Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-09-30
gadies' Column.
ECONOMY In DRESS.
SENSIBLE HINTS.

feople OF refinement and culture nave |
needs which have never occurred to the |
poor. When it becomes necessary in
times like these to practice more rigid |
economy, the father knows not where to
begin to- curtail. It is then that the
daughters can prove their devotion by
making fewer demands on the depleted
pocket-book. One can dress tastefully
yet simply. The shop girl who works
early and late for her weekly wages ex-
ponds all, not needed for board, on her
dress. Expen sive silks, snowy jewelry,
| high priced gloves and boots. and every
novelty and change in fashion. sweep
away her hard earnings, and leave her,
when broken down in health, dependent
upon charity for shelter and care.
This is true of the class, although
of course there are many noble excep-
tions, such as girls denying themselves
every useless luxury that they may aid
in the support of aged relatives or young
brothers and sisters. We are not writ
ing for those, on the other hand, who
enjoy, and can afford, their velvets and
satins, camel's hair and seal skin, dia-
monds and rubies; although we will say
in passing that in. England it is not con-
sIuereu good taste to display rich Train
ed silks and costly jewels on the street,
or in church. But our nice, educated
girls, why will they not dress in simple
materials. prettily made ? Why wear
such elaborate toilets, and have so many
different ones every season? The wife
of one of our generals had her winter
suit made at the beginning of the season
and wore it everywhere until its close,
for best and common, and she always
looked a perfect lady, we'll dressed.
There are many who, like Dickens
'cherub," cannot afford whole new suit
each year; but with new hat one year
new coat another, and dress another,
still contrive to look genteel and pretty.
We overheard a conversation between
two teachers, in which one said she
could not dress on less than five hum
dred year. Well, replied the other l
never exceed sixty dollars for my dress.
q We listened in amazement, for the lat
ter speaker was far more tastefully
, dressed than the former. We should
3 have said that she expended the five
+ hundred. There is knack in making
{ up dress, in giving it tasteful look,
b in selecting trimmings to match or con-
4 trast we'll, and in inventing something
q pretty that is more effective than more
costly adornment.
4 In these days all can learn to make
q their own dresses, by the aid of books
patterns and sewing machines, and this
alone will save more than the cost o.
the material. The present style of dress
e admits of endless combinations and va
l. rieties. Let us call in the same tast,
q that once embroidered or planted, tt
e make these selections truly artistic ant
q effective. One can always look prett.
e and "stylish." which is really more de
q sirable than just to represent an enor
T. nous sum of money. Last years sill
d and merino, carefully sponged, pressed
IN and turned, will make thorough hand
y some suit for this year; and, whateve
u the fashion suit is always genteel.
g When you purchase new thing
treat it carefully; keep boxes for you
N flowers, feathers, and velvets. Differ
'. emily combined and arranged, they Civ
[e you something new at small cost. L
Is another seven years, as the old sayin
ar is, your nice fringes and trimmings Wi
Y. be in style again. 1t is this care 9
nr everything that enables one to dress s
ot much better than another on the sam
" sum. One will fish in new pair {
in gloves-a fact; another, much bette
10 able to do so. will keep common pail
n. for common uses. and the fresh for cal
III or church.
,d One throws her black thread lace int
the ragbag, and old things worn sewers
weeks. Another washes hers in ammoni
w presses and lays it away for retrimminl
nd At the end of three months one finds h,
n delicate cashmere ruined by spots. Al
I'd other, after wearing hers three season
mt finds it without spot or tear. and max
he it over into wrapper.
lty But, after all, it is hard for tho
'pt girls who practice economy from primo
lr- pie to find themselves overshadowed
Ill others who make reckless dlspla
:, Young men who declare they cam
-, 80 afford to marry, because girls are so e
lie travagant, almost invariably select Il
most showily dressed girls at part,
and girls see and know this.-Cong,
the gatsonalSst.
%" THINGS WORTH KNOWING.