The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-12-28

The feature of this black veIve.
froek 10 the panels back and front,
which are Of black and gold qauze
and fall below the skirt. The bodice
10 plain and finished at the neck
with fur.
mass; the outstanding fact that inter
ests the sellers of clothes. is that wom-
en- deliberately ask more often for a
high-priced gown than ever before and
pay the price with seeming willingness.
Why? The act is not explained by the
word "extravagance." 1t is level-head-
ed conservation.
1t does not take q woman with ex-
traordinary shrewdness to know that
cheap materials are not lasting. No
body ever bought them with the belief
that they would carry one with salts
faction throughout the season. They
were bought by women who preferred
to spread a small income over many
cheap costumes; wonderland America
is filed with them-who like to vary
their costume every day or every two
months rather than be compelled to
wear the same thing throughout the
weeks of a settled season. 1t Is their
form of getting stimulation.
Wisdom In Buying Gowns.
It is, no doubt, an actual hardship
for a large mass of American women
to deny themselves the pleasure Of
constant procession of clothes at small
prices, but they must economic in
this, as in food. A cooking expert has
said that there are no such garbage
pals in the world as here; that the
kings of Europe did not have such gar
bage as the factory woman In the tene-
ment districts of this country discards.
This, 1t Is true, has stopped; and even
when garbage is plentiful, showing
spirit that is not unpatriotic but ig-
norant Of thrift, then the government
steps In and gets all sorts Of things
useful to the war out of the pail that
once was nosed by the dogs and
dumped into outer darkness.
Why Women Buy With Care.
So even though the American woman
may not wish to wear one good cos
tune throughout the season, her pa
triotism commands her to do it. This
is the kernel of the entire situation.
She buys In order that her clothes may
last. She does not wish to take the
time to constantly mend cheap. clothes
and renew them at odd moments. She |
has gone back to the ways Of her
rnofQ- |
rial carefully and in many lights, paid
a good price for 1t, and expected 1t
to live up to its reputation.
A woman who goes into shop this
season to buy an everyday gown, pays
$50 where she once paid SIS for 1t.
This is as near the average figure as
the shops can get. She asks If the
material will wear, IL 1t will hold its
dive. If the seams and stitchery are
good. and when she finds that they are
tust what they once were, but that
they are not up to her modern stand
ard of purchasing, she adds $40 or $40
to the price and buys another gown
that suits her judgment.
No one is happier over the state OF
affairs than the shopkeepers. They !
nrefer to sell fewer gowns at good
nrices. for, while 1t Is not necessary
n renew them In few months they
rive greater satisfaction to both par
ties.
stvIes That Remain With Us.
The continuance Of the chemise
xsrH, cfYf0unff0 has
GIVEN comfort to many women, because
h allows them to wear, for a time'
tbe frocks they possess. Whether or
rot this silhouette will die out as the
season strengthens, no prophet can !