The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-02-21
Cynthia Grey Tells Some of the
Fine Points of Clothing Econ
omy That VIII Help Young
Woman Earning Her Own Liy-
ing.
by Cynthia Grey.


paid to the poor working girl.
They contend that those girls who
are paid from IS to $40 a week
CANNOT EVEN DRESS on such
pittance, let alone LIVE and re-
main HONEST and DECENT!
Now, let's see about that. Say a
girl who lives at home earns So a
week, and turns $2.75 or SO of II
In toward family support. Her
carfare, If she has to pay carfare,
Is 10 cents day. Her lunches at
noon will average / . cents a day.
That leaves $3.50 for recreation
and dress allowance-$78 a year.
OF COURSE she will have to
count her pennies, but she CAN
dress and have Il reasonably happy
time on SIS year If she is so dis
posed.
There are small economies for
her to remember and practice
faithfully to make ends meet. 1t
wouldn't be bad idea for her to
typewrite a few rules and paste
them on her mirrow, where she
can read them each morning as
she dresses for work-such as:
Replace buttons on shoes and
clothing at once.
Mend snags and rips as soon as
made, and press carefully.
Brush hats and garments well
before putting away, and always
keep coats and skirts on hangers.
Keep stockings and shoes in
good condition by mending before
actual time of need.
Remember that nice winter pet
ticoats may be made from old
dress skirts, after a thorough
cleansing and remodeling proc
ess.
Put new ruffles and facings on
old petticoats, and renew waist
bands on dress skirts as soon as
needed
Keep gloves clean, neatly
mended and carefully put away
when not in use.
Never buy cheap materials-it's
poor economy. Better have few
clothes, and good ones.
Buy underwear, ribbons, shoes
and shirtwaists at sales.
Keep in mind that plain, we'll
made clothes are more admired
than fancy, ill-fitting ones.
These are all good points to re-
member. And petticoats, night
gowns and even underwear are
now made of cotton crepe which
requires little or no trimming, is
easily washed and needs no iron
ing. Many girls wear shirtwaists
of this material. Some are hand
embroidered, some are made In
strictly shirtwaist style and some
are trimmed with a touch of cluny
or torchon lace.
Garments made of crepe are
most attractive and they save the
working girl many a penny in
laundry. Handkerchiefs may be
washed in a bowl and dried Oh
window panes-as girls have been
doing many moon. If hose are
washed each night they will wear
better. Thus the laun dry expenses
are reduced to a minimum-and
laundry does count up If it's not
carefully watched.
Can girls live on a wage of Sc a
week and remain honest? Yes
despite countless protests, they
can.
1t isn't easy, even for the girl
who lives at home, but she can
do it. The girl who is forced to
board and pay more than the
$3.50 or $2.75 allowed as a fam.
lily contribution, finds ways to dc
it. Usually she gets dollar OF
two more than the Sc week
Many girls in cities are clubbine
together, three or four taking 9
small fiat where they can get their
own breakfasts and dinners. They
live independently, keep sweet
and wholesome and face the world
bravely.
know family, consisting OF
father, mother and eight-year-old
son, who lived for a year on SIP a
week-and they neither starved
nor went to the bad. And this
was the way of it-just to show
how twas done-for what this
family did three girls could do.
1t became necessary for Father,
who made salary of SIS a week.
to go to sanitarium for four
weeks treatment - cost of $3.50,
There was no money ahead, not
q cent, and how was it to be done ?
) Mother borrowed the money
from an obliging friend, with the
Understanding that it was to be
returned in weekly installments
of So. Mother did this after a
promise from Father that she
gould have the entire handling of
the salary until the debt was paid.
- Son went to school and had to
have books, etc. Mother and
Father occasionally bought some
thing new to wear, their rent was
paid, their table was supplied
with wholesome food-not much
of variety, but enough for their
needs, a doctors bill for Sons
broken arm was paid and all the
Incidental bills of ordinary house
keeping were paid with SIP a
week for so weeks, until the $50
was returned.
Father had his pipe and maya
zine and an occasional show for
his recreation, and Mother and
Son took long walks or car rides
for theirs. They were all com