The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-11

Z
Similar legends. together with the English
and Russian coat of arms. decorate the ex-
terror walls Of both the Fifth avenue ard
Broadway sides. A servant in livery opens
the door.
On entering the lofty ceiled salon, once
familiar with the wit ard beauty OF
Knickerbocker days, a young English
woman meets the visitor with the ques-
tion, HAS madam an appointment"
Diviueiy tall, divinely fair, her waist
was wasplike, her bust u HoSarth line.
A thoroughly groomed creature. she was
good TO look upon, and restful was her
low, resonant voice.
She wore a ulack cloth gown The frons
Of the skirt ard the bodice were embroid-
cred in tan coiored braid, while the train
of black velvet seemed TO begin and end
nowhere, so gracefully did it yield 70 ev
cry movement of the superb figure This
room is lined with shelves and cases, with
mirrored doors. The shelves reach TO the
ceiling and are piled with hinge rolls of
cloth Of varied color and texture, prod
ucts, for the most part, of English looms.
The establishment has large force OF
salcswomen, designers and modistes i'm
ported from England. Some have long
been apprenticcd TO Redfern, the elder.
while others are gathered yearly as the
theatrical managers make up an opera
chorus
All the saleswomen have the wasplike
waists with which fashion plates have Ia
miliarized US Despite physical culture
authorities, however, these waists do not
prevent them from handling the great
rolls of cloth with the agility of light
weights. "
IF they are laced" says Redfern.
could they toss such rolls of stuff"
If not laced, is the mental reservation
of the beholder. where does Redfern find
women of this mold?
Various wire forms bedecked in gowns
and jackets were on every side, at table sat
two swagger girls examining fashion
plates, while a saleswoInan in n gown OF
blue cloth rich in sable tail trimming in
terposed now and then professional sug-
gestion. The gown of every employee be-
speaks the house. After a dress has been
copied two or three times il is donncd by
the saleswoman best adapted 10 display it.
In the upper rooms customers are meas
ured and fitted \ man measures for the
pattern, a woman adjusts the lining, slip
ping on, il necessary, a series of pads
strung together on rubber ribbons. 1t sug-
gests an anatomical museum Pads under
the arms pads In the hollows OF shoulders
or necS-every spot nature has defrauded
the man tailor redcems with cotton.
Dressmakers acknowledge their indebt-
edness TO the ingenuity of the man tailor.
The bodice fastened on the customer, the
man tailor returns TO the sacred precinct
and deity takes in or lets out the appar-
emily inflnitesinal bits SO essential 10 the
perfection of the whole
The chief decoration Of these apartments
are signs, Payment After First Fitting"
Alas" sighed the proprietor, "a gown
is often worn out before we receive our
money"
Rest assured, only women of unques-
tionable wealth are INDUCED to that ex-
tent by the English autocrat
Taste for a Redfern gown is not unlike
that for olives. IL one has 1t not insttnc-
lively, it must be cultivated. A gown Of
plainest stuff costs $95. while cloth may
be had for 1925. the lowest possible figure.
Redferu's private exhibition rooms are
rarely without artists making sketches OF
his latest creations for fashion journals or
the great dailies.
When a woman finds &c necessary to
economic after the extravaganza of
Redfern creation, she patronizes a tailor
in upper Second avenue, the neighborhood
Of green groceries, Chinese laundries and
dirty babies. He may be found in one OF
bedizened row of old time residences.
The basement is occupied by Hope Lee
and troop of Celestials- On the post of
the high steps that lead to the house proper
swings signboard. One side bears an
impressionistic landscape, with a damsel in
springy attire outlined against an indigo
sky. The other side of the sign partakes
of the winters chill a tailor made girl
is Drawing. Above, in weather beaten let
tiers, 10 the sign, Ladies' Fashionable Tai
lor." A pretty Jewess opens the door and
ushers the customer into the presence of
the proprietor He is short, chubby man,
with an amiable face A skullcap con-
ceals caul On the first finger of his left
hand he wears a huge opal ring. His bow
is courtly, his manners winning His
natty attire distills the odor of question
able Havana. The room is stufIy A long
line Of gowns in various stages of fashion
ing hang the length Of the room. Through
a half opened door one may catch glimpse
Of some so girls and boys operating as
Ing utust Win
tobacco smoke and redolent Of garlic A
portion of the front room facing the street
is cut of by a portiere within which are
O mirror and a divan.
The customer to be fitted Is the optical
victim or whoever chances 20 be within
the Enclosure. There seems 70 be a roll call
Of the establishments when the old gentle
man steps behind the portiere, carrying a
bodice or coat TO be fitted. The whole Is
very Dickenesgue. Chic dsDsels, with
violin or guitar case, accompanied by their
maids; bedrabbled variety actresses or
thorus girls; fat. greasy Jewesses, well
groomed; fashionably sttired women Of
breeding and refinement, nursery maids,
temimonde, the tag ends Of creation, are
10 be met within the portiers's harrow
precincts.
The tailor bad pleasant word for each I
Is his def fingers nodded the cloth 70 the /
form. In his world be Is no less I
IN autoCrat, no less a. artist, than Bed 1
'ern. He makes 30 gowns a week. His .
prices range from $40 20 si3, including
indinss lie rarely fails 20 give a perfect
it. This man makes the ordinary gowns Of /
astidious women who furnish their own 4
materials The woman OF many engage
nents preserves the gowns Of the Second
.venue tailor for one set Of acquaintance,
While another more sppreci@tive feasts O.
he Englishman's skill
Ida ROsE MCCAEz