The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-01-20
Economy in Dress.

files "who toll not" and who need only
wish in order to have, leave the burd en-
of planning as well as execution to their
dressmaker; it is the woman who must
maintain decent appearance on asmall
allowance, and by taste and ingenuity
make one dollar do the work of five. who
gives her whole mind to the subject. She
lit is who studies the shrrs and plaitings
of her neighbours costume from Worth
over the edge of her prayer-book, while
apparently absorbed in her prayers, and
lies awake in the small hours contriyino
how to make over her old silk, SO that il
shall pass muster among the stylish new
toilets of her weather. friends.
Fortunately taste and ingenuity can do
great deal, but even they must have
woman who dresses, not handsomely,
that is impossible, butweH on asmall al
lowance, must be a genius in her way.
She must make her own dresses with, at
most, the occasional aid of dressmaker
at two dollars day; must do her own
embroideries, trim her own bonnets, have
an artists eye for color, and French
woman's knack at picturesque combina-
tons, 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 trifliug, must be nude with
reference to future as to the present use.
Her best dress for this winter, for in
stance, must be such that it will make
overadvantageously next year for second
best, and the year after do for Afternoon
wear at home. Suspicious cobrs, how
ever tempting, unless indeed they be
wonderfully becoming, must be avoided
if she would not be known byher 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 hispoverty,"
and there is such a thing as being too
poor to be economical paradozical as the
statement may seem; that is, one may be
| forced to buy an inferior article for lack
of the money necessary to purchase a
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 a variety of light and airy
toilets are to be preferred to one rich
| dress. ... .........
Real lace is an investment, and with
care will last lifetime. Take a real
1 Spanish fichu for example; with little
ingenuity it is scarf, mantle for out
door wear, q tichu for evening dress, or,
arranged over silk bonnet with spray
of flowers, an elegant evening bonnet.
Handsome lace never goes out of fash
ion, and when worn can always be rem
ovated. Ga the other hand, money spent
| for cheap cotton limitations is worse than
thrown await spoils any toilet, for no
lady with any pretentions to taste ever
wears cheap finery. A narrow linen
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. It'll good
plan to buy cheap Charletane ruches and
basic them inside the crepe lisse. low
enough down not to show. Thus placed
they protect the crepe lisse from crush
ing, 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 handmade 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 a new bonnet considerably. So,
too, with handsome cut jet or fine pearl
buttons; costing more perhaps, at first,
they practically last forever, and NAV
be used again and again. while passa-
menterie and silk buttons seldom wear
as long as the dress for which they were
originally bought.
The question OF gloves is q difficult
one for the practical economist in dress.
To be well gloved is absolutely necessary
to a good appearance, aud even with the
greatest care kid gloves soon grow shah
by. Cheap gloves are apt to prove a
snare and delusion, and when these are
used it is well to find some place where
they keepa make which is to he relied
upon. and buy always at that one place.
1t is clever eXpedient to take the long
tops of gloves, the fingers of which are
past wearing, and match them in two or
three-button gloves, which, being out of
fashion. may be bought very cheap,
and to which the tops may easily be
sewed. the join being hidden under a
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
of. When purchasing pair of gloves
match the color in q tive-cent spool of
fine sewing 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. A glove manu-
facturer recently writes to the Lon
don Queen, apropos of complaints that
kid gloves do not wear so well as for
merly, that: "The first cause in the
tearing of gloves will be found in the
fact of their being worn so very tight.
A few years back 81 was the smallest
size made and we went from that size to
81, the majority sold being u and u;
and then, be it remembered, we sold
only one two-buttoned gloves made
from kid-skins, and the general prices