The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-14
GIRLS OUTFIT MADE OF
QUEENS OLD CLOTHES
CASTOR Garments of Royal Wom-
EN- Are Said to Be in ConSid-
cradle Demand.
AGENTS CONDUCT TRADE

LONDON, Jan. 13.-Of the many queer col
lecting fads of modern women, surely that
of the cast-off garments of royal and cele-
brated persons must be reckoned as among
the strangest Yet the story is told of a
girl who at the expense of $1,000, was fitted
with a coming-out trousseau consisting of
the cast-off clothing of royalty.
From her head to her feet she is attired
in clothing that queens have worn. She is
not the only one with desire to appear
attired in clothes that queens have worn.
So great is the demand that certain agents,
especially in England, make a business of
supplying it, and most of their trade is in
America
The father of this particular girl either
conceived the idea of an entire royal OUTFIT
or else he ably seconded his daughter in her
demands. He gave the order to the English
woman who acted as his agent.
The shoes were white satin, beautifully
embroidered with gold thread and seed
pearls They cost S11O The stockings cost
$25 the gloves sl5, the lingerie. of the finest
lawn, trimmed with lace, $175, corsets 500,
two understands of silk and lace $500, and
the dress $500.
The family had given the agent unlimited
authority and unlimited money. He ex
pressed himself well satisfied at being able
to secure the outfit at the price.
Stockings and garters of royalty are. in
good demand. One of the women who make
a business of collecting and selling the cast
off clothing said:
II have a good many agents, who pur-
chase for all the articles of clothing be-
longing TO royalty and other celebrated per-
sons which come into the market | obtain
n great deal of stock from the continent
and always dispose of ii at a good profit to
| persons who buy or collect such things.
II have a client in the mdlands from
whom | have a standing commission to OBJ
tain for her cast-off shoes and corsets and
those of modern make which have been
worn by royal or celebrated personages.
COLLECTION OF CORSETS
"She has one of the finest collections of old
corsets in Europe, though it is probably ex-
celed as regards variety by that OF an
American woman who is also customer of
mine. In it are examples once worn by our
| own princesses; an exquisite Viennese cor
| set of the late Empress of Austria, measur-
ing, although stretched by wear barely six
teen inches in the waist; one belonging to
the little Queen of Holland; one of the
| Queen of Italy's (white satin ornamented
| with beautiful lace, and made by famous
| Partisan corsetiere), and a short pair of silk
| coutil once worn by the Empress of Russia.
| "Of the corsets of celebrities she has not a
| few examples. A leather corset of Charlotte
| Cordays is a notable example; one of Marie
| Antoinette s-a mass of whalebone and steel,
| with q waist measurement of about seven
| teen and half inches; one Of silk brocade,
| belonging to a famous opera dancer of the
| sixties, whose name / forget for the mo-
| ment, was originally sewn with Jewels, and
| / was told cost 81 $50, and a corset ascribed
| to Catherine de Medici, but probably belong
| ing to one of her court ladies, is strength
ened by a positive network of steel tie, and IN
| must have been a torture to wear. They did
| lace tight in those days, If you like, the
| waist of this corset being less than fourteen
| inches.
| clients collection none is more valuable
| than a pair once worn by Queen Victoria
when a girl. There is also a single shoe,
| belonging to Inflated Mary Queen of Scots,
| in rough surface leather, which must
| have originally been scarlet.
| "A shoe belonging to the Empress Eu-
| genie, picked up in the Tuileries after her
| flight from Paris, is of black glace kid with
a beautiful gold and paste buckle. and
| worked in gold thread at the toes. One OF
| Nine. Rachels shoes is also in the colec-
! ton, the size of which shows that the
! famous beauty did not possess elegant feet
| A pair of white satin slippers belonging to
| Nine. de Pompadour are also of cOnSid-
| cradle size and much worn. though prob
| ably by some one else than the original
owner. Many Of these items are properly
| authenticated as is also a pair belonging
to Booth, the famous actor, one shoe OF
Washington, and a pair once worn by Gar
rick.
| But other garments are also collected
by several of my clients. A favorite arti-
Gle is the garter. OF these one woman has
Il fine collection. In il are a beautiful pain
| belonging TO the late Queen of Italy; q
pair Of the Queen of Holland: ribbon gar
ter said to have belonged to Nell Gwynne
a pair of the Queen Of Servia S. with mot
toes; n single garter once belonging to
Georgian princess of Wales pair of blue
silk ones belonging TO a Spanish royalty
almost sufficiently large 10 go around 4
slender woman's waist; and a dainty pail
q a l,nrOnp1n EnqniEl
dancing girl well known in Paris a few
years ago.
STOCKINGS IN DEMAND.
1.-THE stockings of royalty are also in good
demand. One American woman who ha:
spent nearly 1880 with me on them has
some pairs of nearly every European roy
atty in her collection, and also by way o.
contrast, / suppose. several pairs belonging
TO notorious criminals The fish net hos,
of one of the most popular of Englisl
| princesses are really exquisite crea atoms
and L can quite believe that they cost So
per pair when new. one continental royalt,
| evidently believes in yellow as a luck
with black feet. One of the best dressed o
foreign princesses had hose, one woul,
| imagine, 10 match her underskirts Of
dresses. for l have purchased gray. pal
silver tissue stockings, all of which have
been worn by her.
| Il nave often purchaser royalties lin
gerie; and, indeed. for ii there is a good de
mand among both collectors and American
| girls, who a few years ago had liking 70
a set 10 be included in their own trousseau
Much of il is, of course exquisite work
but il is by means elaborate as tn
uninitiated might suppose. The finest lawn
French batiste and muslin seem the favorit
| materials with own royalties, although
one or two favor silk. Southern Europeai
royalties appear 10 have more exotic taste
than those Of northern Europe But man,
n dancing girl or Partisan actress possesse
more elaborate and costly underclOthing
The demand for such articles exceeds TN
: supply-an immense amount goes TO tn
United Statesmen though the garment
are seldom worn more than few times.
fancy they are kept by the dressers .
maids in waiting, although | get a goo1
! deal"