The evening world., 1894-05-17
VEsTA T|LLEY AND HER TOGs.'
She Has Worn Male Attire for
Over Twenty Years
Her "Dad" Put Her in Boys Suits
at the Age Of Five.

Ne'ta Tilley. who Is at Tony Pastors,
has tailor. a Lon lon tailor, and there
Isn't woman on the stage who wears
male attire who wouldn't like to have
his address.
There never was such a well got-up
young swell as Miss Tiiley. That every
body admits who has seen her. and every
actor and actress on the comedy stage
has seen her. First OF all, her clothes fit
as mems clothes never At a woman: sec.
ana. she wears them as no other woman
can The secret IL tyofold. For twenty
years, come next Sunday. she has been
singing and wearing boys clothes
she was five years of age when her
father. the proprietor Of a music hall in
nottingham. had wee dress suit made
Tor her taught her MY Pretty Jane"
ana The Anchors Weighed" and
brought her out. She wore an immense
mr,ustache; and was billed as the
Pocket Sims Reeves" She made n hIt.
an ana & me next season got an engagement
gypsy songs. They dressed her i'm kiits
and socks and every time she sang the
people showered her with pennies and
Later she and her Dad" with a vau-
deville company. went to London. where
ssne si,,,a mnne niI reputation as The Great
hI hhlt,ie Lliiey' She wore every variety Of
boys clothes and sang all sorts OF comic
ana sentimental songs. People got to
stopping at the DoX-office to find out
whether the The Great Little Tilley"
was boy or not until they made n nui-
sance OF themselves, and her name had
to be changed.
Lady Tiley" was suggested, but the
ehafred by the girls In the company. Her
Dad got the dictionary to look for a
nhame' and the first thing that caught his
fancy was Vesta. sister OF Juno, and god
dess of the vestal virgins.
Just the thirg Dad, Vesta Tilley."
she said. and Vesta Tilley she has been
1t was lucky name for them both. so
lucky that various imltators used it.
Dad and I travelled all over England:
mamma had lot Of children to look
after, and Dad was father, mother. sis
everything to me. We WORKED and and
played together. and we put our savings
In bulldog bank and invested them In
six years ago. Dear old Dad. He taught
me all ever knew.
My tailor! Oh, l can't tell his name.
He has dressed me these twenty years
past. When ] want a new suit l send
him the old suit md show him what
changes ! want, They always fit, and l
meyer 60 near the. shop"
Miss Tilley has her brougham at home
and she goes to the Park to study the
styles. For the fashions in ties. shirts,
, shoes and those kind Of things she takes
walk in Vanity Fair. She can tell a
new Hrinkle at n glance.
Fifth avenue Sunday morning" she
says, Isn't half bad place to study the
styles Some OF the men are as correct
as any leader In London
Speaking OF effects in mems attire,
she. finds II considerably harder to get
| variety than womens dress.
MEMS clothes are monotonous. Even
ing dress is black and white. two hard
business outfits are better. ! have
learned that for fine appearance man
| Is absolutely dependent upon his tailor
and his tub. The clothes must have the
style that comes from cut and At, and
| there must be good grooming-to set
In pot OF paste; the femninity Is all in
her dress But II Is different with n
man. He must he clean, wholesomey
clean to shine. There is no linen no
! cloth and nothing in the line of haber-
dashery goods to hide the lack OF a
cold dip"
Miss Tilley's clothes are beautiful.
and she wears them beautifully. There
isn't the suggestion of n vulgarism in
any OF her work. She PLAYS the boy to
the life. Her figure is slight. she has a
small head pretty legs, the slim hips OF
a ten..year-old and her makeup Is won
derful. 1t takes her three;quarters Of
put on that to all appearances she
doesn't make up at all.
Instead Of a lily brow. pink ears,
scarlet cheeks and cherry lips, she has
the rich brown of brunette.
has bit OF business with monocle
that Is worth going long distance to
see. NELL NELSON.