The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-23
EVENING CHAT
BY RUTH CAMERON.

1 haven't forgotten that this column
is to be occasionally dedicated to tell
ing something about unique occupa-
lions for women. I'm simply waiting
for some of you people to tell me IF
unusual occupations of which you
know.
In the meantime 1 have a suggestion
along that line to make.
1t isn't anything that anyone know
of ever did.
It's just something that think could
be done.
Why couldn't some woman with an eye
for clothes and fashions and some ar
tistic sense start "sartorial bureau
don't believe one woman in ten gets
anywhere near the possible value out
of the money she puts into her clothes.
BY possible value" 1 mean the full
style and wearing qualities that could
be gotten out of that money by some
one who really understood the art of
clothes.
The business of this "sartorial bu-
reau" would be to supply such women
advice, and when desired, actual over
sight in clothes buying.
Perhaps an illustration will make my
meaning palmer.
Miss H. is a stenographer who has a
very good salary and who spends about
$500 a year upon her clothes. That
ought to purchase her a. pretty ward
robe but she is a woman without that
sort of sixth sense which some women
have-the clothes sense-and she does
not have time to study up styles and
lines and colors and materials, and
consequently she never seems to get
just the right" things, and is seldom
as well dressed as Miss L. who has
about half as much money to spend
but much more time and taste
So Miss H. goes to the sartorial bu-
reau. She goes at the beginning of the
season and announces that she has $3.50
to spend on her winter wardrobe.
Now the sartorial bureau, according
to my idea of it in it's completeness,
consists of a good executive head with
a staff of women, some of whom have
artistic ability, some of whom are par
ticularly we'll versed in styles, and two
or three who thoroughly understand
materials and the art of shopping.
Miss H. is received by the executive
head who plans the spending of the
money in a general way. She is then
handed over to the artistic woman who
tells her what colors and lines she
should use, and finally consults with
the authority in styles who goes over
fashion books with her and suggests
becoming styles.
For all this advice she pays a por-
ton of the amount to be spent, say
about per cent.
If after this she desires the service
of a shopper these are supplied at SO
much an hour.
Perhaps her whole bill from the bu-
reau is seven dollars and at this ex-
pense she makes sure of a winters
wardrobe infinitely more stylish, more
becoming, and more thoroughly right
than she has ever had before.
OF course realize that such staff
could not be maintained until a large
business had been built up, but thint
the business could be started by wo.
man who had taste and q good amount
of that sixth sense, and who combined
To a certain extent all the necessary
capabilities.
of course the larger part of her Gus
toners would be women who had
good deal more money to spend thar
Miss H, but 1 cited her case more t
show the value of such a bureau t
women of even moderate means
Is it such an impossible scheme?
wonder.