Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-31


Clothing Is delicate subject in most
households this year. Or the first Of
the month when tho bills come In the
nerd Of the household Is treated with
great respect. His daughters parade
their most ihreadbarc costumes before
him: his slightest remark is greeted
with the most hattcring apprcciation
and his wife takes great troubles to
explain in detail the unjust. but cnor-
nous. cost Of his two fayoritc dishes
served Mt the evening meal Even SO.
II is often difficult to conciliatc the
head Of the household when lie begins
10 open the bills. The American man
Is noted all over the world as the
most lenient and indulScnt Of fathers
and husbands. hut there arc times
such AS this year. when lie allows
himself to become irritatcd At the in
crcasing cost OF feminine frocks and
shoes
Wig silk dresses that used to cost. s25
are no& $3.50. or WAY shoes that for
in.rly could be bought in any store
Tor 50 Should now he $40 and Sl2. ~
beyond his comprehension Yet there
* Just a" much reason behind The ad-
vance OF prices in wearing apparel
as there IL in tho higher cost of foods.
shoes are high, because hides and
skins are scarce, que To the tremendous
demand of the European armies for
wal shoes. So far as silk liz con
cerncd. the war has also put "A crimo
~ that Industry. The silk worms are
Suil doing their duty nohly in supply
ing the raw silk, but tho men who for
ucrly gathered the product are now
in the trenches or H. the hospitals.
The sam" thing is trrc OF other
fabrics. Tn" fax fields of Europc
which formerly supplied us with flax
10 make our linen. have in SCme in
stamcca-as in BclGum--becn com
rlctciy wiped. out. and III others are
not being worked 10 anything like
their former capacity. Hence. linen is
;Garce and We pay nearly three times
rs much for II. SO far. cotton ~ no,
"N""nsive. nut even j, has added a
-" cents 10 It's cost. while the price
oi WOO! shows every indication ~ in
ercasiuS indefinitely
Under these circumstances. tho
American woman Is up against u stiff
proposition when she attempts 10
"conomize in clothes. There are sew
oral WAYS OF rctrenchmont open to
h"r. on" about az unatrractivc a. tho
other. but the most essential rcl,iirc-
ruent is that She give more time and
attention 10 tho planning Of ner
clothes.
tnmiI. budget Is >ere>snr,
In the first place. no system OF house
h"ld economy can lie Very efficient
unless based upon carefully thought
out family budget. II is the FIRST
principle of thrift, rs taught by tho
banks. the domestic Scieuc. ard ART
schools and other thrift proparantlis,x
and IL makes the most accurate diary
~ expenditures In making Il budget
you must first decide what is tn.
most important thin. In life 10 lou
ana your family. and then apportion
YOUR income accordingly. II cloihes
are ~" most Important. then - per
cent. or one fourth Of the income. l.
not too much to spend On them. II
= home. or education. or recreation are
more Important, then clothes mus,
suffer in consequence
The ideal family budget proposed bv
Ellen Richards, allows only Is per
cent for clothing. while % per cent
is allowed for food, 20 for rent X
Tor running expenses and IS for the
higher interests OF life" This appears
70 he an ideai apportionment for thu.
FAMILY. whose income ~ $500 year
or more. but for the ordinary work
ing Girl making anywhere from $50 TO
Sl"o month 8 per cen, for cloth
ing would hardly cover the cos, Of
necessities Al tho present status OF
prices
Having decided how much she can
AFFORD TO spend on clothes. tho tmerI-
.'n W"iHdn must take An inventory OF
her last years wardrobe to see Wha;
can be made 10 do for this year. This
Is always a discouragng experience
lhc hat that she remembers as - rath-
"r nice hat when she put il away in the
spring is always shabbicr than she
thought. and her evening clothes look
unused and soiled. However. IL she
Is economical and naturally artistic.
great deal of this seeming Junk NAV
ne utilized. Next she must make q
complete list of the wearing apparel
She and her family need for tho wear
ara tigurc out just how much size can
AFFORD To pay for each article so as
not 10 exceed her l. or o5-per cent
limit For example. if she spends s25
for dress. then she mus, pay only
81 for shoes.
strike Medium In Buying.
The great considerations In brvinp
clothing are hygiene. durability. quan-
tity and art To buy an ugly gar
mcnt merely for the sake OF lis duro
htIitH is often poor economy. for tho
wcarer loses in personal satisfaction
the money saved In the buying ON
INC other hand. TO buy a garment he
cause IL is pretty or becoming when
II looks as II IL would not outliye
five Or six occasions. or when il roalI,
Is rot needed, is certainly extraya-
gancc.. !, is we'll to strike a hanny
medium and buy garment that is
both beautiful and durable hut such
garments arc by no means incypon
sive.
Then. there is the question of ouoo.
tiiy versus quality. Some women pre
fer To have many dresses OF chem ma
terialS so that they may keen IN with
Inc latest novelties and styles while
others prefer 10 have n few dresses az
good materials. maintaining q con
serNa'iNe style There is no doubt