Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-01-19

-AsHINGTON, Dec. 2S.-C1othing is delicate
M subject in households this year. On the
w first of the MONTH when the bills come ill., the
head of the household is treated with great respect
His daughters parade their most threadbare costumes
before him; his slightest remark is greeted with inc
most Aatering appreciation his wife takes great
trouble to explain detail the unjust but enormous
cost of his two dishes served at the evening
meal Even 80, is often difficult to concentrate the
head of the household when he begins to open the o
The American is noted all over the worlo as inc
most lenient and indugent of fathers and husbands
but there times such this year. when ne allows
himself to become ritated at the increasing cost OF
feminine frocks and shoes
WHY silk dresses that used to cost $50 are now
$40 So or why formerly could be bought IN
arv store for IS should $40 and s12 is beyond
his comprehension. there is just as much reason
behind the advance of prices in wearing apparel as
there is in the higher cost of foods. Shoes are hgn
because and skins scarce due to the uene-
dous demand of the European armies Tor war shoeS
Co far as silk is concerned, the has also put
crmp in that industry. The silk worms are still doing
their duty noby supplying the raw silk but the men
who formerly gathered the product are now IN the
trenches or in hospitals
The same thing is true Of other fabrics. The fax
fields of Europe which formerly supplied with fax
to make our linen, in some instances-as IN
Relgun-been completely wiped out and in others are
not being anything like their former capacity
Hence linen is and we pay nearly three times
as much for it. far, cotton is not expensive but
even il has added few cents to its cost, while the
price of wool shows every indication Fof Increasing
indefinitely
finder these circumstances, the American woman is
m against stiff proposition when she attempts to
economze in cloths. There several ways OF re-
trenchment open her. about unattractive as
the other but essential requirement is that
she give attention to the planning of her
clothes In the first place, system of household
economy can be very efficient unless based upon
carefully thought family budget 1t is the first
principle of taught by the banks the domestic
science and schools and other thrifty propagandss
and If makes the diary of expenditures
In making budget you must first decide what is the
most important thing in life to you and your family
and then apporton your income accordingly If clothes
are the most important then 25 cent one-fourth
of the is not too much to spend on tnem II
home or education, recreation more important.
then clothes must suffer in consequence
7,b ,dea1 family budget proposed by Ellen Rich
ards allows only per for clothing while 25
cent is allowed food 20 for rent Is for running
expenses and for the higher interests of life This
appears to ideal apportionment for the family
whose income is $4,000 year or more, but for the
ordinary working girl making from $50 to 500
month"; per cent for clothing would hardly cover the
cost of the present status of prices
Having decided how much afford spend
On clothes the American woman must take inventory
of her years wardrobe to what can be made to
do for this year. This is always dscouraging expe-
rience The hat that she remembers as rather nice
hat when she put it away in the spring is always
sbabbier than she thought and her evening clothes
roussed and soiled. However if she is economical and
naturally artistic, a great deal of this seeming junk
may be Next, she must make complete list
of the wearing apparel her family need for the
wear and figure just how much she can afford to
nav for each article not to exceed her Is or %
per cent limit. For example II she spends $50 for
dress then she pay only Sc for shoes.
The great considerations in buying clothing
hygiene. durability, quantity and art To buy an ugly
the sake of its durability is often
moor economy, the loses in personal salts
faction the money in the buying. On the other
hand to buy garment because is pretty or becoming
when il looks if it would not outlve five six
occasions it really is not needed is certainly
extravagance. well to strike happy medium and
buy a garment is both beautiful and durable but
such garments are by inexpensive.
Then there the question of quantity versus