Page:The cutters' practical guide to the cutting of ladies' garments.djvu/9

 THE

TO CUTTING

Made by Taliors.

The object we set before us in this work, is the preparation of a Complete Instructor and guide in the production of all Ladies' Garments which may be classed as "tailor-made," not only as regards the cut, the fit and the making, but embracing also all the new, the current and the popular styles, in all their different classes and departments—an Instructor to the inexperienced, and a guide to the experienced cutter. While tailoring has been largely augmented during recent years by Ladies' Garments, this comparatively new branch is capable of very considerable further development, which can only be accomplished by cutters generally setting themselves to study and acquire the Art of Cutting and getting up Ladies' Garments—an art in most respects widely different from the production of gentlemen's garments, and which must receive special and attentive study before success can be possible. This work will supply the necessary materials in every detail for such study. Starting at the beginning, with the anatomy of the female figure, we proceed step by step till we embrace every point connected with the production of Ladies' tailor-made garments, in all their styles and varieties, so that by application and perseverance, any cutter of ordinary tact and intelligence, can, through the medium of the following pages, master this noble art, and so enable him, as cutter, to take any position in a high-class trade: or, as master, to develop his trade by the making of ladies garments, turned out with such fit, taste and style, as will be well nigh certain to ensure success.

Such, briefly, is the aim and object of this work. This must be a continuous study on the part of the cutter, for fashions change so rapidly, one style succeeds another so speedily, that unless he is on the alert, he will soon drop back into the second rate: for it is well known that ladies' make a study of dress; they not only know what is the latest style, but they also understand every application of art, and very often some of the laws of science. They will often tell you where the seams of their garments must be placed, and they know the effect certain styles of ornamentation will have on the body; and woe to the reputation of the man who leads them in the wrong direction; and although we do not wish to impute that, with all ladies, dress is the one end and object of their life, yet they study it, they read about it, they write about it, they talk about it, they think about it, they attend public institutions to look at it, they work for it, aye, and often deny themselves the common necessaries of life to procure it. We do not condemn all this: our object is rather to show the cutter who hopes to become first-class at this branch of tailoring, the necessity there is for application and study, to become acquainted with science in all its teachings, so as to apply it to his calling; to thoroughly understand the application of art in all its fine studies, so as to utilize its lessons to the adorning of the female form; to understand the phases of practical tailoring, which enables form to be introduced into what was before flat and lifeless. We might proceed almost indefinitely to show how knowledge was power in this direction, but we will take the various phases in their order, and leave the student to follow up the study of many of the subjects which we may only be able to touch lightly in dealing with them. To understand our subject thoroughly, the first subject we must deal with is

A subject deserving of far more attention from tailors than it receives. It is a study which recalls to us the laws of our Divine Creator when he fashioned our bodies. It is not necessary that our readers spend months or years acquiring the names of all the bones of the human figure: what we want them to understand is, that a bone of such a shape is in such a position, and that its movements are in certain directions; that it is surrounded by certain muscles which develop in