Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-01-17
: DISC AIlDED FINERY.
WHAT BECOMES OF THE CAST OFF
CLOTHING CT RICH LADIES.

porter-Garments Found in Second Hand
/ Clothing stores of the Better Class-The
Poor Relations Not Forgotten.
"What do the fashionable and wealthy
women of New York do with their dis
carded garments?' This question is sug,
gested by one of our thoughtful readers.
He says: ITO be in the swim these ladies
must have cords and cords Of clothes to
cast off, entirely too many for supply of
their poor relations. Do they sell themf
Do they invite the old clio men to their
houses? They cannot give EN- to their
/ servants. What do they do with 'em?'
/ Looking this subject up, reporter
learned that the ladies of New York have
various ways of disposing Of their dis
carded garments, and instead of being at
all embarrassed to do so, they could dis
pose of many more. 1t is certain that
none of them is thrown into the street.
That many of them are sold is obvious
, from the fact that in second hand cloth
/ ing stores of the better class there are al
ways to be found rich garments that have
been but little worn. There is quite as
much difference between second hand
/ stores as there is between stores where
only new goods are sold. There are plenty
of second hand stores where only goods
Of first quality are sold; where very nice
/ silks, satins, lace, upholstery and bric-a-
/ brac can always be found, and where the
/ prices are kept quite above the reach of
ordinary people although far below first
hand prices for such goods. 1t need not
! be inferred that all these goods are bought
! directly from first owners. In many cases
/ they are bought of second owners, who
I have received them as gifts from the first
owners, who discard everything the mo-
ment that it goes out of fashion.
DISLIKE THE BOTHER
/ Yet there are rich ladies who sell every
| thing of this kind not so much for the
/ money as for the convenience of it. They
do not like the bother of doing out gifts.
/ OF course, they do not call in the ordinary
/ old clio man. They would not for tho
world exchange word with the conten-
1 tious junkmen who are so anxious to ex-
| change crockery for old garments. They
deal with quiet, nice people, who make
| business of going to dwelling houses by
appointment to appraise and purchase
such goods The advertisements of these
upper class dealers may ALWAYS be found
/ i'll the newspapers. The fact that the
/ business is profitable is apparent from the
/ fact that such advertisements do CON
stantly appear, and such garments NAV
always be found in second hand stores
| One very capacious outlet for such goods
is found i'll the aid societies of the various
/ churches and the rapacious demands of
ladies' fairs Much rich clothing gets cut
up to make crazy quilts, pin cushions and
/ the million knickknacks that go to fill
| ladies fair. The Undertaking is easily
| seized by the benevolent ladies for distri-
| button among the poor, to whom rich
/ outer garments would be all inappropriate
/ gift.
Some rich ladies do not scruple to use
up all their old silk or satin dresses as
( lining for new garments. These silk and
satin Innings are not only elegant and stvl-
ish, but they are very comfortable and
/ convenient. They are lighter than ordi-
nary Innings
But the poor relations are not forgotten.
/ There are many Of them in New York.
Most of the rich families have come up
from poverty by long course of hard
work and active business. Very few have
been able to bring up all their re lations
with them. The poor relations have
daughters who must be made presentable
when they visit the rich houses, and they
are not only not ashamed to accept gifts
of clothing, but are very glad to get it.
There are also many poor women in New
York who have once been rich, whose hus-
bands or fathers have failed in business
or died with embarrassed estates, and who
rely upon old associates among the rich
for suitable clothing to keep up respect
able appearance.
ACTRESS COSTUMES.
/ AS to the leading actresses who have
/ large and expensive wardrobes, they do
not need to give away or sell much cloth
/ ing. The exigencies of their profession
/ require large quantities of material to pro
! vide costumes for various parts, and their
/ good dresses are made over and over
! again and rcappear in various forms, are
/ interchanged, mixed and mingled so that
/ the original shape is unacceptable
/ There is no end to the uses that expert
/ costumers can make of good material,
| which, whether the property of the rich
! or the professional, need never 90 a-ber-
/ ging. Much Of the discarded clothing of
/ rich ladies does find its way to the stage
/ costumer, and reappears in the court
trains, the ball room robes, and other
wonders Of the toilet that grace the fair
forms of walking ladies', and astound the
/ minimizing female in the audience at the
lavish expenditure which the manager has
made
Much of the best material of the dis
/ carded dresses of rich ladies finds it's way
to the dye house, and there assumes some
more marketable or fashionable color or
/ gets done in black, which is equally the
taste OF the grave and gay, the lively and
/ severe. And thus in many ways the old
| dresses of rich ladies are conserved and
contribute their mite to illustrate that
/ triumph Of civilization that is approaching
when nothing goes to waste. The refuse
of the gas house is made into the most
gorgeous aniline dyes, and applied to
faded rich materials, to again reappear in
! those delightful forms that ever fascinate
the gaze of man and absorb so much of
I the time and thoughts of women. Thus
ever the old is transformed into the new
in the alembic of time and through the
! genius and invention of man and woman.
New York Sun.