The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-09-28
DRESSING ON ss5 A YEAR.
What an Economical Woman OF Good Taste
Can Do,

oaOA ACoue Is an Unknown QuantI-
ty," said Madeline. a.
Jack is an artist and her husband.
II ne happens on brisk pot-boiler or
Two ne may earn $1,000 year, sometimes
little more; oftener not SO much. But
JACK depends on seeing me always we'll
goWned.. l try to please him on SS5 a
year. ~
"The smallest sum on which I have
ever clothed myself for twelve months
was S43; the most / ever spent was $50.
one winter when the sale of Jacks best
picture tempted me to fling S7S into q
velvet robe"
"Tell me how you buy so much with so
little,' for Madeline could not be i'm
agined in shabby garb.
II don't buy much, but plan my cam
palgns. If you really care to know, sup
pose you figure with me what l mean to
get for this fall. Here is piece of nv
next gown" and out of ribbon tied
work basket came bit of camers hair,
which was laid upon my knee. It was a
very genuine piece of fabric, soft, silky,
OF rich brown, but so covered with the
long, cobwebby hairs as to get sheeny,
silvery hue.
This will cost me pretty penny by
the yard, but it is fifty four inches wide
and SO will buy all l shall need for the
gown l have in mind. / shall spend
S1.5O more for a little brown surah OF
some soft effect in brown and green to
make vest for the bodice, and possibly,
puffs from elbow to wrist on the sleeves
The vest will save buttons and let in 81
more for some wide braid passementerle
about the neck. shall pay S1.75 for a
dressmaker to come to me for day to
fit and drape the skirt, putting it into
shape for me to finish. She shall give
me the longest and simplest lines of
drapery she can devise. Jack says they
are more artistic. The bodice will have
jacket fronts opening over the brown
and green vest, and, mind you, | don't
mean an ordinary plain vest, but full
loose Fedora affair. All told, my gown
will cost me $14 or thereabouts. shall
keep it for pleasant weather, wearing my
last winters wool gown when it is muddy
| or rains.
'uThen there are evenings. Jack and
see good deal of company of the un-
conventional, Bohemian kind. l shall
spend nothing for evening wear this
year, because the velvet gown | have re-
pented SO often is in good order; but one
/ winter, when funds were so low that we
ran out of potatoes l managed to be very
gay on S. worth of silk and lace, turned
into fancy bodice, to be substituted fol
| the plain one with my walking dress
Another winter l invested SO in white
cashmere and very trit1e of Chinese
| silk, and contrived myself tea gown.
| "There are always bonnets. l study
one like very carefully; then l buy a
frame of the same shape, pay Is cents to
/ the milliner to make up the ribbon bows
put on the rest of the trimming myself
spare it in the wearing by freshening last
years bonnet for marketing, and an
fixed for the season for not over So.
"Cloaks come on an average once in two
years. This is cloak year. Cloak time
is the first of January, when things are
marked down. shall pay S18 or there
| abouts for something very neat in the
raglan way, which would cost me nearer
$50 if could afford to buy at the begin.
ming of the season.
| "After January there is respite until
spring. For spring gown / shall man.
age very nicely on-well, say fine stripe
| in dark blue and white cheviot, fine, silky
goods, with dark blue surah. or whatever
| may be going for garniture. With one
days service from dressmaker it will
| cost me about $12.
SIT is safe to put spring bonnet at So
and two hats, one soft blue hat with nc
trimmings but cord, for roughing it.
and the other a coarse, wide-brimmed
straw, with null or ribbon trimmings, at
70 cents and 81 respectively, making
$4.75 in all. Then more gowns. lam
living this summer in q wood challis-
white ground with tiny flower sprays
lace trimmed, which made myself, and
which is the prettiest of thin afternoon
apparel, though the bill was only So.
Last year i had an old lavender silk skirt
which draped with a dotted lace net in
white at cost about the same. With
chambrays and Scotch ginghams at %
cents yard two more fresh gowns came
to another S. bill.'
T "How about spring jacket or wrap"
"That never comes in cloak year.
Wrap one year, cloak the next. Look
out for good material, and turn and turn
about is easy, as well as fair play. It is
the incidentals which have to be looked
after most closely, Little things count
up SO fast. l wear two pairs of No. 2
boots in year-cost, SO; slippers, S1.50;
rubbers, 81. spend So for two pairs of
kid gloves and 80 cents for pair of silk
gloves in summer. Somebody always
knits silk mittens for me in cold
weather. l spend an average of $40 a
year for stockings, fannels, renewing un-
derwear, etc. Such things don't all wear
out at once. Of course, there are rib
bons, but take them and an occasional
pretty thing in ruching out of my car
fare. If you walk you are so much the
healthier, and the pennies saved will
make you very fine. Count now and see
if l have kept within my estimate''
Winter dress. $14 90
Winter bonnet. 3 90
Il. L. NJ