The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01

Although New York has more good
looking well set up young women than
any other city in the country. neverthe-
less perfect Notwithstanding to some
manufacturers ideas of perfection-are
almost scarce For flying in the face Of
certain canons OF art followed by painters
and sculptors. makers Of women's gowns
and cioaks in this city unanimously insist
that their models shall measure about
feet S inches in height 30 inches around
the bust % inches or trifie less around
the waist and 50 inches around the hips.
When it was pointed out to one manu-
facturer that there were discrepancies
between the perfect female figure patterned
after the artists conception Of beauty
and grace and the New York manufacturer
model. be said
That may all be- but am not turning
ont garments according TO Garden OF
Eden ideas Of measurement OF even to
agree with Greek and Roman standards,
but simply and solely to meet the require
ments of the twentieth century American
woman. particularly the New York woman,
and to get the best results we use prefer
ably an American model
Il am not so sure anyway but that II a
corset had been put on the Venus de Milo,
say, her figure would afterward have been
practically the same a. that Of well pro-
portoned New York woman.
From time 10 time the American woman
changes her figure by means Of her corset
For instance, the corset she is now wearing
gives her narrower back, broader chest
q longer. straighter waist front and larger
waist than the corset in vogue dozen
years or 80 ago.
-When / went into business thirty-five
years ago no young woman, no matter what
her bust measure might be. wanted her
waist to measure more than twenty-five
inches % inch waist was considered al
most clumsy then Now we call it perfect
when matched with 80 inch bust
In those days the ready made garment
business was practically nowhere and
manufacturers models were unheard Of
Ready made gowns and cloaks we're to be
had only in the commoner materials, and
for the most part they were i'll fitting things
which people OF means refused to buy OF
wear.
To-day see the difference Why, the
ready made costume business represents
wonderful industry now, and = lot Of its
success has come about by employing good
models.
Some manufacturers have a dozen
models in their employ, while even the
smaller concerns have two or three on the
payroll all the time. and altogether the
number employed in New York city alone
runs up into the thousands.
Are none but women who come up to
the measurements you have named en-
ployed as models?" the manufacturer was
asked
No and for this reason. For many
wears dealers in women's ready made cos
TUNES have studied out and studied out the
feminine proportions best suited to use In
cutting model garments with the resu
that we have come to an understanding
that the taller 80 inch bust model is the
best for us to follow, for the reason that it
best represents the average Now York
woman.
"Out Of every dozen suits purchased here
four at least will be 80 bust and in exhibit
ing our goods TO buyers only the 80 sizes
are tried on by the models. OF course we
make other sizes "a 3s, 90, 4 and so on.
hut they are all graded from the 80 noa--
urements. which are draughted to fit per
fectly living model
Here the manufacturer touched a bell
gave an order and in walked graceful
young woman who wore a black cloth skirt
and plain white cotton shirt waist both
fitting 10 perfection. Her head and her
chest were held well up and she moved like
a Princess, or after the fashion popu.ariy
ascribed to princesses.
This is one Of our models her en-
ployer explained, after whom most Of our
10 size garments are patterned
We'll. don't see fault in her, re-
marked a woman visitor but ! am quite
sure that her hips don't measure i3 inches
For answer the dealer caught up tape
measure, put it around the model and
showed the result, 1t lacked a quarter
inch Of the required 70 lie measured
her waist, It was just 20 inches; her
bust aud the tape measure showed 80
niche, and a hairnreadth more; her height,
which vas 6s inches
Not all the thirty-six models are so tall,
explained the manufacturer IL have
others who arc not much over feet
:. In cutting sbiits 10 match the so
size, though, we vary from ~ 70 10 inches
front length in Difference to the fact that
there are many women these days taller
than feet 3
There is a Zig difference between the
exhibiton models in the retail stores and
the manufacturers models it seems-al-
most as much difference as between the
girls who earn their living at the work.
which Is saying much
1t WAS Paris remarked a dealer in
womans gowns, which set w the example
of employing exhibition models There
the models are quite marvellous to behold
gotten W as they are with deliberately
dressed couture. artirtcaily touched up
complexion, eyes, eyebrows and hair, and
other artificial adornments calculated to
attract attention and please the eye.
so far We have nothing approaching
them in snowy effects over here, not even
in the highest class custom order concerns.
In Paris evidently they attach almost as
much importance 10 the face and the general
effect. extending even TO the slipper buckles
and stockings as to the figure. over here a
good figure takes precedence Of everything.
And in New York when a girl combines
n snowy makeup and handsome figure
with pretty face she doesn't for long az
rule content herself with being clothes
model That young woman j. pretty sure
20 turn her eyes toward vaudeville and
the theatrical melight-
"On the other hand t.ere ARE plenty Of
II 4 H..