The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-11-18


Frank Leslie), an American
II woman who has a title with
out having been Obliged TO
- saddle herself with foreign
husband i'm order 10 get II,
has things TO say both witty and wise
on the absorbing topic of whether
woman can dress well on 5000 year
TO begin" SAYS the baroness, this
is a pernicious doctrine 10 inculcate IN
the minds OF men. once the masculine
sex gets into its mind the notion that
n woman needs no more than three
hundred dollars a year TO dress well on
even rich men will try 10 skimp thelf
wives and daughters down TO that sum
for costlming. and there VIII be IN
their families scenes and disturbances
Mi.hout end
"A woman I'm society cannot possibly
dress on three hundred dollars year.
To attire herself properly viii require
three times that amount. She must
have at least four costumes hand
some tailor made street suit, tea
gown, "A dinner dress and an evening
dress II she does not 20 10 many din
ners or evening affairs, she may make
The same dress do Tor both ! knew one
lady who thus wore one gown the sea-
son through for evening and dinners.
but IL was handsome one and could
not have cost much less than one hun
dred and fifty dollars. She had one
tailor made dress which probably cost
nearly one hundred dollars. She could
model over these gowns for second best
the next year but the two together
themselves came 20 almost two HUNDRED
and fifty dollars Where. then, was the
money for her hats. gloves and shoes?
The climate Of America is so extreme
that we need both a summer and
winter street dress here. In England
or France the same one viii do the year
round. Then, If a woman wants 10 buy
fur Jacket or even the smallest jewel,
or say. handsome plumed hat, where
would she be on three hundred dollars
year?
"One other point--if a woman has all
the money she needs and IL she also
likes pretty clothes, there is no way In
which she can please herself and aid
other people more easily than by i'm
d,rleing her taste and buying elegant
and beautiful garments. II helps trade
and tradcsmen and their families for
her thus 70 spend money.
1t is a matter ON which no one can
IaN ,lown q hard and fast rule, this
question of how much woman should
spend for dress. woman should dress
according TO her means. If she has no
more. she can dress on thirty dollars a
wear and be neat and tidy. One year
when | was in debt | spent only fifty
dollars for clothing. | should sum the
matter up like this: can woman dress
ON three hundred dollars year? IL
she is i'm society. no; if not, yes"
A lady who earns her living and
whose pay amounts 10 $50 "A week says
IL is out OF the question for a business
woman situated a she Is 90 dress ON
5000 a year. She is in a heavy swell"
Office I'm a great city where men rich
and poor come from all over the earth
to consult her employers and herself
IL she dressed shahbily or very cheaply.
she could not keep her place, for eli
ents would draw instantly the conclu-
sion that her employers were either an
unnrosperous or a stinGy firm, and i'm
either case they would not want To
have dealings with such men. So the
business woman pays $50 to 800 for
tailor suit and SO and upward for a hat
and thinks il pays her 20 do So
And II | were 10 lore my place" sho
said and had 10 find employment
again I should put on the best clothes
| had To do it In. If you have 90 60 out
and hunt work, you should wear good
clothes in order 20 give the impression
that YOU are prosperous. Look your
best. brightest and youngest, and you
will obtain situation twice as quick.
II suppose If / stayed al home and
had time Co remodel my garments
could dress on less. but when I'm i'm the
tnhirl from daylight iill after dark
What can do? once | thought would
have two old gowns made over into one
TO wear to the club. | had second.
hand black silk and a white silk skirt
| had the two put together for a black
and white costume. Mrs. Roosevelt
ftf ftf~itft,tt-t4+ft4- Thought some lace aud
twelve bolts Of ribbon ard paid for the
making. Result, "A cost OF thirty-seven
dollars. and / had only an old dress
after ALL"