Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1905-03-31
RICH WOMEN BURN DRESSES
Fashionable Gowns Worth Thousands
of Dollars Are Cast Into
the Furnace.

Cleveland Moffett, In the first of a
series of articles on THE Shameful Mis-
use of Wealth. in Success Magazine for
February. has this to say regarding the
costly gowns worn by the rich women
OF Newport:
This brings me 10 an interesting talk
that | had with a man at the head OF
one of the largest dressmaklng estaD-
hshments in the world, with branches
in London. Paris, New York and, nat
urally, Newport. We were standing
near the Casino at,the fashionable hour.
1t was the height OF the season, ana
beautifully gowned women were arrlV-
ing every moment for the music and
tennis. There they were before US IN
gay and conspicuous groups, the mucn
talked of and envied society leaders,
dressed to be looked at and admired
And admiring. as beftted, we proceeded
to discuss them, my companion speaking
with the authority OF creator and dis
penser of styles.
Taken collectively" he said, "they
are the smartest gowned women IN the
world
But not individually?''' asked.
Individually they sometimes lack
distinction and the note of personal
taste They dress too much alike"
That's your affair, isn't it?'' sug-
gested.
Well" he said, eve do the best we
can. Of course, what you lack in this
country is a court, with court functions,
court dinners and court balls. You
never find the best dressed women in
republic
pondered this awhile, and then, be-
coming practical, asked what it costs
one of these ladies whose duty it is to
shine in Newport for her gowns.
'Ten thousand dollars a year, he
answered, promptly. I'VE have clients
who spend twelve thousand year, but
ten is enough We have many who
spend seven thousand year. If wom-
an spends only five thousand year we
do not take her very seriously"
..'You mean five thousand for gowns
alone?"
"Of course" And l was left to mag
inc what might be the ladies' bill for
hats, boots, lingerie, ETC., not to forget
the sinuous automobile wells that were
futtering all about US.
How many new gowns does smart
woman need for the Newport season."
inquired.
He thought a moment Counting
everything, about twenty
And how much will they cost
apiece?"
THAT depends on the number of hand
some ones. You can't get really first
hundred dollars"
l protested that l had heard of first
class gowns for less than that, but he
shook his head
1--WE sell gowns for two hundred and
fifty dollars and make more profit on
them than on those that cost five hun
dred, but no ambitious society woman
would think of appearing, say at an i'm
portant dinner, in two hundred and
fifty dollar gown. 1t would injure her
prestige"
Then he gave me some interesting
details in the making of five hundred
dollar gown. 1t appears that single
yard of the trimming used for such
gown may take five or six skillful girls
(French or Swiss) an entire week in
the making. The pattern, say leaves or
flowers, must first be embroidered in
silk with the finest stitches. Then it
must be gone over again in tiny trans
parent beads of different colors, perhaps
in rhinestones, and finally the veins and
stems of the leaves must be added one
by one in colored threads. All this for
yard of trimming!
How often would the lady wear such
q gown" asked.
Five or six times"
"And then what becomes of it?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "She
gives it away or sells it. There is one
very rich woman who has all her old
gowns burned. She can't bear the idea
that any one else should wear them"