Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-23
DRESSING AT NEWPORT.
What II Costs for the Gowns Of Those
who Keep in the Swim.
Cleveland Moffct in Succcss)

This brings me to an interesting talk
that | with II man at tn" head of
ciic of IN" largest drcssmakinr establish
m"nts IN In" world. with branches IN Lon
don. Paris New York. and naturally.
Newport. We We're standing near tho
Casin" at At" Fashionable nour II WAS
the height of the osason. and beautiful
-uWnod women were arriving every mo-
nl,llt for tho music and tennis. Thee they
we're before us in gay and conspicuous
groups thr much-talk dot and onViol
society leaders. dressed to be looked At
and admired. And admiring. rs bci,tted.
We proceeded to discuss them. my COM
panion speaking with the authority of
4 creator and dispenser of styles.
"rakon collectively" he said, they arc
the smartest sowrod women in the
world.
"Imt not individually" I asked.
"lndividuallv they sometimes lack dis
tinction and tho note of persona. taste.
They dress go much alike"
''rhats your affair. isn't 1t? I sug.
gcstcd.
"Wcll." he said. Eve do the best We
can. OF course, what YOU lack in this
country is II court. with court functions.
dinners and court balls. You never find
tn" bestdresscd women in a rcpub,ic.''
pondorcd this while, and then, bocom-
ing practical. asked what ii cost one OF
these women. whose duty it is t. shine
in Newport. for her gowns.
"ron Thousand dollars n year" h.
answered promptly. we have clients
" no spent Sl2.Vp q year. but SlouJp is
enough. We have many who spend 5000
a year. If 4 woman spends ONLY s-or1 a
year We do not take her very Seriously
~ on mean 5000 Cor gowns alone
"Df course" And was left to iulasiuc
what n,icht BE- the womo1's bill for hats
hnpts. LINGERIE. etc. no; to forget thu
sinous automobile wells that were nutt,r-
iu. all about US
How many now gowns dos "a srart
wonlan need for the Newport season."
inQuitcd
He thought moment. counting every
thing. about 2".'
And how much Will they cost api,co9'
THAT depends on the number of hand
some ones. You can't got a really first
class .;,wn from us for less than 500
l protested that | had heard Of 'irst-
class gowns for less than that, but he
shook his head
I'VE sell crowns for $40 ana make more
profit on them than on those that cost
500. but 10 ambitious society womar
would think OF app, arng. say at an inn
portant dinner. in Il $50 gown. 1t would
IN. 'urr her prestige
Then h. gaze me some int 'rostirs dc.
tails in the making of Il 500 gown. 1t
lappcars that single yard of the trimming
used for such a gown may take axe or
six Skilful girls lFrcnch or SWis.) an en-
tire week in the making. The pattern.
say leaves or flowers. must first he en-
hroidcrcd in silk With the finest stitches.
Then it mus. be gone over again in tinV
iranspar"nt beads Of different colors. per-
lurs in rhn stores. ana finally thc Ni"ns
and stems of the leaves must be added
one by ono in colorcd threads. All this
| :or Il ward of trimming,
How often would the woman wear suci,
Il grown | asked.
And then what becomes Of it,
rive or six times -
lie shrugged his shoulders. she
| gives it away or sells it. rhorc is ono very
rich woman who has ali her old gowns
burned She can't bear the idea tnat any
one else should wear them"