many evening gowns,
or those used principally for carriage wear,
belonging TO wealthy ladies cost less than
that. Of course, they get dresses for ordi-
nary street, anywhere from 800 to $500,
but their house gowns which some regard
as the cheapest article of female attire are
frequently more expensive than their even
ing costumes
Il once heard Of gown that could be
worn only in the house, costing one of the
New York society ladies 81 200. l did not
see it, though, and could not attempt to de-
scribe 1t, but Il know of a great many ma
terials that might be used to make it that
expensive.
"The most expensive dress I ever saw was
made at a cost to the owner of S12, 500. 1t
was for evening wear. There was nothing
very remarkable looking about it, either,
that is to any one who could not appreciate
the value of the materials used. 1t was
made of embossed brocade with a sweeping
train, and had the most expensive of steel
trimmings 1t was not half SO pretty to my
eye, though, as one saw worn by lady at
a musicale that cost only 500, all told. My!
but wasn't that lovely dress The str liking
part of it was a Mary Stuart collar which
was fringed with real gold American dollars.
There must have been fully 200 Of these gold
pieces A hole had been punched in them
and they dangled from a slight gold chain
that was cleverly corded at the edge Of the
collar.
'The dress itself was of heliotrope satin and
pink, aud was made after the pattern of all
dinner dresses.
'Do you earn much more from making
those fancy dresses than you do those that
are palmer and less expensivep the dress
maker was asked.
II don't believe we make any more" she
replied. I'VE expend ever SO much more
labor upon them, for which we are not ade-
quately paid in comparison. We make lit
tie more than the ordinary profit, perhaps,
from the endless materials used, but the
amount we receive for making alone above
the price that is paid for making a common
dress l don't think sufficient to compensate us
for the extra time we spend on fancy cos
tune"
ART IN THE BUSINESS.
I'VE seldom get more than $40 for the ac-
tual making of any dress no-matter what Its
total cost may be. We cannot charge any
more for making adress that costs altogether
500 chan we can for one that costs but $500,
and we can get about the same price for max
ing an expensive outing gown upon which
there is not half so much work to do.
For making up cheap dresses, by that /
mean dresses that cost complete from 800 to
$500, we charge for making from $50 to $50,
according TO the style, and aside from the ar
tistic pleasure the dressmaker has III getting
the beautifully expensive costumes ready, she
or be- think, would prefer the ordinary class
OF work.
Now, perhaps, you think there is no art
In this business, but there is--a great deal,
too Any one without the artistic sense
ought not to BE- a dress1naker. We have all
sorts Of forms to fit, and a poorly shaped
woman must be made to look well or her
clothes VIII be wasted upon her
MANY of the finely formed women you see
are made so by their dress1naker, ana that
without the employment of objectionable
articles. For instance, when a woman is
very slim and Eat across the bust we insist
upon making nothing but fancy waist for
her. This can be pulled or shlrred and drawn
50 nicely from her shoulders that she can be
made TO look real sweet.
Then if she is hollow between the shout