Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-06-20

eelVodge on the flannel they buy for
winter petticoats and other winter, gar
ments. A great many Of them do not
think that 1t Is either lucky or proper to
wear any other kind of garters than
those made from this selvedge.
But this hardly affects the great gar
ter trade now, which in the line Of "no-
sions" is one of the most important
branches In New York city. Let me
give what can be deduced fro9n the
actual commercial figures. Two pairs
for each female at the lowest price,
which is 10 cents, reaches the sum of
100000. Nearly every female big and
little with any pretensions 10 style"
drops into the notion store or general
dry goods store and gets pair of gar
tiers from 10 cents upward The cheap
ones are common cotton elastic, but
shop girls, factory girls and thousands
Of others fit up the plain band with
dainty bows and rosettes of blue, pink,
crimson and other colors Of silk ribbon.
While this general estimate holds
good, there are to be counted at least
1900 women, including all varieties Of
actresses, who pay from $3.50 to $50
and $50 a pair for carriers. Average
these at $40 each and the bill becomes
$4,000 moro. But some of these are
not satisfied with mere gold buckles
with their many scores Of designs and
countless monograms, nor with the OK
ydized silver clasps at present SO FASH
ionable through the town for garter
decoration; they must ornament the
clasps with diamonds, sapphires, emer-
aids, rubies, and even pearls have
seen half a dozen belonging to favorite
dancers and other actresses, the clasps
and setting ranging from $3.50 to $500
pair. Then a great many Of these
women get the bands to match the
colors Of their different suits Of under
wear. Some are primrose pink, tor
quoise blue. robin-egg blue, golden
brown, seal brown and on to ecru. All
expensive carriers are made Of silk elias
tic, having on satin flowers or other or
namentation, applique or raised work.
Moreover, the ''fashion" in garters Is
as variable as in everything else. Some
are named after the different college
colors and worn by actresses and board
ing school misses alike, according to
their preferences for this or that college
or this or that baseball club.
Another class of women with whom
expensive and beautiful garters are q
fad are the wives and daughters Of
some rich and snowy folk and even Of
those not very snowy. Counting these
thousands a large garter dealer tells me
that $780, 900 is low estimate to put to
their account. In other words to sum
the total cost of garters for this city for
one year the amount would not be far
short of $3.50, 1000. Tie them all together,
the cotton and the flannel ones, the
plain elastic with the gorgeous bands
and we have string about 400 miles
long, that is worth quarter Of a mill
lion OF dollarsl Why 1t would support
500 families Of 1850 souls for a yearl
| Many thousands of our New York
women will not wear elastic garters; It
stops the circulation and makes the
lower part of the leg unshapely. The
same objection, though in a lesser de-
gree, applies to elastic bands. Then the
latter kind are constantly untying or
slipping down, which is the chief mark
Of slovenliness. For this reason the
supporter" is largely used and Is made
at all prices, from the simple cotton
band and pendants to all the elaborate
silk, with satin applique and--every or
namentation that the needle can devise.
The structure of these CO 1veniences is
a belt passing around the waist to which
is attached V-shaped or other kinds Of
pendants, which grip the stocking and
hold it snugly up in place. Supporters
for children, without the belt, are sold
for 10 cents, but those with the belt
may run from 80 cents to $50. With
gold and silver monogram clasps, and
adorned with jewels they run up to
prices almost fabulous. Just to get an
idea of the garter rage in New York It
is only necessary to go into any notion
place from the little bowery shop up;
and you need but stop minute before
the fashionable jewellers to have garters
staring you in the face.
There are hundreds of notices in use
among the wearers Of expensive carriers,
the most common being the device on
the English decoration of the Order Of
the Garter: "Honi soft qui NAL y pense. "
GYPSY ALcorr.