Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1892-11-09
DUMMIES FOR DRESSES.
Figures of Zinc That Enable Women TO
Become Their Own Dressmakers.

Figures of Zinc That Enable women 10
Become Their Own Dressmakers.
Half n dozen ladies were standing
outside of a doorway on a down town
business block. Two or three of them
were rather slenderly built, while
the others were inclined to stoutness.
Although they remained there to
gether for several hours, none OF
them said anything. This was prob
ably because they had no heads. In
fact they were made of zinc as far
down as just below the hips, while
beneath there was nothing at all ex-
cept an iron stick for each one, with
a base to stand upon. 1t was evident
that they were dressmakers' dunn
mics.
Unlike most such dummies, how
ever. these represented the figures
of real people. A reporter found by
inquiry that the manner of making
them is rather curious. For eN-
ample, Mrs. Jones, for reasons
presently to be explained, wants to
have one constructed aftefthe model
of her own shape She goes and
has herself measured as if for address
and a costume is cut out according TO
the measurements. But the material,
instead of being silk or other cloth,
is sheet zinc. When the pieces have
been cut out they are soldered
together, instead of being sewn, and
thus is obtained reproduction OF
the figure of Mrs. Jones.
Necessarily the measuring, cutting
and shaping have to be done very
carefully, inasinuch as the dummy
must have precisely the fo1nof Mrs.
Jones. She has it sent home and 1t
serves in future for dressmalxlng pur-
poses as a substitute for herself
that is to say, she has all her dresses
fitted upon it instead of having to
bother with that part of the business
herself. Any woman will testify
what an aggravating bore it is to
have a dress fitted, requiring as 1t
does hours of standing before the
mirror and all sorts of alterations
and readju ;tments, all of which is a
trial to both patience and temper.
But with dummy to fiji. the dress
upon most of this trouble is avoided
If q dressmaker is employed she can
do all the fitting on the model, and if
the gown fits the latter it will equally
satisfy the requirements of Mrs
Jones. OF course this assumes that
Mrs. Jones does not get particularly
fatter or thinner, in which case she
would be obliged 10 have herself
measured for another dummy. How
eyer, the greatest advantage of this
device is that Mrs. Jones is able to
send her dummy TO the dressmakers
house and she need not go there or
disturb herself again about the mat
ter. having provided the materials,
until the gown is sent home all ready
to be put on.
Most women are obliged to make
their own dresses, and for their pur-
poses such a dummy is invaluable,
inasmuch as they are thus enabled 10
fit their own waists and drape their
own skirts as well and as easily as If
they were making a costume for
somebody else. The zinc dummies
cost from eight to twenty dollars.
The price of them goes up rapidly
with the avoirdupois of the pur
chaser, so that a dummy with n 4s-
inch bust costs at least twice rs much
as one with a 36-inch bust measure.
1t is probable, therefore, that before
long similar dummies will be made
for men, who can thus have clothes
made for them by their tailors with
out being obliged to be measured
Washington Star.