The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-27
STRIKING MODEL IN
KNICKERBOCKERS
How a Beautiful Girl Dresses for
Customers.

ali sorts OF things for winter
In one OF the shops. upon garden seat
set in wooden trees, dropped a urC-'ock
ing girl, her attitude in striking contrast
to tire smart suit she wore and the pretty
face she presented when she lifted her
head
Are you one of the women reporters
uucricd she with sudden acceleration OF
interest as tue writer lent down and wins
pered q word TO her. Then you are the
VERY ole 1 want to meet You write about
your Trilbys, and your cloak models and
your women drumincrs, but why in Tie
world don't you write about tie busiest
set of all, the bicycle models. Never In
my life, and 1 scan your woman's pages
every week, have l seen a line about that
hard worked girl, The ticycie model.
THE GIRL WHO RIDES.
You didnt know there was such a thing!
Indeed, then. where do you think the pretty
girl comes from who stands near the
bicycles in your department store and OF
fers TO step ON Just to show you how You'll
look on a wheel She is hired licycie
model and she keeps on doing that same
thing all day.
"A bicycle model Eyes, I'm onep must
be good looking. If yol can; good fig
ure she must have. anyway. That's a
foregone ultImatum. the sine qua non OF
all bicycle models. She must he what
we call trisgy. Neat in her waist. long
in limb, and of that peculiar build that
can wear almost any size clothes. Yes,
there are such people. I am one Of them.
l can wear thirty-four bust or a forty,
and can walk in any length skirt. But
about that I'll tell you later
The bicycle model must be an expert
rider. positively expert She must be able
TO step upon a wheel with only Il narrow
aisle in front of her: and, pushing gently,
guide the machine gracefully down the
store, across the aisle at the foot and up
the other side without touching anything
or appearing to work The machine goes
under her magic push without effort. An
expert can do this.
The bicycle model must have another
qualification. She must entertain Il variety
of views. If a big, fat woman comes in the
bicycle model knows that the wheel re
duces, and she feels sure that the stout
woman viii be very graceful in a nice
little short skirt and leggings, purchasable
In another department OF our store.
The fat woman is skeptical. But /
weigh 200 and Wear a 42-inch bust she
says.
- Never mind responds the bicycle
model i will go and put on a bicycle
waist of that size and you can judge
for yourself Into "A small dressingroon,
She steps. while the girl hurries away
Tor the '42-inch bust Into it the model
slips herself. while the attendant works
busily mt the sleeve puffs and bust with
bale OF cotton. The waist. being blouse.
sets like wax under a trim white enamel
belt.
- Is that really a 42?' exclaims t.,
fat woman. Why. 1 neveri Never in
my life! Why! Why! Now. my dear,
l think I will take that suit. If You think
can learn TO ride wheel
incidentally the wheel is sold. aud
the suit and all its equipments To "A
thin woman the model is sure the wheel
develops.
ANY bicycle model will tell you that
the wheels are sold through the suits. A
woman who does not ride stops to look
at wheels. She admires them. OF course
aud wishes she could ride The trim lit
tie model steps upon the pedal. jumps to
her seat and gives specimen OF riding
You really ought to learn. You would
look So pretty i'll n bicycle suit. 1t would
become you SO we'll Then comes the
trying on OF different suits by the model
and the sale is made That is one way
of working it.
Many women riders come in and go to
the suit department and want IL bicycle
suit selected for them by the saleswoinan.
She hands out the latest in cut. Now.
can't YOU get some young lady To try it on
asks the buyer. Then they send for me.
try on hu ndred suits in a single day.
Il don't mind the dresses. but wish I
could draw the line at boomers. ! am SO
little around the waist that can put un "A !
skirt three inches too long and make il look |
pretty by touching it up under the belt. |
But with boomers ] am helpless. ] have |
To put ON the size they give me, and what |
an awful guy do make OF myself. Yes |
terday a long, thin woman who has ridden !
the bicycle Tor two years came limping in. |
Her skirt had caught in the guard and she |
had made up her mind to wear blocrners-
The saleswoman picked out pair, and
then the long, thin woman wanted somc+-
body TO try them on. Again they sent for
Me. was off riding wheel around the
store for dear life, pref ending l had
customer but they saw through the ruse-
had 10 90 in the dressing room and put
on those awful boomers. They were too
small around the legs, the tand did not
meet around me. That woman was like
lath The legs reached to my ankles. In
that awful trim, and holding up The
bluoniers al the belt, lad to mount and
ride around the store. All the while /
had 10 smile and make the boomers look
as graceful as could. | was glad when it
was over.
we have got lot If rational Gus
TONERS that want knickerbockers They
selcc! them from the geBtlcmcn's fur
nishing department and bring them to
ME To try on i put them on and ride
around the store. But cane say that
like To wear 'knckers for Il whole sboprul
Of people to stare at. But that's one of the
penalties Of being q bicycle model
You think our life is nice easy one |
30 much better than studio models. But
tell YOU that after you have been a
bicycle model you think posing for the
nude nice, cheerful existence. Al least
you are treated with respectand have some
degree If respect for yourself But in my
business y,,n have none at all
"a woman came in yesterday for a pair
II boomers She was n nice, plump little
woman and put On her boomers and rode
around the store in them. How lovely
shall look exclaimed she as I slid off
the saddle ard stoGd before Rcr.
"Todny she came back with the blUomers
They are positively horrid,' said she.
throwing them down on the counter. That
stupid bicycle Woman Sold them to me-
they make me look horribly knock -kpeed.
am not knock-kneed myself. Do you sup
pose that stupid bicycle woman stretched