The Washington herald., 1922-03-06
SOCIETY WOMAN
/ AACLERK HAVE
| COMMON CAUSE
lMakiug Ends Meet on $S7
Ma $4,000 Both
- Difficult.
- - /.

NE" -1Ohk. March 5.-The So
eiety woman who buys her clothes
pm Fifth avenue and never has .
Thing to wear can truly sympathizs
with ths; poor little shop girl in
Topeka, Ksns.. who is expected to
florify, hersek on a dress budget
4 y 1876 year.
Some. New York women are trying
Q do, the same thing and. try a.
hey will. are unable to keep within
slSo.ooo, not including fancy dress
costumes. for winter entertainments
that simply can't be ignored. or
head-dresses for the opera which
properkrI come under the appropris-
tion for 3s%elry. Still. $3.50 Is a
goal to struggle for-even $3.50 or
SS7.60O
The department heads on Fifth
avenue conId not quite accept the
itemtBcds cost of a girls wardrobe
for one year as prepared by Miss
Nellie Berger. of Topeka. and pre-
sented toott1e State Industrial Court.
OF kanssssfduring a hearing on the
safe minimum wage for working
girls. With a commendable spirit
of normalcy they strove to recon
cile this annual appropriation with
the present cost OF looking ones
best. n not better, in New York or
Washington. society.
wkefe Extremes Meet.
"Eighty-seven ffty-five.'' they
mused.s democratically. Now let
us see: that might buy one hat. $50,
to be worn not more thkn three
times under penalty of social bank
~uptcy and one pair of slightly
= ~oworn slippers, at $40. to be
go more than once. providing
one afford an emergency ap-
proprIGtfon> OF s2.45 to cover the
deficit
This costume might become de
rigeur in society IL the present ten
dency perStsts. but among employed
young women there is a strong con-
iviction that simplicity. like veracity.
can be- cSrried to inconvenient ex-
tremes, Surely Miss Berger. OF
Topeka, did not have Fifth avenue
in mind-where society women
economic by subscribing to a dozen
pairs OF shoes and slippers at a
time atHap average OF $50 a copy.
1t IS tod of a famous Washington
society woman. just one generation
removed from the red flannel petit
coat. bdt now an acknowledged
leader Of the Official set-that she
has no fewer than two dozen morn
ing gowns two dozen luncheon
gowns. eighteen sports costumes, in
cluding bathing suits costing $500
apiece, two dozen afternoon gowns.
twenty dinner gowns, twenty dance
frocks and ten opera frocks. all Of
which are being renewed constantly.
Her annual expenditure for furs
amounts To $4,000.
Fiffy Costumes Too Few.
There are several New York
women who believe they are travel
ing light IF they go abroad with
fifty costumes for various occasions.
They have hundreds OF pairs OF
shoes and their silk stockings.
which cost SIS pair. are bought by
tire dozen pairs.
!. Fifth avenue estimates that the
cost of being well dressed for a
woman -tp-teh highest society. who
plays the game through all seasons,
is S150.000 a year. not considering
a matter of how much the lady
wants To, spend.
Twenty such costumers are
enough to support the biggest etsab-
lishment in the profession" said
one store. manager. Their trade Is
not a matter Of seasons. but is con-
stant. 4 A9dancing frock Is a dainty
and fragile thing and Is good for
two occasions at the most"
So the New York society woman
can and does sympathize with the
little Topeka shop girl. They are
sisters In a very unpleasant situa-
tion-that OF living within their