The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-17
WARDROBE WOMAN
IN RUSH HOURS
Care of Theatrical Costumes
During Run of Play a
Strenuous Work

The ordinary dressmaker. VINO puts
through a rush job on a trousseau
occasionally does not know what fast
work is as compared with the ward
robe woman OF the theatre. When q
new play is put on, the costumes some
times are sent In By the costumer. in
which case there still is endless work
for the wardrobe woman to do, as
they often have 10 be altered and have
finishing touches put on at the lasL
minute says the Chicago Tribune.
When there is high-class dress
maker engaged as a costumer, how
ever. she often is expected TO make
the costumes Of the entire chorus ana
some OF the principals. She ig al
lowed TO engage all the help she
wants. but she has the same diff
culties that Other dressmakers have
in getting competent help. Besides
she hes complications in queer de-
signs which she has TO study OFT. ana
which are way beyond anything new
in the problems Of Dame Fashion.
Before The Three Twins" was put on
Mrs Falls. the wardrobe woman Of the
Whitney, did not begin 10 get her ideas
Of what the dresses were 70 be until ten
days before the opening of the show.
From that time on there were 200 cos
tunes 10 do, Of the most fanciful and
complicated kinds, some OF them made
entirely OF narrow Tuf1es and with
boomers underneath which were also
ruffed endlessly. on some light green
silk and lawn that she used Mrs. Falls
had cut and hemmed and made 700
yards of ruffiinR- Strange shaped satin
had to be designed and oTiered, suit
able hosiery had 10 be provided, and Ia
some numbers strange shaped shoes
had 10 be planned out with the shoe
maker.
Dresses Made While You Wait.
Then there we're TWO or three elaborate
evening dresses to make for some OF
tho lesser principals. Two Of these,
which are elaborate chiffon creations.
did not have the bodice begun four
hours before the opening performance.
The sleeves were made" said Mrs.
Falls. and the skirts were nearly done,
but were not hung together. An hour
before the first act the puffs were be-
ing draped about the top OF the bodice
10 one of the gowns and the eeves
were fastened in A half hour before
went on the velvet applique figures
had only just been started 10 her
gown
BESIDES this. bought gowns ready
made where "a white lingerie gown OF
something Of that kind was needed
said Mrs Falls "and the nurses COS
lines were also produced at tho
Mrs.. Falls did not eat regular meals
during these ten days. bUt took what
a Hf u
sent In TO her.
Before The Honeymoon Trail was
put on at tho Ia Sale a first production
was made In Milwaukee. The costumes
were made outside and sent in Friday
morning while the snow opeped sun
day night. Then began the wiring for
electricity in the transparency number,
-Four hundred and eighty feet OF wire
had 90 be seWud into each girls cos
tune and then covered with cloth that
acts in the place Of conduits.
Forty-eight Hours Work
Mrs. Buerger. the wardrobe woman,
got two helpers. and the three OF them
never stopped the forty-eight hours he
tween this and the opening OF The play.
In addition to sewing the wire in, II
had 20 be stretched on model so that
there would be no bulging TO show under
the lace and. as there was no model
handy. this same little wardrobe woman
stood through one entire night while
her helpers sewed the wire in according
70 her directions.
I'VE could not get competent help as
quickly IN Milwaukee as I could have
done in Chicago" she said
Wouldn't ordinary dressmaking be
easier2' she was asked
Yes I never have seen C. dress
makers shop that compared TO this for
stTenuOusness, but there IS something in
the excitement OF working behind the
scenes that when one once begins II
they can't get away from H."
One Of the Jobs of the wardrobe wom-
an at this theater is the replenishing
Of the feathers on the chicken girls.
They are constantly losing their feath-
ers, which are sewed 10 wings Of crinO-
line. A weekly trip TO the west side TO
replenish the feathers, which she gets
from a feather buster factory, is part
Of Mrs. BuergeT's work since this show
has been put on