“Doing” the Dressmaker.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue XIV, 1 October 1904, Page 62

“Doing” the Dressmaker.

BY A DRESSMAKER WHO HAS BEEN “DONE.” To make a decent living at dressmaking a woman requires to be exceedingly sharp, and on the watch continuallyfor those who would swindle her out of her hard-earned profit, says a dressmaker who has worked up a first-rate connection in town. I say nothing of the long credit we have to give our customers: this is too well known to need notice. But it is not, perhaps, equally well known that we are rarely paid any big bill in full—usually so much is sent on account; and the remainder runs on to swell another big total—extra big this time, for the fragment of even a part of a bill is usually the sequel for a customer starting with a fresh rig-out, without a thought of the items that still remain against her. There are other ways in which a dressmaker may be defrauded. There is the casual customer, who, on the strength of a most occasional order, comes very often to see what we have to show her. Assistants parade before her the latest creations, hoping that one or other of these may tempt her to purchase. But that is not at all her idea. She merely wants to borrow ideas and have them carried out by “a little dressmaker” in the suburbs. In some cases she ean sketch, and makes a surreptitious drawing on catalogue or fly-leaf of library' books, or anything handy, to refresh her memory. In some instances she is accompanied by her maid, whose chief recommendation is that she ean piek up ideas so quickly and reproduce them admirably —a recommendation in her mistress’ eyes, but, needless to say, not in those of the dressmaker.

Some time ago a well-known dressmaker made an exceedingly pretty gown for a customer to wear at a race-meet-ing. In an evil moment she showed it to a “casual,” and in a still more evil moment left her with the frock while she was called away to attend to a pressing summons. Arrived at the racemeeting, the lady was amazed to meet another in a gown the facsimile of her own. It had been sketched and copied by the casual! Tiie episode cost the dressmaker a good customer, but perchance the lesson was undoubtedly cheap—it taught her the danger of such visitors to hex- showroom. There is also a class of lady journalists to be guarded against. If these ladies would give the source of their information, and tell where they had seen the new ideas they describe, all would be well; but they take all and give nothing, sowing broadcast among the public the brilliant ideas that are our stock-in-trade. Another danger to the unwary comes through having the charge of valuable lace or jewels belonging to customers. Laee in particular forms the vehicle for not a little swindling, and sometimes claims for laee which she has never had in her possession are brought against the dressmaker. Many dressmakers never accept the charge of any laee, be it valuable or otherwise, unless its length and description is fully given in a book kept for that purpose, the description being signed by the customer. Another way of doing the modiste is in the cause of charity. It is quite a usual thing to be asked to “dress” some amateur play or tableau, got up to benefit an hospital or benevolent society, at very much below cost price, or even for nothing, because of the advertisement it gives. But this kind of thing never pays, and is only done to oblige a customer with whom it is to y our advantage to keep in. Patterns and bits of silk and other material are the tribute levied by many.

Lt is a small matter, you say. So it is iu itself. It is the multiplication of such demands against which I complain. Some modistes do a very paying trade in money-lending, the loans with which they accommodate their clients appearing, perchance, in the guise of garments in°the bill rendered to their husbands, or else being a separate and secret transaction. This pays well, taking loss with gain, for a woman hard up enougli to borrow from her dressmaker will pay, or undertake to pay, any amount per cent. Another source of danger is from within. Most of the French employees and some English come with the sole idea of getting a connection —of becoming so known to one’s customers that scores of them would follow to the businesses they mean to establish for themselves, induced to this change by the cheaper terms offered. This is a distinct difficulty, one which one can only try to circumvent by means of agreements with chief hands, by con stant personal attendance on the majority of customers, and by frequent changing of any employees deemed dangerous this way. This necessitates a con stant watchfulness, and is in itself a great strain, over and above the worries that are the rule in any business house. Small wonder is it that a dressmaker wishes to make hay while the sun shines for her. and strives her utmost to escape being “done” in the many ways open to the unscrupulous.