THE DRESS MANIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 180, 25 April 1908, Page 11

THE DRESS MANIA.

(Bv Nike.) • Each city .has'an era of success which is due to the frugality and solf-sacrifico of the early colonists; and now the Empire City of Ijow Zealand is. going through a prosperous and glorious period. . The housewife must keep her head. ..Everything is at a premium, and one pays to;live, hut a sago woman can save pounds, ind be' tho cause of her husband's wealth ' and happiness. The. millstones of oxist6nc(? aro. often caused by fruitless extravagance. Of course, sad dispensations of heaven, such as i loss of health and time, will 1 , cause disaster'and debt, but for the average person who has a certain allowance and a certain salary there is no excuse for debt." ■ It is a tragedy to watch some junlit rooms during a'.brilliant afternoon tea, one in .'tho know, who sits quietly and watches the beautifully frocked wives, and in many instances, knowing the' individual incomes of the husband or. other, bread-winner, is aghast, as on one fair'- dame' alone' are two, three, and oven salary; then the prosaic baker,'butcher,: etc., have to.be thought of, ,and very-often, a medioal man, for it' is an extraordinary 'household that has not periodical visits from the healer: of physical ills. What, is .the result?' Much sordid worry; and very/ often- the insolvency court.. Tile devoted husband. or father does not see it: he loves his wife, she is beautiful, and he thinks, she must cope with her stylish friends. This: is true whent his purse can stand it, but' when a little self-sacrifice, on her part would; mean half, his .indebtedness and, half his' mental; worries, how . much more would he worship her ?.'. a < handsome or even a plain woman can look "as fresh in three frocks as in twenty different changes. She can .man-oeuvre-and tastefully arrange'things to suit a moderate-purse. Some'.mothers'dress themselves and 'neglect their children. Some dress themselves and their' children foolishly; and oftentimes a happy .medium' could ■be reached by all. ' One tiling is evident, this dress mania must be curtailed: One hears of the; set look, of. the " poker player," what of the woman who. will-get: an' insipid, spiritless look, she is, donning -the; latest fashion in taffetas! ' It is a woman's bounden duty to look :her best, but it is criminal to do'so when domestic economy suffers'. ■; A millionaire lately passing, through Wellington exclaimed: a'~truly wonderful little city, but how can' all the crowd overdress so and live comfortably? "-.. It. is a heartache to see, so much selfishness, and it could be remedied so easily! ' , ■ - 1 Idyllic happiness' is to he found in con- , tentment, and' there, is only true contentment and bliss to:bo found.in self-sacrifice. The terror of keeping a dainty, girl in dress is a deterrent to many men who otherwise would marry, and be happy, loving husbands. .- .The. girls ; do not want to look extravagant princesses, but sweet, sympathetic women, eager and readjvto bear the sorrowsand onioy the:pleasures of everyday: rational life. ■ ' - ■ " ■