New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-03
KITTY MACKAY'S GOWNS
Mrs. Herman Tells of Cos
tunes of Fifty Years Ago.


have?"
This is a question that every play OF
a period" revives-and never answers.
Mrs. A. II. Herman, general in COM
mand of a needle brigade of twelve deft
women, who are building four complete
outfits for William Eliott's quartet Of
next season Kitty MacKays.' does not
undertake to reply in exact terms. but
she at least sheds a pleasant illumina-
ton into that mystery-land of our pres
ent-day, much begowned young woman.
Grandmother was the immortal wom-
an" says Mrs. Herman. in that she
had as many gowns as possible-but
great many reasons made it impossible
for her TO have so very many
Fifty years ago the completion OF
fine gown was an event-now' it's JUST a
moment i'm the sum total of the feminine
days work.
"The whole fundamental principle of
dressmaklng has changed since those
days. Then a costume was MADE not
only for beauty, but for endurance
Mothers still pass down their wedding
cowns-a sort of Grail OF Romance-out
then mothers bequeathed other dresses
moro practical, TO their daughters or
niaces for the immemorial making over
Nowadays she who keeps her clothes is
lost. The mode of December is aoso-
Iu,ely archaic in May. Archaic not on'y
in point Of season. but in constructive
and ornamental style.
The modistes and the designers VINO
nead something TO do are not solely re-
r,bo dfcaDOeqrapCa of class
distinctions has been more real in clothes
than anything else. 1t has resulted III
q cbeapening OF fabrics-so that the rest
less ambition OF the shopgirl 10 look hhe
the wife of captain OF Industry has AT
last for the first time In the worlo
history. come near to satisfaction. Inc
Joke. in q way. IS on the wife OF the
can,ain of industry. for with the world
WIDE production OF cheap textiles she
can't tell whether she's getting reality or
an imitation for her large money.
..The question Of duplicating the rich
Aid cloths OF Atty or seventy-hve years
seo IL almost beyond any satisfactory
eo,ut,on. Great ladies Of the past had a
few wonderful gowns; aud some Of these
Gowns taken from camphor trunks TO-
dev. are startling in tho solidity and In
tegrity OF their fabrics.
srbs real.Mfe woman is not greatly
no,bered by the durability OF her clothes
hecause she doesn't wish them 10 endure
Tho costumer who essays the stately cos
,,,oes Of the mid-Victorian period mas
that abe can make gowns which AT hrSl
hlush look Nke procession at tho oiu
C,rystal Palace: bur how will they ssano
90 20 tina arduous paclGngs ana trsNe-
urr. O. a whole theatrical season.
.arns question OF establishing theAt1cal
,oo1.s Tor the manufacture or genuine
TEXTILES In the more expensive pnt reS':y
-, o,d.tash,oned way. has Seen consid-
80 nv the costumers o. Now YORK. ana
nav como to paas during tho nsxt year
..rn. opneraerai nature OF woman :
49, n. tbs presen. day or Course owes
,,,,an 20 ne erage. T,:ry years ago inc
49, ACTRESSES rpodestly followed the po-
20. rooae., as deorced ~ the sooe:est Oh
-,,<1.,oA No-vadays actrcssos-cspe'ialIy
80. q. Psr,--yfe with each ether IN
L..sr~ q coangs Oh women's wearing ap-
,.rd an6 the woman .: histrionio note Is
$500 a noor claimant TO fashion IL she
49,, potrf to a. least enc noVeity-eeh-
s-H,ly useless, often outre and only ooca-
s,onauy on, OF common sense-wh'ch she
hxrvsif has invented. or adapted from
,o.ae less famous persons INVENTION
nerhsus from tho suggestions OF her num-
h.. and spaos busting press agent
Mr.. Elliott is importing many or nc
fabrics used In his corning proouccon OF
KITTY MscKay' from Paris and LONDON
rha costumo plates have been comp,eteiy
gone over. with the result that some
microscopic chanaes-towarc a9soiu'e
oorrsctness--will be made In the woinen :
HnSnsnts az now worn. Inc seeohd ECU U
Kitty MacISAy' laid in fashionable Lon
don horns In tho '0os. must DO model OF
psrfset fashion a. decresd BY tho Psau'n
Of sbst DAY.