Evening star., 1915-01-17
Frequency of the Changes in Styles Likely|
to Make of No Avail the Hard
Work of Reconstruction
0dnE zeal of aIlering Clothes is a

01flE zeal of altering clothes is a
feecr that is apt to attack
every woman at least twice a
q Year. She may have chronic
trouble in this direction, know many
who have. and to whom the least Word
Of warning that economy often turns
20 ,xtravagaucc is to provoke anger
and counter charges of bciuG spend j.
thrift.
However. even the woman who
knows that this is true feels the ar
dor of the reformer burn in her as
she surveys the half-worn clothes IN
her closets. and thinks that by Il III
tie money spent here and little con-
sulting of sartoTial guidebooks there
she may twist the trockS that are
hopeless into dresses that are fashioh-
able Like q good deal of the reform
cr's work. the result may be disheart-
ching. hut that Is Il part of the gamble
ana most women delight to gamble
with chance il not with money.
Somewhere in tn.m stNrs the sap OF
adventures with Ci"tues wn'h the ii'd-
season marks the coo rI ne" ldshiohs'
They lIkC TO try tueIr rand AT re-
suaDlug ana assembling the cloInes o1
which they are weary, or Wnicn are
faIiing to give service
In Iue ,ast may nave mad SAD
experience with reforming OLD clothes
into seemIuGIS new oliSs, anu at the
time We p4u0.tuly registered vow that
never asaIn would We SIVe time ana
money To Ioriurn a TASK; put We
recKun without tne stirrinS OF nuinan
mature. WltiIn US, Ior, surrey, When tne
time comes around We VIII take up
the task again.
A W ord of Counsel.
There is small use struggling against
the instinct which is evIuentIy bedued
deep down in tne roots OF us We
simply cannot resist the temptation OF
trying. The act y triumph OF nope
over experience, and, after all, even IL
the experiment does not end happily,
we have mad our little fling at dolnS
the thing wanted TO DO, ana that Is
sometn4ug in this world
Granting. however, that 1t is oileH
good to nave ones fling, there is no
reason why the difficult task OF alter
ing clothes should not be approached
with some spirit of caution. Inere is
no object gained by beng reckless
with our viIanty, wnich is more I'M
portant than money, ii one looks at lie
sensibly.
Haven't you seen woman MADE
cross and weary by the useless eXpend-
Iture of life force on trivial cause!
Haven't YOU seen women work for
week over a frock that should have
been discarded, and which never gave
"A moments satisfaction after it was
rinished? This condition implies lack Of
Judgment one of the greatest imam
ciers when asked to what especial
quality he thought he owed his sue
cess answered: The elimination OF lhe
n-essentiaL
If we take to heart the doctrine of
the efficiency OF labor in every depart
.Hent of life this process of elimination
supported by Judgment must be the
frst thought. High sounding doc
trine as it is. the process OF altering
clothes is made more secure and sat-
isfactory by needing it.
Saving of Vitality.
Saving vitality is the growing creed
of today. Elimination, not accumu-
lation, is the guiding maxim The
woman who approaches her wardrobe
bent on the task of overhauling it in
this hour of comparative leisure needs
a restraining hand to keep her zeal
within bounds
She is apt to start out with the fan
tastic thought that the entire task is
easily managed, and that a days shop
ping and the help of good seam
stress are the main means to the end.
Not SO. She must reckon with herself,
and how much of her time. vitality and
temper the task Will consume, and
whether she could be spending this
to better advantage.
In other days omen. who were ac-
customed to being weighted down by
an exhausting routine of endless house,