The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-19
Relating to Trousers.

| 1t is easier far for a camel to slip
| through the eye of real cambria
needle than it is for rich woman to
get her name on the books Of those
New York dressmakers. milliners, tall
| ors and corsetieres, who belong to the
smart and exclusive circles Of trade
No where else in the world is there a
corps of such Independent caterers of
feminine wardrobeS as on Fifth avenue
and the neighboring side streets, and
it requires more than mere money and
more than a coaxing tongue to induce
these aristocrats of the needle to ac-
cept your patronage.
| When New York dressmaker has
touched the crest of success she does
not, like the great Partisan modistes,
build an elaborate and richly uphol-
stored establishment, enlarge her work
rooms and invite general custom. Her
first maneuyer is to select a quiet
brown stone fronted house, use as
small a brass door plate as can carry
just her surname, and bring down her
list of patrons to limit that repre-
sents the cream of good society. There
is no such thing known at an exclu-
sive dressmaker's as accepting a
customer who strolls in, says she wants
to see the proprietor, and order
gown.
What is YOUR name?
Have we ever served you before?
Are you a resident of New York;"
Who recommended you here?'
These are some of the queries frigid-
~ put by a damsel of fashion plate
aspect, who sits at a French desk in
the small, simply furnished reception
room. If you are from a distant city,
recommended by nobody in particular
your patronage is then and there po-
litely but firmly refused and formally
bowed out, by both buttons and the
lady in waiting, you go hang-doggedly
down the step, feeling very much as
if you had been caught asking aims or
forcing your way into private house.
hold.
If you come recommended you have
one chance. Your name is sent in to
the head of the house. along with that
of the person who made the recommen-
dation, and madame. the proprietress,
sits in judgment and decides whether
she desires to register you in a gilt
edged morocco bound visitors book in
the French writing desk. Like as not
word will be sent down, by a page in
livery to say that madame has closed
her book for the season, and begS to
be excused from taking any further
orders. This may be the truth, or ii
may mean that you have been looked
up and found missing from Boston,
Philadelphia, or Chicago'S social regis
ter and are therefore not worth bother
ing with.
To gain the genuine consideration of
the establishment you must come in
the company OF some strong patron
who will introduce you and speak to
madame In your behalf, but IL you are
turned down and go on to the nearest
attractive looking brass plated door
you see you will probably find your
self in the next grade of exclusive
dressmaker. She will take YOUR orders.
but no matter if you place no limit
as to price and offer to put your money
down in advance she won't make you
but just a certain number of costumes.
and not the simplest wash dress will
be estimated on for less than $3.50.
Now this seems autocratic. but that
Is Just what these dressmakers are,
and wish to be, and the corset and
bonnet makers are no less so when they
assume to cater only to fashionable
custom. We have decided not to en-
large our custom any further was
what a stay manufacturers elegantly
laced lady assistant announced to
would-be purchaser the other day.
However" she added, I'VE have OPEN
ed a waiting list, and II you like you
may put your name down and take
your chances OF being worked in should
one of our old patrons drop out. though
1 ought TO tell you that there are
twenty-five names ahead of yours"
The would-be customer refused the
dazzling offer. but she found the mil
liners and tailors no less difficult to
deal with. and their devices for bar
ring out what they, consider useless
custom are strongly suggestive. There