The Daily Missoulian., 1912-08-07

week sent out thousands Of new idea!
that will tend to make the shop win
doWs " this country even more beau
tjfui IN the future than IN the past
AT one time the credit OF the mos
artistic shop window dressing be
t0nged 10 the French and doubtless tn,
Paris windows will always be goot
examples In the arrangement of femi
nine luxurics In the United Statel
however. the finest ingenuity of tn,
Yafikee mind has been applied to- tn,
decoration of the windows In man
ner that will serve to bring patron.
into the store and also to dcmonstrat,
the different kinds Of wares Offered
for sale there. In this way they serv,
both a utilitarian and artistic pur.
pose.
The Importance of the art Of window
dressing has been so substantial,
recognized that experts are paid high
salaries. Formerly n window dresser
was dependent entirely upon his own
ideas and had no means Of securing
training for his work except through
experience and observation. Now
there are schools for window dressing
and store decoration which teach each
branch of the work as special de-
partment. The school or college for
window dressers is distinctly an Amer
lean idea and II Is doubtful II such
an institution Of learning could he
found In any other country In the
world. II Is comparatively new. but
already students from Australia. Eng
In - 70 Ia.
large numbers and the English grad
uates are especially enthusiastic In
praise of the methods employed
Usually the assumption that window
dressing and advertising go hand In
hand Is correct and In most stores
window dressing Is considered an i'm
portant phase of advertising. Fro
quently the text of an advertisement
In the daily newspaper IL illustrated
In the store windows although there
are numerous instances where the
window dresser carries out an indi-
vidual line Of thought without regard
to the printed advertisement This
Is especially true AT the beginning of
a season or upon n holiday when the
windows may often present series of
historic scenes significant OF the event
commemorated by the holiday.
In connection with window dressing
there has sprung up nm important
trade In the supplies required. Thr
making of feminine figures IL espC-
cially important since these must
change with the prevailing mode. The
slim flat chcsted model which shows
up the narrow STYLES of the present
are distinctly different from the volup-
tuous figures of decade ago and
these last are relcgated to the junk
pile unless they possessed attractive
heads. In this case they may he used
In back grounds although the newest
figures have adjustable heads, which
the window dresser may take off at
will This IL also true regarding
arms. hands and feet. The figures
used for showing evening gowns re-
guirc beautiful waxen arms which are
exceedingly perishablc In tho glare OF
the window Therefore II IN economy
to have two sets of arms for win
dow figure. When long sleevcd
dress Is worn. plain unfinished arms
are used and the beautiful waxcn
members are carefully wrapped In soft
tissue paper until they arc again called
into service. The same is true re-
garding adjustable feet which arc
needed II short gown Is worn. but
NAV be dispensed with f the dress Is
so long In front that the iron standard
is completely hidden.
The store room of the window dresser
.f IL, nj, OF NJ
most nncanny appearance. II will
contain headless figures OF men. wo-
men. women and children of various
sizes and STYLES A heterogeneous coll
lection of arms and limbs may he In
evidence which are fitted to the fig
ures as wanted. while I'm glass ease
protected from the dust will rest
number of heads To he added to the
said bodies. Often. after u figure IL
dressed In n new shade. II will be found
that the color does not quite become
the waxen complexion. AS the new
shade Is feature of the decoration.
that will not be changed but the mod
els head will he. II the head is
blonde one. brunette will be substi
tuted. and If brunetie's head does not
quite produce the desired effect per-
haps a type between the two may he
chosen. The same figure may serve as
a support for many heads. from the
elaborately coiffured lady to her silver
haired grandmother or neat. white
capped maid Many figures OF course
are used with the head attached. hut
these are not as useful as those which
may be changed and therefore not SO
In demand among the best window
dressers. Most of these figures and
heads have been designed and some
times patented by window dresser
who saw some special need. The large
firms sometimes have factories at
tached In which figures are made after
the special designs of their head win
dow dresser.
One of the more important duties Of
the hair dresser of store, In the
establishments where such depart
ment exists, is the care OF the heads
of these lay figures. The hair of the
waxen ladies Is shampooed. marcelled
and dressed on an average of once
week throughout her life. When her
hair supply runs short. az happens
early In her existence, because hair
Is easily pulled out from its waxen
settings, false hair In the form OF
r