The times., 1899-07-23
TO DRESS BRIDES FOR PAY
One Young Woman Adopts This
Novel Profession.
She Earns Comfortable Income by
Packing Trousscnux and by TAX
ing Charge OF the Bride From the
Dawn of Her wcddfn= Day UntiI
She Goes on On Her bridal Tour.

New York. July 21.-Miss Eleanor
Burwell is young woman who
dresses brides. That Is the way she
mekes her living. aad very good living
at that The other day a young woman.
living in New York who was to be shortly
married, received caller. who stated that
she was a professional bride dresser aad
after explaining her duties was at once en-
gagged
Early on the morning OF the wedding
the dresser appeared with her assistant.
the entire trousseau and the bride her
self were turned over 70 her She first in
vestigated the wedding outfit and saw that
everything was as 1t should be- She in
sisted on the brides remaining quietly in
bed until 10 o'clock. the wedding not be-
, ing until o'clock in the afternoon Then
she had her OUT and tried on the wedding
dress. gloves. and slippers. Some aitera-
tions, only few stitches. were necessary
and she took them Next she turned her
attention to packing the trunks. and in
less than two hours the task was accom-
plished and a little book containing CON-
/ piete inventory was put in the brides
travelling bag This inventory gave not
only the list of articles. but told exactly
where they could be found BY this time
the bride had finished her luncheon and
was persuaded to take nap and remain
IN bed until called by Miss BurweII. who
with her assistant left the house to appear
again promptly at $3.50 O'Clock
| Then tepid bath was prepared tim
bride awakened and while she was taking
IL they Strengthened up the room and laid
out tho bridal costume. The dressing OF
the bride was accomplished without the
slightest hurry and in ample time But
| best of all was the fresh rosy face which
shons through the bridal veil. 1t was so
different from the hagsard. nervous girl
We lad all expected She was not a bit
| tired or worried. and feeling that she was
looking Fer very best. woman-Iike she
/ waa extremely contented. Miss Burweu
accompanied her to the church door. guard
ed against soiling her gown in the carriagn.
and gave the final touch to her veil and
train as she entered. r.
After the ceremony she returned to the
| house, supertntended the exchanging OF
the bridal for the going-away gown, gave
the final arrangements TO the last trunk
and the travelling bag, set the room to
rights. and left as quietly as the proven
| bial mouse.
An interested observer asked her to tell
about her work She did.
Il began four years ago" she explained,
by dressing friend Of mine. and I
thought her mother. who was a very deli
cato woman, would never get through
| thanking me- She said was just the right
person in the right place on such an Oc-
casion, and as 1 had left school and was on
the iOkout for something to do to earn a
| living. l decided TO try dressing brides as
a profession. / came to New York as our
nearest big city and affording the largest
field. OF courze I had few letters of in-
production and a small amount of money.
less than $50. in my pOeset.
My first customer was obtained through
the minister to whom l had come with a
letter of introduction The bride was
Iquite young and without a mother, so she
depneded on me entirely Her tro-sssau
fquite an elaborate one, had been prepared
but she was as nervous as a girl could
very we'll be and keep her reason about
her wedding day. | treated her Just about
as did your friend. only she insisted on
my coming to her for two days insteaI OF
one, and everybody eomplimented me o.
the results. Soon after I had another en-
gagement with a girl out OF town whose
trousseau l helped to purchase. My work
gave satisfaction. and since then I have
had my hands full.
| Many of my customers wish me 10 as
sist them with their trUusseau-that is. in
its selection and by seeing that the dress-
makers and tailors give them perfect fits;
others wish me to do Just what | dit tor
your friend while there are SONS who
require me only to dress them and arrange
tiI' - Teils. OF course well-tIained. eoii-
| petent maid could give her mistress much
| assistance on such an occasion, but my
customers. as a rule. are not the very
wealthy girls who can afford To keep such
| an attendant.
| they do not feel thar they can afford 10
keep expensive. servants. OF course I am
| compelled 10 keep up with the latest STYLES,
! and for that purpose | spent two months in
| Paris last summer. August and September
are the poorest months in the year for we'd
dings, while October. February, and June
are about the most popular Often during
these months l have as many as two brides
a day to dress. and several times could
have had as many as four but was Obliged
to refuse many engagements for want Of
time.
do I think it a work where other women
can succeed? L see no reason why they
should not Here in New York there il
certainly room for others. because, as |
have Just said. I have very often been COM
PEELED to refuse engagements. According
to my observations there is a demand f0r
Just such a person in all of our larger cit
les and a comfortable living to be earned.
But the woman who undertakes it must be
| willing to perform her work not only as
well as any one else but she must do it
just a little bit better Many people cal
pack trunks very nicely. but I claim tina.
no one can do it as we'll as l. nor can they
ldrape a veil or place the bridal wreath Us
hecomingly. | study and work out all tha
little details Of every particular bride. and
my time is entirely occupied. but am we'll
treated. well paid. live well. and am saw
ing money So, naturally. 1 think my pro-
! uno1 ono