Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-05-23
A TALK ON DRESS.
Why 1t Does Not Pay to Buy Goods
Because They Arc Cheap.

Why 1t Does Not Pay to Buy Goods Jus
Because They Are Cheap.
In the first place, always buy the
best of every thing. 1t costs more il
the first place. of course, but is cheap
er in the end. Let me prove it t.
you. We will say you wish to buy an
ordinary wooden dress. You see two
pieces of cloth, one a twilled flannel
at fifty cents, and the other soft
cashmere at eighty cents You say
you can not afford the latter price. so
you buy eight yards of flannel. paying
five dollars for having it made up, the
total cost being nine dollars. After
wearing it a month or so you find that
it knots up in ugly little rolls. catch
ing every particle of dust and lint, and
the more you brush it the rougher it
gets. After awhile, however, these
little knots wear away, and leave a
thin. coarse, sleazy foundation, which
soon gives out at the elbows and
seams In four months your dress is
fit for nothing but the rag bag, and you
are obliged to get another. paying
another five dollars for having it made
up. Thus your dresses alone in four
months have cost you eighteen dol
lars On the contrary, the cashmere,
which would cost total of eleven dol
lars and forty cents in the first place,
would, with reasonable care, last you
fully year, shedding dust and dirt
like a silk, and always looking bright
and fresh. And when no longer fit
for you it would make over into nice
little play dress for your six-year-old.
Do you not agree with me now that
the best is the cheapest? have seen
women going around in dingy. faded
dresses, apologizing for their appear
ance by saying: my dress is just a
cheap thing, you know. part cotton.
and it has faded dreadfully; but l
couldn't afford any thing better" l
tell you that you can not afford to buy
any thing which is cheap! You will
surely lose in the end. and will be-
obliged to wear faded and shabby
clothes in the meantime.
In the second place. dress plainly.
It is for the wealthy to wear trim
mings and jet and beads and gimp and
fandangoes. These are all very beau
tiful and becoming when one can af-
ford to buy the best; but to copy them,
as you must, in cheaper goods and
materials. they are worse than poth-
ing. Because you admire a set of Rus
sian sable, worn by a daughter of Cre-
sus, as she rolls by in her carriage.
don't spend your precious ten dollars
in initiating it in monkey skin. 1t de-
ceives no one. and only makes you
ridiculous. A bit of real sealskin
around your neck, or soft. velvety OF
ter, would be far prettier. A long
time ago went to buy muff and the
salesman persuaded me into taking a
black fox skin at dollar, assuring
me that mo one could tell it from the
genuine lynx" The idea of having a
muff which every one would think
was lynx pleased by my girlish van
ity i was younger then, dear sisters).
and bought it l had carried it just
six weeks when the fur began to come
out, and l soon found that my precious
'lynx muff was slowly growing bald!
I could not afford another; so, in
despair, 1 bought a bit of black
astrachan for forty cents Git only re-
quired a quarter of a yard), made q
little cover, and slipped my poor muff
inside. A coquettish little knot of
cherry-colored ribbon. peeping out
from one of the holes, kept it from be-
ing too somber. and in this way have
carried it for two winters. and am BE-
ginning to fear that am doomed to
carry it yet a third. as it is just as
good rs ever. l learned a lesson,
however. which shall never forget
tina, it is far wiser and more satisfac-
tory to buy a more modest material,
and have it the best of its
kind, than to spend the same
amount of money on cheap
Imitation of something that is
tar beyond our reach. Let alone cheap
things Of all kinds! A tawdry bit of
gilt lace or tinsel never improves a
dress. but rather stamps the wearer as
shabby-genteeL A plain. dark dress,
neatly made and fitted, and finished
simply by dainty white ruf1le at
neck and wrists. looks far more lady
like than one decked out with cheap
ornamention. ifthis seems too severe
" plain and somber to suit your
fancy. twenty-five cents invested in
some becoming ribbon. to give you
touch of brightness. will not be spent
Amise. But before I leave this SUBJ
ject ! will merely remind you that
the world of fashion is beginning to
realize the beauty of simplicity, and
some OF the most elegant and expen-
save dresses worn by the bellies of
Fifth avenue are the tailor-made
gowns. almost Quakerish in their
platnness. worn with linen collar and
NSpRS MiMnoopo1s.