Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-08
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press.
1t is mistake to suppose that the women
who spend most on dress are those who think
most of it. The human lilies sswho toll not, "
and who need only wish In order to have, leave
the burden Of planning as well as execution to
their dressmaker; it is the woman who must
maintain decent appearance on a small allow
ance, and by taste and ingenuity make one dol
lar do the work Of five, who gives her whole
mind to the subject. She it is who studies the
shirrs and pleatings of her neighbours costume
from Worth, over the edge of her prayer book,
while apparently absorbed in her prayers, and
lies awake into the small hours con irving how
to make over her old silk SO that it shall pass
muster among the stylish new toilets of her
Weather friends.
Fortunately taste and Ingenuity can do a
great deal. but even they must have some ma
terial wherewith to work. The woman who
dresses, not handsomely, that is impossible, but
well on a small allowance, must be genius in
her way. She must make her own dresses with
at most. the occasional aid of a dressmaker at
50 day; must do her own embrOideries trim
her own bonnets, have an artists eye for color,
and French woman's knaek at picturesque
combinations; In short, she must be able to
make the most Of all she has, however little it
may be.
In the first place every purchase, no matter
how trifiing, must be made with reference to
future as well as present use Her best dress
for this winter, for instance, must be such that
1t will make over advantageOusly next year for
second best, and the year after do for afternoon
wear at home. Conspicuous cOlors, however
tempting, unless indeed they be wonderfully
known by her dress. Black and neutral shades
are her safest choice, and the material should
be as good as she can possibly afford. "The
destruction of the poor is his poverty" and
there is such thing as being too poor to be
economical, paradOxical as the statement may
seem; that Is, one may be forced to buy an
inferior article for lack of the money necessary
to purchase good one. Still it is far better to
have but one suit season and have that hand
some than to buy half dozen cheap suits with
the same money, unless indeed, in summer,
when variety OF light and airy toilets are to be
preferred to one rich dress.
ADVANTAGES OF REAL LACE.
Real lace is an investment, and with care will
last lifetime. Take real Spanish flchu for
example,: with little ingenuity it is q scarf, a
mantle for outdoor wear, f1chu for evening
dress, or. arranged over a siIk-cOvered bonnet
frame with spray of flowers, an elegant eve
ming bonnet. Handsome lace never goes out
OF fashion, and when worn can always be reno
waited. On the other hand, money spent for
cheap cotton limitations is worse than thrown
away-lt spells any toilet, for no lady with any
pretentiOns to taste ever wears cheap finery. A
narrow linen collar is always In better taste than
cotton lace, while crepe lisse ruching calling for
no great outlay at the moment. is appropriate
with the richest dress. Crepe lisse, though is
expensive. because so often requiring renewal.
so that real lace in spite of the first cost is much
more economical in the long run. 1t is good
plan to buy cheap tarletane ruches and basic
them inside the crepe lisse, low enough down
not to show. Thus placed they protect
the crepe lisse from crushing. as well as from
becoming soiled by contact with the skin. What
has been said about imitation cotton laces in
no wise applies to pretty machine-made thread
laceS which have of late years become the refuge
OF those who have refined tastes but cannot
afford to indulge them. Ostrich feathers. also,
may be counted as an investment, since they are
always in fashion, and when on hand reduce the
cost of new bonnet considerably So, too. with
handsome cut jet or fine pearl buttons; costing
more perhaps, at first, they practically last for
ever and may be used again and again, while
passamenterie and silk buttons seldom wear as
long as the dress for which they were originally
bought.
INGENUITY IN GLOVES.
The question Of gloves Is q difficult one for
the practical economist in dress. To be we'll
gloved is absolutely necessary to a good appear
ance, and even with the greatest care kid gloves
prove snare and delusion. and when these are
used it Is well to find some place where they
keep make which is to be relied upon, and buy
always at that one place. 1t is clever expe-
dent to take the long tops OF gloves the fingers
of which are past wearing, and match them in
TWO or three-DuttOn gloves, which, being out Of
fashion, may be bought very cheap, and to which
the tops may easily be sewed the Join being hid
den under bracelet when the gloves are worn
In taking off gloves they should never be
pulled by the ends of the fingers. Instead, turn
the top of the glove down over the hand and
take hold OF the fingers through the kid. By
this means the fingers will not be rubbed In
taking OFF, When purchasing pair of gloves
match the color In a fve-cent spool of fine sew
ing silk, and mend each tiny rip as it appears
"a stitch in time saves nine" here as elsewhere
If the glove tears the edges of the rent should
be closely button hOled stitched, and then but
tOn-holed together. A glove manufacturer re-
Gently writes to the London Queen, apropos of
complaints made that kid gloves do not wear so
well as formerly, that:
''The first cause i'm the tearing of gloves will
be found In the fact OF their being worn go very
tight. few years back 81 was the smallest
size made and we went from that size to 81. the
majority sold being z and ~ and then. be it
remembered, we sold only one twO-buttoned
gloves made from kid skins. and the general
prices paid were IS. Cd. and IS. Cd. per pair.
Now all this Is changed in the present day. In
place of sizes ranging from 61s to So. come So
to 6a; and instead of wearing gloves cut from
sound tough Kid, with one and two buttons,
the Giants de Suede, cut from tender lamb
skin, with six, eight, and ten buttons. are worn
and, what is worse still, some gloves have no
buttons. These latter are called ''Mousque-
taires," and are difficult to put on; the wearers,
not exercising the patience required. begin to
pull Them and. the gloves being cut from lamb
skins. they tear them. In order to prevent so
many accidents In the pulling on Of gloves, let
the following directions be observed. 1T urn
the glove down beyond the button. and let the
fingers work on thoroughly to the ends. also
the thumb. then turn the glove over and adjust
gently into place, but avoid pulling it." If the
gloves We're laid in damp towel for three or
four minutes previously to pulling on, they
would draw on much more easily. and seldom
or ever tear"
The fashion Of combination costumes is a
tower OF strength to her who must do much
with small means, since 1t allows her always to
utilize any scraps which she may have on hand
Then, too, the fashion of framing the front
breadth Of skirt gives great scope to the en-
ployment OF an incOnsiderable quantity of hand
some material. and many ''short lengths of
rich brocade, velvet or satin may be most ad-
vantageously used in this manner. The bodice
Is often OF the same material as the panels, but
where this cannot be accomplished a portion
can be introduced as trimmings, such as reyers.
PlastrOns or pelerne and cuffs The Jacket.
different from the skirt, Is another economical
style. but THIS has been referred to in former
articles Its latest and most inexpensive form
Is the Jacket OF briglt-colored cashmere cut to
liGlIate Jersey, aud untrimmed excent for tho