Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-09

which looks as II 1t might have had It's
origin In q theatrical costumer's, but quiet
apartments on side streets, whittier maids
fron1 fashionable homes have made their
pugrimages three or four times year since
the fashion of buying secondhand clothes
has been established.
These dealers do not have to advertise.
They have a regular line of customers
women who take O. delight in wearing raj
ment once sported by their more favored
sisters, ana the class Of actresses to whom
these little shops or agencies represent the
problem Of smart dressing on the stage.
shrewd bargainers they are all around, the
maid with her perQuisites for sale. the sec
ond-hand man or woman and the eventual
owner of the raiment.
Looks Like New.
The woman in private life sees more pos
sfbilities in a secondhand gown than the
actress. If it fits her perfectly, she will
wear it for some time without change,
Then she will carefully rip, clean and darn
each bit of fabric and trimming which goes
to make up the brilliant garment and
these she weaves with new fabrics into an
entirely different gown.
The actress buys a gown, a wrap, or
hat that will dress the part she is engaged
to play Beyond having the dress reftted
she will spend little time or money
on it. Hers is generally an emergency pur-
chase.
Very little dealing is done direct with the
owner of the clothes. Some few women
there are who send for a secondhand man
or woman to come straight to their home,
but, rule, the maid receives all half
worn costumes as her perquisite. and counts
upon it as so much of her livelihood. Not
that she Is specially favored by her mis-
tress, but the latter in taking inventory or
as soon as she tires of a gown, hands over
the best part of her wardrobe to the con-
slant attendant who stands at her right
hand.
Whatever remains is shipped in the semi
annual parcel of cast-off clothes to some
poor relative, to be made over for numer-
Gus daughters. There are, however. some
wealthy women who dispose of their frocks
at the end of the season with more thought
full and considerate hand. but they are by
no means in the majority.
Pass Them Along.
One prominent society woman fills a
trunk every three months and sends 1t to
an actress friend who comes in contact
with many struggling members of her pro-
fession. These young women make over
the half-worn gowns for use on the stage
and in private life.
Another woman donates her handsome
frocks to a church guild, and they event
ually come into the hands of poor concert
singers, elocutionfsts, etc.
But there is very little left this year to
give either as perquisites or gifts. rake
for example piece of moussellns hand
embroidered with sheafs of wheat, which
was crumpled and torn from it's slken lin
ing at one dance. Scraps of gold thread
alone remained to tell the tale OF a mag
nificent Partisan creation that cost Its own
er five hundred dollars. The fate of this
gown belonging to a social leader In smart
summer colony has been the fate of most
Of the sheer. diaphanous frocks sporteo
during the gay hot season just passed.
Dresses, hats, endless wondrous accessories
all have vanished in a cloud of ethered
loveliness with which they enveloped the
blind followers of fashion. and have left
only a heap of worthless fragments and IN
some cases, bills-unreceipted.