Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19
Economy In Dress.


dress that is so peculiar as to be striking.
either from its briiancy of color or any other
cause, should be adopted only By a woman who
has many changes Of raiment, and so NAV wear
it only occasionally, or the sight of it becomes
bore, even if ct first it is interesting from its
novelty. The woman who has many dresses
can afford also to give it away or convert it to
some other use before it is worn, while the un-
obtrusive dress easily lends itself to some differ
ent adjustment, which gives it an entirely new
aspect.
woman who has but one best gown can
| ''wear it with difference" like the rue Ophe-
liza offers to her brother, so as to make it suita-
bic to many occasions, especially If she have
two waists or ''bodies." as the English call
them. One skirt will easily outlast two waists,
and therefore this is a real saving. But sup
pose that there be but one waist, or the dress
be made all in one piece Cthan which there is no
prettier fashion), and it should be worn one
day high in the neck, with collar and cuffs on
| another day with the neck turned in. and a
lace or muslin fehu gracefully adjusted with
bows or flowers, and bit of lace at the wrists
| a pair Of long gloves, and more elaborate
dressing of the hair it will be scarcely recogni-
| Fable. But the dress must be of very general
character, like black silk, or some dark color, or
the pleasure of the new impression is lost.
The wise person with a small capital never
buys any but good and lasting thing. Each
| y
| to her wardrobe. which, treated with care, last
her many years. Thus on really small sum
she may dress very beautifully. Without
| capital one is often obliged to buy what can
| last but for few months; but there is choice
| even here.
| There is certainly great economy in a wo-
| mans adopting for occasions of ceremony one
| dress from which she never DIVORCES. It be-
comes her characteristic and there is even a
| kind of style and beauty in the idea The
n md rfoI
| without affecting her, She is never induced to
buy anything because it is new. She is ALWAYS
the same The dress in this case must have
! certain simplicity. 1t costs her little thought
and little time, and when the old edition, be-
| coming worn, gives way to the new, the change
| is not perceived, nor is it noticed when the new
| in its turn becomes old.
| Such dress as this must of course lie within
| certain limits. Suppose it to be black velvet:
| it would last with care at least five or six
| years. Suppose it to be white cashmere-a
dress Of small cost: it could, with care last two
| seasons and then. cleaned. last another season
or two; and then. dyed, be turned into walk
| ing dress to last two seasons more.
Ii dress is put on with grace. its owner alone
| is aware of its defects, and it is kindness to
| the spectator if she will keep her own secret
In France, and believe also in Italy, they
have poetic fashion of dedicating for GER
tain number OF years Give. ten, or twenty
| years, according to the parents fancy) Young
they demonstrate this dedication except in the
color OF their dress, which is always, for all oc-
caslons, summer or winter, blue or white, or
white and blue mixed. This affords more va
| riety than at first thought it would seem to be
capable of, for any shade of blue may be used
There is great economy in deciding on
few becoming colors in their several SHADES and
confining ones dress to these. I. Choosing col
ors that harmonic with each other, like gray,
black, purple, blue. yellow, white, and never
buying any other colOrs. one may, in making
over garments. use one with another SO that
nothing is wasted.
1t is also important to know what point of
dress to emphasize. For instance one may ex-
pend large sum on a gown. and if the shoes
are shabby or ill made, the gloves worn, and
the bonnet lacks STYLE. the gown is entirely
thrown away. But the gown may be no longer
new; it must now be carefully brushed and well
put on, the collar and cuffs, or other neck and
wrist trimmings, must be in perfect order, the
boots well made and well BACKED even il not
new, the gloves fautless, and the bonnet neat
and stylish. The effect is Of well-dressed wo-
man; no man, and very few women. perceive
that the dress is not new one.-Mrs. 7. W.
Deecing, in Ha'pe''s Magazine for December.