Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-22
place on the Hudson. in establishing sewing
schools for girls.
FASHIONABLE DREssMAKERs.
Some Facts About Those Who Cater
to the New York 400"

10 the New York 400"
West Thirty-hfth street. between Fifth and
Sixth avenues. Is one of the greatest resorts
of society women in New York. owing to the
fact that hers reside no less than twenty-five
fashionable dresSnakers. To the uninitlated,
says a writer In the New York Ledger, there
would seem to be merely a great number Of
afternoon and morning calls going on, as the
swell carriages are seen standing about,
but those who know are simply surprised at
the length OF time a woman can spend with
her dressmaker.
Some Of these establishments are furnished
with signs. but the majority, who pride them
selves on the exclusiveness Ct their trade, dis
dain this method of attracting attention, ana
there Is nothing to distinguish their estab-
lishments from private Tenderness. These
are the dressmaks who cater to the wealth
and fashion Ct New York City, the -Four
Hundred" so-called. The Astor family alone
employ two or three. for II is quite the cor
rect thing for a society woman to distribute
her patronage. - as not to b. known by the
cut of her gowns. and in order to avail herseh
Of different styles and novelties. .
In order to obtain entrance into enc OF
these establishments a letter OF introduce
ton, IL perhaps not absolutely necessary, is
a surer guarantee that you will receive some
thing more than frigid attention and a we'll
bred stare as you make your wants known.
| You must have evidence to show that you
| expect to patronize, and that to an unlimited
extent, elss you are not wanted. Tran
sients'' are not desired. Neither is a Gus
toner supposed to "haggle" or even ask
the price of the garment she is there to Sc
lect. The dressmaker is supposed to have
carte blanche. If she has not she loses
interest. For a true artist in tns line can
not be expected to tie herself down to a
mere matter of dollars and cents. FIND
fault afterward II you like, when 1t is too
late, but never before. You will lose by 1t
and your dress will suffer. 1t is said that
the wife of enc of New York's pet million
aires invariably chops Of So or SO on every
bill rendered her, and the dressmaksr know
ing 1t, invariably adds 50 or So in order to
favor her pet economy.
In many Of these dressmaking establish
ments there is nothing to indicate that dress
making is carried on. There is merely a
reception room. where customers ere re-
ceived and their wishes made known. The
work is done in a different part of the howe,
to which the customer is conducted when
the time for trying on arrives. Many OF
the best establishments, however, use a part
Of the reception rooms for a salestoom, where
samples of beautiful dress patterns are shown
to the would-be customer. 1t is not generally
known, but 1t ia a fact. nevertheless, that
these dressmakerS receive from abroad, Paris
or Berlin CT elsewhere, particular dress pat
terms for which they pay the most fabulous
prices. These patterns cannot be bought In
any stores nor can they be Duplicated by
ether dressmakers. Each dressmaker re-
ceives separate and distinct patterns and
there is an agreement entered into by the
manufacturers that. there shall be no similar
designs manufactured for sale in the open
market until two years after the sale to the
original purchaser. The goods having been
ordered from France or Germany as the
case may be, are shipped and duties paid by
the consignor. who makes a charge for the
same in his bill. In the Easter season OF
1891, great havoc was created among the
dressmakers by the fact that the goods which
were sent them by their foreign houses to
be made up for the spring trade were held
up by the customs officers. The dressmakers
were not in fault, but unfortunately suffered
the penalty. The agents from the houses from
whom the goods had been purchased had
brought the goods in very largely under
valued, and, in consequence, they were not
released until late in May-too late to be
Of any use for the season.
Some of the dressmakers send representa-
tives abroad every season to obtain these
choice dress patterns, while others order
them by samples. but in either case the re-
suit is highly satisfactory and the dresses
cannot be duplicated in America.
Fashion Notes.
A fluffy fur collar makes the outlines of
the face look softer.
Big buttons and enormous plaids make
a little woman look smaller.
The latest caprice in a pin for a chatelaine
watcn is q JeWeleu GRAD.
Silver mounted suspenders make admirable
Christmas gifts for men.
Dresden powder puff boxes are dainty.
Boudoir sets in this ware are pretty.
Slender crescents of diamonds or pearls
are distinctly first favorites in brooches.
Stole effects in bear. mink and sable are
stylish and make modish adjuncts to cloth
jackets.
Figured stuffs, brocades, arabesques,
stamped velvet and their like are very popu-
lar.
Costumes for women with tastes for cut
of-door pastimes are trimmed with chamois
skin and leather.
The short cape is a universal favorite on
account of the ease with which 1t goes on
over big sleeves.
There is a revival of guipure lace this sea-
son. In the finer laces the various mem
bers of the point family are in evidence.
Silver receptacles for yaseline bottles are
pretty additions to toilet table appointments
and are useful as we'll as ornamental.
High standing collars of velvet trimmed
with applique lace or jeweled trimming,
and wired to keep them in shape, are a
feature of many of the new gowns.
The Empire fan has captured popular
favor and Is classed among the especially
desirable gifts for debutantes in particular
and women in general.
Wide, gauntlet cuffs, deeply slashed and
heavily buttoned, are common. They have a
military aspect wholly at variance with puff
sleeves and feather boas.
The Brownie pin which had such a vogue
has been supplanted by the foot ball man.
1t is not a question Of beauty in either case.
but a mere being off with the old love and
on with the new.
The little accessories Of dress are more
tempting and varied than ever before, and
small capes, large collars, ruffs and fchus of
every imaginable description are displayed in |
the stores. Then there are innumerable little
under bodices of silk and chiffon, satin and
lace, which can be worn with open-fronted
coats.
Plaids, so cut as to run diagonally. are
not a fad, but they hold their respectable
own as they have always done. When used
they are big with snowy lines Of red and
blue and green with white, and they gener-
ally have a relief of darker cloth and garni-
ture of fur or velvet.
The osprey again waves over the bonnets
of the fair, and the pompon aspires to heaven
above 1t. Very popular in one Of the new
SCOOP shovel shapes is a combine" OF osprey
and ostrich, ribbon of felt, edged with wide
velvet or with narrower ribbon, emphasized
at intervals by big silver buckles.
The newest thing in wells is distinctly