The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
STYLE AT CUT RATES.
The Mystery Of How the other Half
Dresses So Well.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
II one-half Of the world does not know how the
other half lives 1t is equally ignorant as to how
it obtains stylish clothing for very little money
It would surprise the average New Yorker. per-
haps. to learn that many Of the fine gowns and
hats are the products of 'off hour and between
season" labor. and that nearly every tailor and
milliner employed at the exclusive shops have
clientele of their own for whom they work In
their supposedly idle hours. The woman whose
tastes above ''ready-made" wear finds in the
employment of her efforts the solution of the
problem of how to. make her aspirations and
her purse harmonize.
The little milliner who has been busy with
creations all day brings home certain amount
Of millinery lore with her. which she can use for
her customers benefit. and it does not take long
for the information to travel about THAI there
is brand new way of adjusting plumes or a
method of making ribbon choux, of which only
"Clarette' or .'Elinor'' has the secret yet. OF
course. the little milliner is too wise too con-
scientious. perhaps. TO copy an exact model which
1t was stipulated for exclusive but wom-
ans taste and ingenuity will accomplish much,
and snsn s "a tine VIII
II Mrs. Van Millions feathers droop over the
orim OF her picture hat an equally good result
towaSd the crown perhaps. for Mrs Clerk, who
Is only concerned that the proper angle has been
preserved. So, too, with bows and rosettes and
1ockades. Who is going about with a tapeline
and measuring blank to find out IL they have the
e
average woman is after in the way OF feadgear
something distinctive and individual, and this the
private milliner' give her in perfection.
For she has observed carefully when but a
and has learned why she was trotted backward
and forward with some two dozen shapes be-
designers critical notion of what was most be-
coming to Madame" the prospective wearer.
part of what is charged the avenue. and there
are plenty OF thrifty women who gladly give w
@ 70 pay Ipr tse Dvag OF which IN
go upward. The materials, of course, must be
supplied by the patron, but very often they. come
out of former hats from treasure chests at
home. or are picked up at bargain sales. and a
$40 bill will work wonders in the hands of a
born shopper. There milllners in this city
who thus double and triple their regular weekly
salary.
SO, also. with the tailors. Many OF them have
little shops OF their own, presided over in their
sistant. who carries on the work as begun and
planned by him.
During the dull season. which comes in his
business as well as In others. he takes full
charge himself, making and sewing and attend
ing TO all the little details that go to make up
fine costume I'm these days of tailored perfection
When however. he is working wages, he con.
fines himself to the cutting. fitting and designing
occasionally also to the pressing. when extraor.
dinarily desirable customers TO be pleased
His work is generally dens at night and it is a
somewhat tedious experience for the patron, who
has to suit her hours TO his. but all such minol
| discomforts fade into insignifcance before the
| fact OF being able TO say: my evening coat has
| one OF those new collars just like Mrs. s., oil
there only three OF these bias-cut skirts in
1 the city. One is Mrs IS, and the others are
Mrs. IS and mine. / go TO the same tailor
| they have" And, in fact the result and work
manship are the very same. She does not pa,
| for the rent of the fine mansion on the avenue
| or one OF the equally costly side streets. wher,
the houses distinguished by two nu
merals at most. The door is opened for hel
by buttons" is she ushered in by tn,
/ latest hint in majordonos. No tall demoisellei
come gliding forward to meet her and conduc
| her TO daintily upholstered cabinet. where tn,
agonies OF trying on assuaged by choic,
hangings and mirrors She gets nothing of th
| when she patronizes the private tailor. except
| perhaps. the long looking glass. which Is an ad
| lunct of nearly every shop or workroom. howeve
| humble.
| Otherwise the concomitants are quite different
1 As like as not she Is received by NJ lie Tailieu
| in his shirt sleeves. with tape measure abou
| his neck. Perhaps he has just finished his sup
| per. His good wife and the little one that bes
/ out OF the room. He does not mince words III
tells her she Is too tick too tin to wea
/ certain styles, and though his words may SCUM,
| trihe brusque, she soon learns to depend upol
his judgment and to accept his verdict as final
1 especially when she Is complmented by he
/ friends upon her beautiful new clothes few
successes send his reputation flying upward. an,
he has all the work he can possibly do. liz is no
/ long before he enlarges his scheme OF operation
| and takes additional rooms a shop with NOR
pretentious trent. Finally he quits the ayenu
| establishment and adds late with Dash, Blanl
/ & CO.. TO the sign above the door. It. -