The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-04
sHREwD ECONOMY.
A Woman's Smart Plan for Obtaining
Swell wardrobe.

Woman's Smart Plan for Obtaining q
Swell Wardrobe.
Washington Star: 'If you will prom
iee never under any circumstances to
give me away, will tell you great
secret" said one of her most fashionable
friends to young Mrs. Noodles the other
day.
"Hope may die, as the small boys
say" was the rejoinder.
"Well, then, only two of the gowns l
have brought back from Paris were re.
ally made by Worth. The rest are all
counterfeits."
'.Goodnessl What do you ?"
at is all the doing of my French
maid, Annette. She is awfully sharp,
you know, and it is a lucky thing for
me that picked her up across the wa
ter. There is not any sharp dodge she
is not up to, believe. But the one 1
am going tc tell you about was really
worth great deal of money to me-"
81 am breathless."
"Well, you see, had made up my
mind to get a number of really hand
come dresses, but my husband declared
Shat the bill must not exceed $1,000,
but, of course, as you know very we'll,
sshop OF a great Partisan artist. So l
had to try and figure things our pretty
C10sely. Annette came to the rescue.'
with an idea"
s. with most valuable idea. She
}saggested that 1 should take her with
me, when / went to the dressmaker's.
I decided to order two gowns, and for
that purpose was going to the shop to
Nook at number of sample dresses.
Theee pattern gowns, as they are
Called, are kept in stock to show to GUS
TONERS, in order that the latter may de-
termine what they want. Preliminarily
Annette put me through a regular
course of Instructions. She said:
MADAME, there is way to manage
this sort of thing which is adopted by
the most fashionable ladies. 1t is I'M
derstood that you bring your maid with
you in order that she may help you
with anything that has to be tried on,
and that you never allow any other.
woman TO assist with your apparel.
Now, you must be sure to look at as
many gowns as possible before coming
to decision, and when anything strikes
you favorably you must tell me. OF
course, it would not be possible that yen
should do this openly, because the dress
maker would perceive that we were
using his material for hints on which to
construct costumes at home. That, you
see, is the object we have in view"
"But how can tell you without
speaking?" l asked.
''It is very simple, madame" said
Annette. I'VE must have q code of
signals. When you drop your handker-
chief it is to call my attention to the
hang of skirt. You cough and
understand that am to take notice OF
o sleeve. You rub your nose end that
conveys an order to me that ehall fix
in my mind the trimming of a wsiet.
You may be very sure that | will forget
nothing. In this way | shall have men
tai memoranda OF everything that pleases
you most in the stock of the costumer
Az soon as we get home l will put it all
down on paper.
You know that am skillful dress
maker, and, being able to initiate what
ever see, l can make for you a number
OF gowns which will be admirable. You
buy two costumes and you get dozen
or more. You have the benefit of all
the artists best suggestions, and it will
do no harm to permit your friends to
suppose that all OF the dresses are from
his atelier.'
"Well, my dear, carried out the plan
in detail, and all the beautiful gowns
you have just examined were made at
home by Annette and myself. with the
exception of the blue and gray. They
are originals"