The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-17
WOMAN'S
WORLD.

tor her clothes not unnaturally have
caused an immense. amount of excite
roent among the feminine portion of
tho community, who realize this au-
trrn that the price asked for gowns
&c far ahead of anything ever asked
before and that the number of gowns
reouired for a woman to be fashion
ahlv gowned is far larger and the or
binary seamstress' work demands
higher price
In days gone by it was thought to be
mistake for women of gentle birth
and large fortune 10 be in the least
conspicuously dressed in public places
or on the street If they wore gor-
geous gowns they must needs hide
them under wrap or mantle, and of
course, would never think of going
about so attired unless in their own
private carriages.
The spectacle, with which we are all
familiar, of women in very light, most
deliberately trimmed and conspicuously
fashioned garments, trimmed with cost
ly furs and lace and wearing jewels
fit for a princess, hanging on the strap
of a cable car, does not strike us as
so remarkable as it did at first. We
have become accustomed to it and
accept it with the same complacency
that we witness a woman wearing a
$3.50 gown pushing a perambulator be-
cause she cannot afford to pay nurse.
Fashion, says a society woman in an
article in the New York Herald, has
apparently gone stark mad in the de-
mand she has placed upon her follow
ers, and it has been very gravely stated
that one reason why matrimony has
become more or less fashionable is the
dress question. The amount OF money
necessary for dress is a very serious
item in the income of the young per-
sons of to-day. Young women who are
not in the least wealthy consider it
necessary to spend as much money on
their clothes as their grandmothers did
on their entire living expenses.
Indeed, the living expenses can be
managed more easily. 1t is possible to
go without sweets, for instance; cut
off dessert entirely and not be consid-
cred questionable, but not to be
smartly gowned means to be decided
~ out of style, and that is something
that no one can very well endure.
There has been no law fixed, even by
the dressmakers, as to the limit for
clothes money. 1t can run up into the
thousands-and generally does-with
the thoroughly gowned women of to-
day. A gown that costs $500 is classed
as smart little frock," and this with
out the accessories of jewels. There
fore it can be seen that the woman
who is entitled by birth to a place in
society will have about as hard an
arithmetical problem to solve as ever
was devised by a school teacher.
The statement that Mrs. Roosevelt
dresses on $500 year is one that meets
with the appreciation of conservative
people and the amused incredulity of
persons who know Mrs. Roosevelt and
who are well aware that, while she
never goes in for any extravaganza
of dress and is always quiet and sim
pie in her tastes, she wears exceed
ingly handsome gowns.
AS Mrs. Roosevelt has an income of
her own--not a large one, but an in
comet may be questioned if she has
not supplemented the $500 allowed her
by-shall we say her biographer.
The woman who can dress on three
hundred dollars a year-and, be ii I'M
-derstood, a woman who goes about in
society, entertains and is to be seen
at theaters and public entertainments
as well as private dances-will have TO
40 considerable OF nef own sewing or
be possessed of the services of very
remarkable maid to carry out her in
tentions of being we'll gowned on that
sum.
Generally in these calculations the
services of the maid are not mentioned.
And just here let it be said that the
greatest economy in the world is a good
maid and seamstress combined, one
who understands thoroughly the care
of clothes and make point of always
keeping everything in proper trim.
If woman is slight and of what is
known as the stock figure" she can
more easily be fitted in the ready
made costumes, and by so doing she
will save a lot of money. If she is a
good shopper she will be able to get
good gown-tailor street gown-for
$50, which will have very much the
same appearance as $125 custom made
gown. 1t will not be as handsome,
and it will not wear so long, but it
will have quite the same effect and an
immense amount of style also
These following estimates are made
on the hypothesis that the woman try
ing the $500 experiment has at least
two gowns from the preceding wear
that can be made over, and other ma
terial that can be utilized in renovat-
ing and Transforming her wardrobe.
1t is promised also in this case that
the woman has a maid who is also a
good seamstress:
Fall and Winter