Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-12-11
9M.&sfl~&-As
A MATER OF DRESS.
How . Woman Can Ec Handsomely At
 tired For $500 n Year.
Especial CorrCspondcncc.l

How . Woman Can ic Handsomely At-
 tired For $500 n Year.
 Especial Currcspundcncc.l
 NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-Two metropolitan women were lunching together at a rcs- taurnnt in the shopping district recently. They had discussed their friends, their husbands, their children and now werc talking clothes.
 What do you spend a year on clothcs!" asked the coatlcSs one in Il 1imsy, ill it. ting, badly made cashmere gown of that indescribable color known as wood brown.
 Three hundred dollars" answered the one in the faultlcss fitting tailor made suit of black camcl's hair, with its natty inside vest of black and white and warm outer jacket.
 "Nonsense! You arc always better dress cd than am, and I spent over S4OO last year. Besides I never buy anything that isn't n bargain"
 That Is probably why 1t costs you so much and why you have so little to show for 1t, " remarked the other, smiling. Il never look for bargains. I consider them too expensive Besides I take excellent carc of my clothes. As they arc first class in the beginning, they last from year to year. As never buy any colors except the darkest, usually black for out of doors, 1t does not matter how long l wear them. l take my street clothes of just as soon as l go indoors and always wear old waists under jackets. Nothing makes a cloth dress look shabby so soon as wear ing 1t in the house nor takes tho new look out of n waist as crushing it inside a coat. Then always put my clothes away carefully" with compassionate glance | at her companions wrinklcd wood brown cashmere. II keep my waists folded, my skirts hung up inside out, my coats on forms, my best shoes stuffed out with tis- suc paper to keep them in shape and my I hats in boxes and not uncovered on n closet shelf"
 "Oh, but that is such Il lot of troublcr' ''Ycs, but 1t pays
 But with all your care don't sec how you can dress as you do on $500 Il year. | It costs Inc moro, and 1 never hnvc any | thing fit to wear. John always speaks of | you as one of the best dressed women wc | know. It was only the other day Inc asked | me why didn't wear tailor made dresses | on the street, as you do. l told him l couldn't afford to pay as much for my clothes as you do That dress you have on am sure cost three times as much aS I ever pay for n drcss.
 1t cost $S0,' remarked No. 2 quietly.
 There" exclaimed No. 1 triumphant ly. II never pay over $25 for drcss- | goods, making, trimmings and all " What do you pay for making:' sometimes $S, never over $lO. gen | erally have woman who sews by the day
 T think it wiser to pay SEQ or even S25 | for making. \ dress made by an inferior dressmakcr never keeps its shape, even If | it has any in the beginning" But that is moro than the goods is worth"
 II can get a better looking, better wear ing dress by paying $50 to mako up ma tcrial worth $l0 than by paying $l0 to | make up material that cost $50" How funny" murmurCd No. 1. | ''I do not think woman with n limit | ed income should ever aspire tO variety in | color or costumc,' continued No. l. T | try never to have over thrcc good drCsSes | on hand at one timc-a btst cloth drrSs for fine days, one from last year for rainy days and handsome black silk or satin for evening dress. To this latter usual ly have two waists-Onc high ncckcd and | one low. I always have thrcn coats-one | for winter weather, one for spring and fall and one for storm. These, of course, | like underwear, one doCsn' [ buy new every year nor every two years. My regular cx- | pcnditurcs arc in tho fall n handsome tailor made suit for about $SO. never buy hats to match one dress, but hats to match all dresses. For my best ono I pay $lO. For my second best rctrim last year. $ | buS tNb IstiIS tA rA4bNS TUT | 50 pair and one corset for S7. My last years corset does service as second best this. In tho spring k another suit for about $50 and another hat for SlU. This makes total expenditure of Sl7O. leaving Sl30 for essentials that must bc supplied from year to year. l never buy knick- knacks. never pay less than Sl. 90 for my gloves, and then they bear cleaning several times. l never buy anything cheap. I think in this world that one usually gets just about what one pays for. One can't wear out n good dress in ono season, even if one abuses 1t. In this way all my clothes nrc becoming They do not get out of style, and I do not have n closet full of half wornout dresses with nothing really fit to wear
 But where are your tea gowns?''
 II can't afford ten gowns, nor can any other woman on limited income. \ wrapper for my room costs couple of dollars. To entertain my friends put on a drCss.
 Well. dcclare!" remarked No. ?. John will be surprised when tell him. He always says I'm the poorest manager he ever saw. Now he will think me worsc | l.dn ever"
 | Don't tell him." wisely suggested No. l, but surprise him in another way" | LAURA OLIVIA BooTHE.