The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
D%RESSMAKING AT HOME.
MANY WELL-GOWNED WOMEN ITS
EARNEST ADVOCATES.
They Grow Constantly In Numbers and Not
the RIoat Critical Can DistinEuIah Their
worE-It Costs Less and IL For Moro sat

ihht thcy were not mon. Throe OF them knew
all about each other from A TO n. and the other
three had met this trio ut a summer hotol. 30.
foro they parted at tho end Of tho afternoon,
howovor. every woman OF 'om declared that she
felt as IL she had known every other woman In
tho party for years and years. And why
Merely because they happened to get on the
subject Of clothes. Talk about n great Joy or n
great sorrow bringing women into close rela.
tionship with one anotheri Why. neither will
begin to do 1t like q confidential chat about
clothes.
Its perfectly outrageous" exclaimed n lit.
tie brunette from n small city in tho far South.
as they seated themselves at tho lunch table.
"If l were you New York women l wouldn't
stand II. I'D just rise up in arms and boycott
'om. Why, they make perfect slaves OF you.
It's outrageous. l say"
whats the matter now. little Tempest-in.a-
Teapot. Arc you talking about Tammany poll
tics T. asked the hostess, with n smile.
"No, indeed, l am not" answered tho South.
erner cmphaticNily. I'm on n far more inn
portant subject, ~drcssmakcrs." she drawled out
dramatically. II was just saying to Mrs. Well
dressed that the dressmakers and-Tailors in
Greater New York arc not only tyrants but rob.
bcrs. What do you all think A woman nc-
tually had tho face to ask mo SlS for making q
simple woollcn gown. and she charged me- 80 for
n silk waist, this very one l hive on now. You
can see for yourselves how distrcssingly plain it
is" she concluded in an injured tone,
And you complain OF those prices r. asked n
stout matron NJ the other end of the table.
You see this rown l have on. Tho skirt is
simply trimmed Mt tho bottom and top with
braid. and the tight.htting coat has n touch of
braid on 1t, but l had to pay my dressmaker $40
to make this gown. She never makes anything
in the way OF n wool gown for less than that and
her prices 20 up TO $T5. and still she isn't con-
sidered SO very high priced or fashionable. You
must phy a great deal more than that to get
your gowns made, Mrs. Up-to-Datc." shc went
on, addressing by long odds the best dressed
woman at the table.
no. indeed" answered Mrs. Up-to.Dato
placidly. Il make all OF my gowns at home."
"What T. exclaimed four startled voices.
THAT can't be possible" exclaimed the
hostess.
why 1t was a given-up point at tho hotel
where we met last summer that you were tho
best dressed woman there" put in n delicate
looking little woman in n fussy waist. You
surely didn't make that stunning brown can
vas cloth over the yellow silk Z"
And that black satin shirt waist tucked
around" added somebody else.
No all OF those cxquisitely dainty organdies
and thin silks" ventured O third.
Certainly" answered Mrs. Up.to.Dato with
IN amused smile. with the assistance OF n
<ressmaker who goes out by the day l made
everything that I had up at the lake. Two mado
all my gowns for three years. / finished this
ono last night, and had to work hard right up to
dinner to get 1t donc. but l was determined to
have 1t ready to-day. How do you like it n
"ssss simply stunning" quickly answered tho
6outherner. II always mako all of my gowns
when I'm in the South. but l imagined / couldn't
wear homemade things in New York. and I
think I'll make q little confession right here.
Win you all promise to absolve moi You re-
member all Of those white dresses. soft-clinging
mulls, organdics. and Swisses that I wore 50
assumed that they were made in Paris and
1 did not correct you; l guess II WINS
came North. I'd never had a gown made out Of
mo III enjoyed The idea Of my garments having
Partisan air. What woman would have con-
fessed In tho face of that that they were homo
But thought there was an unmistakahle
little woman IN the fussy waist Addressing Iii Mrs.
HIp;,t oodDss tv's directly rect g i.~ had an idea that 7, they 1syy
.snsss s!y tsst sn hey sAs Se ss0 ssric sas sssf in q Of w sSe
You are all willing, to admit that Tempest
an-a-Teapot had tho best made, most stylish,
and the most becoming thin gowns at the lake
last SUMMER. aren't youi" began Mrs. Unto
you've been kind enough to say that / was the
s ne1Hs S%t , woman ,S,rS ~ there sI,a.,5 PAIRING my thin
ko"hb, VI thlhh our lElclu WIS.,. bOnR-Ddnk-
Account, next TO mo here. has a better right to
thaphonor."
hand comuanion. Amy woman could we'll
afford to transfer a compliment under the cir
And Mrs. Long Bank-Account conhded to me
last summer that she did all of her dressmaking
At . h2ne without sxH,S any assistance ihS sGt Thatsysr;" oroo
moro; And another outburst of surprised ex,
Yes, Indeed continued Mrs. Up-to-D Date as
the consomme cups werc removed. And j
don't see that we three looked SO very much like
tremendous growth in recent years
ieScopt the enormously weaithy~who do MOI
have some OF their gowns made at home. The
made right in her own sewing room. and
furthermore; she docs most of the work herself
d1 aei alm esis en lhfrsass 70 In fba home nnm 6sSs 81 Sa,tsrn !.
and models furnished, both by the newspapers
and tSS by firms sx, who send them out; Then. too
for 2 song must not be forgotten. I an
newspapers:: They, print ten times as, mucf
intelligently Illustrated. 1t is quite possible, /
assure you. for any, apt woman, to make heI
has learned some system OF cutting and atting.'
Pardon the Interruption put in Mrs. Long
qotng about home dressmaking, and l have tc
resort TO that. As you say. some women car
learn a SYSTEM, ana then make anything they
see from a model or q picture. but ! have nj
knack that way; That is a gift. Now, ! have &c
have a pattern f foT,e every garment, and to MAKE
the-wcll. the Ten Commandments. and ! try tc
keep to them. I'd give anything IL could icarr
design fnncied. but, ! simply can't do 1t; i
must DO perfectly lovely to go into a shop, lool
at the imported gowns, and be able togo home
and make one like the model that, pleases YOU.
Nobody can do that" put in tho hostess.
"Why. certainly; plenty Of women do that.
MRS. up.to.Dqte hastily assured her. I'm tel
you exactly how l got into this home dress
making business, and how l conduct IT.. and
want you az TO understand that since / com
menced IL I have boon astonished to find how
much dressmaking goes on in this big city. NJ
woman who makes her own clothes will eve
deliberately own 1t to the women who hav,
theirs made by dressmakcrs and tailors. That
the reason most OF you ladies are 30 wo
fully ignorant on this subject. A little
over, three years ago my husband had very
bad luck on the Stock Exchange. and l wa:
puzzled almost, frantic to know how / coulr
Sconomlze 20 help him without his knowing 1t
You know it's so humiliating for q man 10 know
fhnf "a nm has to ni, ,n -, fht1-, -. ILL.,. .