The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-11
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the barbarc tortures which the wearing
of bird plumage on their hats mean to
the birds, they will, of their own free will
and accord, and by the use of their own
common-sense, and a humanity which
never fails the normal woman, stamp out
the outrages which are committed so that
their headgear may receive ornamentation.
But to insult woman's intelligence and
freedom of action by passing laws pro-
hibiting her from wearing bird millinery
cannot be otherwise than ineffective. The
American woman cannot be told by law
what she shah wear on her hat, any more
than the American man be told by law,
with any degree of effectiveness, what
kind of beverages he shall put into his
mouth. In effecing reforms it is always
well not TO trample upon the freedom of
people, and of all people the American
public is the last upon which to practice
such measures. The common-sense of the
American public can always be trusted
If the right means are employed to win its
attention. But the means must be tenn
pered with moderation. Something must
be left for people to supply themselves"
In spite of the feeling against French i'm
portations, says the New York Tribune,
Paris seems full of American dressmak-
ers, and one meets them in all the big
establishments. The complaint among the
French is that they are buying little only
enough to give them an opportunity to
see the new models A well-known New
York dressmaker met in Doucet's said that
as far as she was concerned this was
true.
"Of course. one must buy dress or
so, for they never forget a customer who
leaves without purchasing, and next year
will refuse to show her anything; but I
am buying as little as possible. 1 am
going to put my own girls at work as
not 1ea1 L..
models. What with the duty and the high
prices the French couturieres charge, the
importing of many gowns is an impossi-
btlity. Moreover, in the best American So
0iety there are few who desire a Paris
model copied; the majority prefer some
thing designed and exhibited in a more
limited circle''
The obvious question Is, Why then, do
the American dressmal1ers continue 70
come over every season in such numbers?
For the atmosphere" the dressmaker
replied. Paris is the place where one
can best design gowns; it is in the very
cir"
L asked another dressmaker from New
York why they did not expose their gowns
on living models is the custom here,
even at small establishments, and was
surprised to hear the great difference in
price that the girls employed for that
purpose received. The average model here
4SOCiNCo d 4AdilCs NUV ctHlS) a QdY, ldn1-
some and experienced girls get 81, but
none higher. In the United States girls
receive from 81 to So a day
There has rarely been a season when
such a variety of evening wraps was dis
played. described capes some weeks ago
both the circular and fashionable Direc-
toire shape. and hardly expected to see
any other models this season. but we
have now several novelties in the way
of sacques and coats for the evening. One
is called a Louis XVI coat. but it is
quite different from any of tne other mod
els of that period. 1t is cut loose longer
behind than in front, and "bloused" at
the waist by a ribbon passed through the
lining. The material is a brocade and
at the bottom are two rows of lace. There
is Capuchin hood lined with rose and
finished by lace. A second model is an
elegant and novel affair 1t is a long,
fitted coat Of guipure lace mounted over
white silk and cut to form a point front
and back About the shoulders is fchu
arrangement of white velvet edged with
lace, and this is draped to form sleeves
reaching to the elbows. The collar and
yoke are of the guipure.