The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-14

The wonderful advice sometimes
given on the woman's page of some
papers about. economizing and how to
make something out of nothing, is, to
s say, the least, amusing. One is told
to buy three yards of lace to cover an
old bodice and make it like new, and
then when you make up your mind it
is an excellent idea, you find that the
lace alone will cost more than a new
waist and also more than the old one
cost when it was new. 1t is sugges-
lions like these that dishearten
the women who want to economic
and do not know how. OF course there
is much to be done in the way of max
ing over that is true economy and is
also absolutely detestable to many
women.
A woman who has a limited income
and is anxious to be neatly, if not
handsomely dressed, should decide just
how much she can reasonably spend on
her wardrobe, and then do some fig
uring to see how to use the amount to
the best advantage. There are some
women who have natural style about
them and look we'll in almost any
thing. These women are easy to dress
and usually have good taste. But, I'M
fortunately, there are many who have
no taste at all and then even if they
have millions will not look we'll unless
they put themselves unreSerVedly into
the hands of some good modiste. In
deed the woman who can afford 1t is
wise to do this anyway. 1t takes a
great responsibility off her shoulders
and gives her time to do many pleas
ant things, which time might have to
be spent in thinking about gowns.
Women of small or great means must
spend a good deal of time and mental
effort upon their wardrobes and this
will be so as long as the world stands.
For the day will probably never come
when they will adopt a uniform or
habit, pleasant as it sounds to tired
mothers who have to dress several
daughters. Where there is a large
family of girls, one of them often does
the sewing for all and in this way
there can be real economy. There is
such a thing as a natural dressmaker,
a woman who instinctively seems TO
know how to cut and fit and happy
is the family which contains one of
these prodigies.
The writer knows girl in New
York, one of a large family, who has
joined class in dressmaking, is learn
ing how to sew and has been very
successful in making her own things.
But of course in this case it had be-
come rather fad in her set of girls
to learn dressmaking, and perhaps she
would not have been so industrious
otherwise. What a blessed thing it
would be if all the useful, necessary
things could become fads. Washing
dishes, for instance. Suppose the very
SWEETEST thing one could possibly do
was to wash dishes, suppose many of
us would follow the fashion, although
1 know of one or two who would brave
being out Of style when it came to the
dishes.
Very often men do not realize when
they marry what it costs to dress
woman. However, before many years
have rolled round they find out. 1t IS
a very expensive thing to dress we'll
and becoming more so every day.
There was probably no exaggeration in
the statement that it costs some of the
women in the smart set in New York
$4,000 a year to dress, and it is doubt
full whether that sum includes their
jewels. II certainly gives one pause to
think of having to try on $4,000 worth
of gowns! But the ordinary woman,
the one who wishes to be decently clad