The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-08-15
HOW FASHIONS ARE MADE.
History of the Origin and Rise OF the
Shirt Waist-Mannish Costumes.

be Of interest to every woman 1t was
cleaned from a prominent wUman's
tailor Of this city, and might be called
"The Rise OF the Shirt Waist Prob. |
ably every woman will pray that no
postscript need ever be added to record
the decline Of that boon to feminine
humanity Nine years ago, according
to the historian, the shut waist for
women was unknown At that time
Miss Jane Nelson was living quietly in
Gramercy Park, without thought Of
the part she was destined to play in the
emancipation OF her sex. One day
Mr.. Richard Osborne, to whom Miss
Nelson was engaged to be married, was
walking with her when he spied his
tailor's sign across the street, and the
idea occurred to him that he ought to
go in and leave his order for some
n6glige shirts.
Accordingly he and Miss Nelson
went over to the shop and selected the
materials. Then it w5s that great
and luminous idea shone in the mind
of the tailor. He suggested to the
young lady that she would be much
more comfortable if she, too, had a
loose cool waist, and the young lady
agreed that she would.
The measure was taken forthwith,
and the construction Of the first lady's
shirt waist was begun. At least
dozen attempts were made before the
difficulties of fitting were overcome. At
length Miss Nelson struck envy to the
souls of her friends by appearing in
her new shlrt-waist, in which she fairly
luxuriated before their envous eyes.
She did not retain her lonely eminence
of comfort very long, however, and this
season the same tailor who then made
the one waist for Miss Nelson has
made 5000 waists, and is still at work.
OF course, that is a mere drop in the
bucket compared with the millions
which are sold in the stores,
Not long after the evolution of the
shirt waist the same tailor was furnish
ing tennis outfits for the Columbia
students when a second brilliant idea
came to him. He suggested to a Ger
tain Mr. Lee that a pretty girl and a
stunning blazer would not be a bad
combination Mr. Lee thought SO, too
He put the case in that light to his
friend, Miss Jackson, and, presto the
young lady came out in the varsity
stripe and blaze of glory.
These successes opened the way to
what has become a great movement
in women's fashions, the modelling OF
female garments after the masculine
ones. For instance, this same tailor
was one evening watching some mem.
bers of the Racquet Club dress for
dinner, when he SAID to one of them
"Why wouldn't your wife look wei
in gown similar to your dress suit2
"She would, replied the gallant hus
band. "Make her one"
1t was done. The suit was of plair
dark cloth. The skirt was perfectly
plain, because the resemblance to the
mans suit was to be carried out a:
perfectly as possible, and trousers are
not trimmed. The coat had silk faced
lapels and was cut away with a claw.
hammer back. A white waistCaat and
white shirt completed the outfit, which
was quite popular for time.
Mrs. Burke Roche and Mrs. Hewitt
enjoy the distinction of introducing the
frock coat as part of the feminine
wardrobe. The coats made for them
were modelled directly after the
pictures shown in the fashion plate fol
gentlemen. Both ladies have supert
figures and can wear such a carmen
with fine effect.
Linen riding habits for ladies were
first made at the time of the famou
Waterbury amateur circus when Mrs
Duncan Elliott, Mrs. Adolph Laden
burg and Miss Carey made their ap
pearance in the ring arrayed in thes
gowns
The Elton jacket next rose, and no,
it has hourishedl Now we have tn
three button cutaway, which is tn
swell thing at present, But the yer
latest thing, in fact only one has bee
made as yet, is what is to be called tn
admiral" jacket. 1t is an limitation
of a naval officers jacket, and is ne,
and chic. The one which has bee
completed is Of white duck 1t fasten
straight up the front, clear to the necE
the buttons being concealed by fly
There is a narrow standing collar wit
a row of wide white braid in the middl
and a strip of narrow braid on eaC
side. These same braids are run dow
the front, around the bottom and alon
the seams The narrow braiding
not continuous, but is finished at th
ends with loops.
Another fad is the hip pocket fc
keys. A bottom is sewed on the bel
the regulation chain attached, and tn
keys at the other end slipped into m
lady's hip pocket.
II the movement toward the ma
culine style of dress continues the DIRE:
reformers will be obliged to 90 hid
their diminished heads,