The Washington times., 1894-04-13
4 Good Deal
HbOUt COrS0fS,

short time ago all the beautiful corsets
csme from France. Women who went to
Paris TO shop were faultlessly fitted; those
who bought from the importers were not SO
successful. Now fine corsets are made in
America. and in style, finish, and workman
ship they are equal to the best productions of
any foreign manufacture. French corsets are
made for French women. and do not fit the
American or English woman. If they are
made to measure that is different story.
There are several dry goods stores in New
York where a business is made of trying on
all imported corsets. and it is a rare occur
renee to find n pair that fits without being al
tered. None OF these corsets sell for less than
IS. and many cost the simple-nys ded buyer
S22.
There are two capital reasons why Ameri-
can corsets are better for American women
than other corsets in trade. First of all,
they are made from American models.
Second. corsets of equal value can be bought
for much less money than imported corsets.
Live American girls, with as true forms and
as pretty figures as can be found anywhere,
poseand are measured: the corset is draughted.
made. fitted to the figure. and then finished.
Not one. but n dozen, girls having the same
waist measure are fitted perfectly, to make
what is called the popular sizes" Odd
sizes. for very slender and very large figures,
are made to fit women OF those extremes.
Making corsets from life. as the artist
would say, made the reputation of factory
at Bridgeport. Conn. where l.000 women and
girls are employed the entire year. These
bonny Yankees are treated with extraordi
nary consideration. They have, without eX-
ception or eXaggeration, the finest clubhouse
for factory girls in the world The Seaside
Institute. as it is called is open free of eN-
,nll FL rirl1 in th.a fn.fn hpr
a night school with class instruction in col
lege branches. choral work, the domestic arts,
business methods and physical development.
The auditorium has Il seating capacity Of 500,
and from time 10 time lectures. concerts and
special entertainments are provided. In con-
nection with the circulating library there is
reading room abundantly supplied with cur-
rent literature. There are six marble baths,
and a well-kept restaurant, where foods are
served at actual cost. These benefits natu-
rally attract 4 very nice class of labor. Girls
who might otherwise take up clerical work
learn TO stitch corsets. weave coraline, make
garters coraline dress stays, etc.
Corset making is clean, cunning work, and
clumsy hands are not available. 4 clever
operator can become expert in any depart
ment in six months. Wages vary from $50
TO Sl2 per week. and there is work 300 days
in the year. The girls are well fed. well
dressed, fairly well schooled happy and con-
character OF the young women from whose
supple and graceful figures 2, 100000 pairs of
corsets are modelled every year. or an average
of 5000 pairs a day. With l.600 American
born girls in the house all the time. the corset
designer has only to put bust measurements,
the corset is warranted to fit. There is no
guesswork about corset modelling; it is art
work.
In this establishment, where the art depart
ment is one of the most important features of
the industry, corsets are made in twentv-four
siaes and each size in twenty-five shapes, the
variations of which are as subtle and distinct
as the human anatomy from which they are
modified. 1t takes six months by the calen-
dar TO design a new style Of corset. The story
is long one. very hard to tell and a jealously-
guarded secret of the trade.
Skirt hooks cost about cents apiece and
they are worth $50 to any woman whose
figure is not true. The average man bends
forward when be begins 10 age, but his wife
goes the other way-she sinks. Fat girls.
middle-aged women and old ladies are gen.
orally short-waisted in the front and long
wasted in the back. As model corsets are
made from model figures, these deformities
have to be corrected. But it is great mis-
take to wear a lonG-waisted corset; a me-
dium or even a short waist will be far better.
Aud il hook is properly stationed in front
and two in the back the clothing will be held
IN place and the waist apparently length
ened.
There are better things in corsets to-day
than whale. In the first place. choice whale
lone is luxury far too precious for every
day wear. The whale catch is a great uncer-
taiuty. When it is small the prices go up;
when it IS large they remain near the top,
because the supply could not begin TO cover
the demand. A large percentage of the i'm
ported ccrsets are boned with horn. Whale
bone goods are very rare and very expensive.
q vegetable hber obtained from variety of
the century plant, which has all the elasticity
OF the choicest whaleoone. weighs consider
ably less, and is absolutely indestructible.
Coralire corsets of the very finest French
coutl, designed for any style of bodice. in or
out OF fashion. prettily trimmed and as light
as lady's fan, are sold in New York at 81
pair.
There are cheaper and more expensive
goods. but nothing better in the trade. A
silk corset is more delightful TO the senses of
q genteel woman, and a jean corset is far