Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-11
THE FASHIONABLE
DRESSMAKER
BY MARGARET E. sANGsTER.

Copyright, 1905 by Joseph B. Bowles,)
A dressmaler's. business is TO make for
her customers gowns and wraps In the
latest fashion. Hence the most modest OF
village dressmakers from her own point Of
view is well entitled to the epithet fash
ionable. as If she we're the most exclusive
and high-priced member of her profession
fl town.
A woman whose means permit her to pay
the rather alarming rates charged by a city
dressmaker, who brings her models from
Paris and works for the ultra-smart set.
told me that on one occasion she carried
a gown which needed a few slight repairs
to the home of a little seamstress on a pack
street Of a small suburb, and indicated to
her what she wanted done To her sur
prise audf amusement the seamstress was
not IN the least impressed by the magniti-
Cence and style of the lady's garment. She
criticised it unsparingly, found fault with
its cut and it's garniture and pointed with
pride to a creation of her own. which she
had just finished and was about 10 send
home TO one of her patrons. The inference
was that she felt herself q stincty on a
level with the town dressmaker, whom she
looked upon as & rather formidable rival. 10
whom Mrs. - took trade which might
just as we'll find its way into her little
workroom. Having asked various people
and made few notes of my own, l am in
Clined TO think that professional jealousy
of this kind may be found in every line OF
business and that dressmakers. being as a
rule women, and of course human, have
their little weaknesses precisely as every
body else has in some special line.
x
In fact, although the village dressnllker
may not be able to afford an annual trip
across the Atlantic and visit to the great
establishments of Europe the headquarters
Of the pomps and vanties known to the
initiated in Paris Vienna and Berlin, and to
some extent in London. yet she is not with
out her opportunities and advantages. The
fashion journals Of the world come 10 her
door, those not only that are published
abroad. but those that emanaute from ex-
Ceucut sources on this side the water. Many
ana brilliant pens from week to week and
month TO month write up and fully de-
scribe current fashions while artists Of no
mean ability devo-e time and talent TO their
adequate Illustration. In the city the latest
and loveliest fashions are seen on the stage
and I'm the provinces u touring company, II
OF any note need not be ashamed of the
wardrobe of its leading lady.
Women with brains, eyes and hands, If in
the business of drcssmakng and endowed
with quick perceptions and good ideas get
great profit from an occasional jaunt to
New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, OR what
ever city they can most conveniently reach
Annual and semi-annual displays by whole
sale dealers ana the impOTtatiOns of the
largc department stores are entirely at their
service, and a little woman who goes out
by the day and has her round of clients re-
turns from an outing of this sort fully pre-
pared 70 enter on a successful campaign.
The fashionable dressmaker who charges
enormous prices for the costumes that bear
her name has in reality no monopoly of
taste and none of style. Nevertheless, In
her chosen line she is lofty parsonage, and
TO her. as is meet and right, the daughters
of our mnIionaires, will turn, the wives of
our city maguates look and the brides of
the coming season. If their fathers have
long purses, will accept her dictum to
their trousseaUs.
When a bride centers upon herself the
admiring attention of a nation, when the
rich brocade for her wedding gown is
woven as if she were a queen. an exclu-
siva loom by an exclusive pattern, never to
be reproduced, # is in the order of things
that her fnery shall. emerge from the hands
OF some dressmaker of renown.
SUCH artlstes. the fashionable dressmai<ers
Of the period. have. their distinctive place
at the ton of the trade. They rank with
the great chefs. the great statesmen, the
great leaders. and the great people in gen
eral of their time. Whether or not others