Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10

would the entire outfit of most women. and
yet all these things are only in keeping
with the style of dress demanded by and Of
milady millionaire.
There Is no means of knowing definitely
what the sum of the one item gowns Will
amount to in the case of the wealthy wo-
man of today who takes her place in FASH
lonable society. The constant entertaining
and being entertained involved in the whirl
OF season necessitates so large a number
or gowns, in order to preserve the absolute
ly finished perfection Of weN-dressed wo-
man. that the outfit must be almost fabu-
lous in cost.
The wife of the President of the United
states mas been constantly spoken Of as a
woman who dressed or did Dress on an In
finitely small allowance As wife of the
President. Mrs Roosevelt has need Of not
one-twentieth the number of gowns that
any one of her fashionable friends require
MIS-. roosevelt can go only to certain
number of dinners. Etiquette forbids her
to accept invitations except to certain
houses, and these entertainments, like those
given at the White House are limited in
number. The unofficial woman. who is ON
the fashionable list, may go every evening
IN the season to one or more entertainments
where handsome dinner gown is required
For Summer Campaign.
Twenty thousand dollars was the sum
paid by society belle last spring for her
summer outfit for Saratoga and Newport
She hopes to be able to wear some Of the
gowns this winter. but this outfit, which
cost fortune, Is not intended to last even
a year.
With dinner gowns costing $500 a piece
street gowns at $500 and $500, lace gowns
at S2,OOO each, coats and wraps at $500 and
$500, tea gowns at $500, and so ad infinitum
1t can be computed by even poor mathe-
matician that bank account can be none
ionable woman. And then there are the
furs. laces and jewels. all of which must be
Tepienlshed every season in everything
True, 1t Is considered immensely smart to
wear furs and laces that belonged to ones
grandmother, but these same furs must be
altered each year in order to be in keeping
with the latest designs. and altering furs
and resetfins jewels are nearly as expen-
s1ve as buying new ones.
What becomes Of the wardrobe Of the
fashionable woman after 1t ceases to DO
new will probably never be satisfactorily
decided. Poor relations and friends may
receive some OF the leavings, confidential
maids may be presented with q coyerted
gown or wrap, but the mass Of old gowns
half-worn wraps, and the thousand and
one odds and ends that constitute the
Iashlonabe wardrobe are not suitable for
maids The maids, however, generally
have the disposal Of a great many things
and sell them to the secondhand clothes
dealers.
For the Moth to Consume.
Some OF the richest women personally
sell their half-worn clothes and devote
the proceeds to pet charities. Others or
boarding natures. carefully pack away in
trunks the gowns that are passe. An in
stance Of this was furnished not many
years since when woman whose mania
for dress was we'll known died suddenly.
Then 1t was discovered that not only were
there put away in the store room of her
residence hundred or more trunks, but
that in the care Of one of the safe deposite
companies she had another hundred trunks.
and every trunk in both places was packed
with the most costly gowns, many of which
had seemingly not been worn. Thousands
and thousands of dollars were represented
in the materials, the laces, and the en-
broideres thus hidden away under the pre-
tense of keeping them to be made over.