The Washington herald., 1912-05-30
THE BUSINESS GIRL
NBEDSMOREF FROCKS
Than Her Domestic Sister Who
Stays. at Home.
BY JULIA cHANDLER MANI.

BY JULIA CHANDLER MANz.
was astonished the other day to hear
i mother criticising her young business
daughter because she requires so many
more clothes than TIE girl who remains
at home helping her mother with the
household work.
"Se has twice as much, and even then
wears her many out sooner, she said
as though this were surprising fact.
The allegation Is true. The business
woman who goes downtown every day
in the week 10 earn a living not only
needs more clothes than the home
woman, but wears them into shabby
state much quicker.
She must have enough washable
blouses to keep herself looking neat
She must have skirts to wear them, neat
gloves, and shoes, and hats. II she wears
one-piece tub frocks in the summer, as
many women do, she must have three
or four changes IL the dresses are dark,
and q greater number II they are made
Of light material.
Does Not Care for Fuss.
The refined and sensible girl does not
care for fussy clothes for wear during
her business hours. but she does realize
that great deal Of her business success
depends upon her tidiness and the i'm
maculate cleanliness Of her appearance.
No business man wants to spend his
working hours in close association with
a dowd. Untidiness is depressing. A
young woman who Is simply and smartly
dressed-slways stylish and clean-is an
inspiration in the average business
ONCE.
Every mother of a girl who works
ought to know this and realize that in
order to accomplish it more clothes are
required for the daughter who works
downtown than for the girl who remains
at home.
The home girl can have one frock for
the street and keep it above the re-
proach of shabbiness for two years, be-
cause she takes it on when she comes
home from downtown and dons a house
dress that is made Of inexpensive ma
teriaL She can also change her shoes,
and a hat worn thus only upon an occa-
sional afternoon will wear an entire sea
son and look well the next, while that
of the business girl becomes dusty and
shabby long before its first season is
ended.
Has Chance for Repairs.
In addition to. all this. the home girl
has SUFFICIENT opportunity to take the
proverbial stitch in time that must often
be neglected by the business woman until
too late to accomplish the desired re-
suits. And, too, the girl who remains
at home has time to launder her best
shirt waists, giving to them a personal
care that assures them a longer present.
ableness than is possible for the shirt
waists Of the business girl who wears
them week after week and who must
trust them TO a laundry, where ma
chinery soon. wears them out, or to hired
help.
In consideration Of these facts, it seems
hardly reasonable to criticise the bust
ness girl because she cannot make her
clothes go so far nor last so long as
her stay-at-hOme sister. Do you think
so?
I have known a good many mothers
who unintentionally worked severe hard
ships on their daughters Just through
an inability to understand that a domes-
tic woman requires less money for
clothes than the woman who goes down
town in the morning, works all day in
the dusty business section of the city,
coming home only when the day is done, /
her clothes dust-stained. her body and
brain too tired to even give them the
attention their renovation demands.
Be a little more lenient with her.
mother dear-a little more understanding
Of her needs and Of the wear and tear
of the downtown life on both herself and
her clothes.