The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-02-13
SWlNDLING TAILORS.
Selling "Ready-Made" Suits for Clothing
Made to Order.

is practiced in few of the tailor shops
in the lower part of the city. Some of
these shops have gaudily decked win
dows, showing great variety of materi-
ais skillfully displayed, and have also
little glass show cases just outside their
doors, in which are garments neatly
made and placarded to the effect that
such articles are made ito order" at eX-
tremely low rates. The price is always
attached, and many n man is enticcd TO
enter and have clothing made ito order
by the combined allurements of the
made-up article and the cheap price.
Tribune reporter was victim the
other day. Seeing a coat handsomely
made up in show case, to which was
attached a card reading, Coat and vest
to order Sl6,' he entered the store and
asked the proprietor if coat and waist
coat could he made for him to look as
well as those in the case, and at the
same time fit his form satisfactorily.
He was assured that to accomplish this
was the easiest matter in the world,
whereupon the reporter selected ma
terial for suit to cost, made to order,
S24. little less than half as much as he
had been accustomed to pay uptown,
but the coat in the showcase did look
extremely well. His measure was taken
and afew days later he called to try on
the coat. 1t did not fit him at all, but
the tailor made several chalk marks on
the unfinished garment and said that it
would be all right and finished on GER
tain day. At the trying-on stage the
coat was four-button cutaway.
On the day the suit was to be done the
reporter called for it, and proceeded to
try on the coat again. 1t was too loose
in the back and the collar did not fit the
neck, while the sleeves We're too short
Don't worry, my friend" said the tai
Tor, 1T will be all right tomorrow when
you come for it, or shall | send my boy
home with it, eh?"
The customer said he would call for it
the next day, and just then noticed that
the coat was a three-button Gu away.
How is that" he asked. This was
a four button coat when tried it on be-
fore"
''You arc mistaken, my friend" was
the solemn reply, ''it was always three
button coat" On the follow day the re-
porter called again and found the coat
better fit, but still far from being
what coat made to order should be-
Wishing to wear the suit that night, he
decided to take it, and ave any neces-
sary changes made in future. The
trousers were no better fit, being too
short in the legs. Still he was in a
hurry and the tailor promis d to make
everything right at some future time.
Looking the clothes over that night, the
reporter found under the fob pocket
in the trousers the name of 4 we'll
known firm of wholesale manufacturers.
A quiet little investigation the next day
showed that he had bought ready
made suit for IL considerable advance
over the price Chargal by the retailers
of such garments, and pursuing his in
quiry, he learned that the tailor he en-
ployed as well as many others, do not
make clothing t, order at all. They
keep II line of goods corresponding to
the clothes made up by manufacturers
for the retailers of ready-made clothing,
and when they get a customer, they
take his measure and then obtain at ii
reduced price from the manufacturer, a
suit or garment, most nearly CORE
spending to the measurements. They
also have as 4 blind" a lot of cloth cut
up so that the pieces can be blasted
together to answer for the trying on
process. If the cloth is not exactly like
that ordered, the customer is not likely
to detect the difference during the try
ing on, when The garment looks as much
like a coat, for instance, as it does like
night shirt.
As these ''fake" custom tailors buy a
large number of suits from the manu-
facturers, they get the clothing cheaply,
and thus reap a heavy profit. The gar
ment in the showcase is never dupli-
Gated as to fit, and seldom as to quality.
There are several such stores down
town, and the young man should ask
for references when he gets into one
where he is a stranger.-N. Y. Tribune.