THE QUALITY OF THE FROCK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 151, 20 March 1908, Page 3

THE QUALITY OF THE FROCK.

, Should ,tho 'woman whoso chcss. allowanco is small buy materials of the best quality on the ground that they will last for-years, ■and look well to tho cud. of their days, or 'should she buy, inexpensive,, gowns that _ will last just as '.long-, iisthe' fashion,? ' It "is-\a (Question that:■ is- argued' many, times' every ■day by thoso who have to consider' tho pence, and so strong is tho influence of trddition that, if they finally dccido to buy ,'tho .moro inexpensive material, they usually feel it is not quit« a right, decision. ■ For • ;'in tho days of our grandmothers -great*'in-' sisteuco was- laid upon tho importance of ■buying tho best. It did not matter if one ■had only a few gowns so long as they wcro of the best material. A gentlewoman.would wear nothing- clicip,' though ;slid might' not bp able'to afford to follow tho fashions. . And this ' doctrine was taught to our mothers, and by thom to us.. .'Tho love of a good material has penertrated all classes, and thoso .who might bo • suspected of. caring littlo about the cut of their garments are found caring-vory much ; indeed for tho quality, and'you will" often, .find somo little old nondescript woman whoso dress might havo been mado any time in tho last ten years pluming herself on -the fact that sho paid somo ridiculously largo sum per yard for - the stuff of .which it is made: Tho doctrino has gone further, tillnow it reads that oiio should only buy tho very best materials, no matter how many frocks ono may require to possess—a teaching that leads...to . boundless extravagance. And then comes tho practical person asking whether, 'after all, tlio expensive material is worth its cost in these days when fashions chango so quickly, whether it is not better to have a new frock every, season, insteadof one that'-will-. last and look . very oldfashioned, though good, through three. Tho girl who has to dress on very littlo must chooso between the two styles,, and probably she chooses most wisely whon sho determines to have a pretty stuff of medium quality made for the, year,-in tho fashion of the year, it to a third or fourth placo in hor service -when tho now season brings fashions that aro new.