Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-10
What Shall l Buy +?

WHEN the care Of providing your own
wardrobe falls upon you. as 1t nust sooner
or later, IL Will require much head work
to bring out matters even. The art Of
spending money well can no more >" come
to you" than the art Of telegraphing
could. You must think we'll over it, and
study hard the details.
"Oh, what a trouble it il not to have
abundant MEANS" sigh most who are
compelled to calculate and trim down
their expenses. But that is not the diff
Guilty. Many with thousands to command
are just as perplexed and harassed as you.
They have only raised their real and fan
cied wants few grades higher in the
scale. There has been just - much CON-
fort got out Of the judicious expenditure
Of ten dollars as many receive from the
investment of a thousand. Prudence in
the use Of money is the magic that makes
1t source of enjoyment to US.
A lady Of fashion, who was much liked
in the gay circles Of Paris, fell by her ex-
travagance into the greatest want and
suffering, even for food. Her old-time
associates, taking pity upon her, raised
O very handsome sum to relieve her ne
out Immediately and invested the most Of
it in the purchase Of shell cap then in
fashion!
We want to lay down some principles
about our dress which will guide US in
the perplexing business. In the first
place great deal is expended by in
experienced shoppers in trimmings, which
add very little to the handsome appear
ance of dress, and yet consume money
voraciously. have known young lady
to pay two dollars for q few yards Of bugle
trimming, when two dresses comprised
her whole stock in that line, both OF them
calico. The two dollars, as prices were
then, would have bought her two neat
calico dresses. The trimming which was
to 20 on pointed black silk belt then in
fashion, lay for months unused. Another
dollar from her hard earnings went for
ribbon to make head dress, which she
would seldom wear after 1t was done. A
young domestic of mine, destitute when
she came to me of almost everything,
spent her first weeks earnings in some
sham jewelry. The earrings poisoned
one ear 30 badly that 1t was not healed
fox five months.
Let young lady provide herself first
with good shoes and overshoes, neat hat
and pretty coat, lined and wadded in very
cold weather, and taken out in warmer
spring days, If she can afford but one
coat, and two, at least, good street dresses.
A fresh, bright looking delaine is always
prettier than shabby, sOiled p0plin or
slazy silk. The latter Is only at for lin
ings; no person of taste will ever make It
into dfess, when 90 many nice fabrics,
80 much cheaper and more beautiful,
abound in our shops. Make sure Of the
dress, hat, coat and shoes first, and then
look over your money and zee what Ii left
for trimmings. In no case buy the trim
mings first. Your dresses can be made TO
look very handsome without . particle
except what you can make of the scraps
left In cutting them. Almost every young
lady Of prudence and forethought can find
among her rolls pieces that viii answer
for sleeve Innings, and often for facing9s
while very prudent, saving girls will
neatly rip apart, wash and roll up all good
fitting Innings Of worn.out dressea But
never bad fling lining 1t is discomfort
enough to wear out one dress made over It.
Do not be too proud Or too lazy to piece Q
lining where little labor Of that kind
will save you dime. With ell your skill
you will scarcely equal the economy Of
the beautiful French Lady, who would
look with amazement at what to her would
seem our vulgar American wastefulness.
Never fancy that waste il genteeL 1t 10
quite the reverse, and IL considered by the
well-br to indicate very low origin.
Calculate your money carefully, with 9
pencil and paper, before you spend It It
will be great help TO you, and viii ave
You from the classification Of finding
that. that ~ ~ !, gone and you shave nothing to
asver.l nic.lv u,ada calico d,esaes ona