How to Dross on £l5 a Year.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVII, Issue XXII, 30 November 1901, Page 1054

How to Dross on £l5 a Year.

AND ALWAYS BE ATTIRED IN GOOD TASTE.

There is not a woman living, no matter how beautiful, who is not improved by being well and artistically

dressed. To be well dressed does not necessarily mean to be dressed in the latest fashion, but to be dressed in good taste, and in a garment suitable to the occasion.

“Yes,” you say, “but how is this to be done, and on the small sum of £l2 a year?”

Not long ago I was compelled to ask myself the same question, and for a time was completely nonplussed as to how I was going to manage. I was employed as typist and shorthand writer at the time, and it was absolutely essential for me to always appear well dressed. The first thing I did was to overhaul my wardrobe and make a list of everything that I possessed. Fortunately I had never been extravagant, and my clothes were all in a fairly good condition, my wardrobe being as follows:—One good black dress with evening bodice, one light evening dress, one tailor-made coat and skirt, one Rob Roy cape for travelling, one blue serge frock, one Holland skirt, three eotton frocks, six cotton blouses, two silk blouses, two dark moreen underskirts, four cotton underskirts, one blaek hat, suitable for either summer or winter, one light straw hat, trimmed with roses and foliage, one large flop hat, for river or seaside, one white sailor hat, one black sailor hat, six pair of suede gloves, one pair winter gloves.

two pairs of white kid gloves, two pairs boots, two pairs of walking shoes, two pairs of dress shoes, one umbrella, one sunshade, also good supply of underclothing.

After I had made out the list, I carefully examined each article, putting on one side those that needed mending or renovating in any way. 1 next obtained two old sheets, sewing the sides together, and running them down the middle so as to form two bags, into which I put my best skirts. This done I procured a quantity of tissue paper, and filled out the ribbon bows, and trimmings on my hats, afterwards wrapping each hat carefully in several folds of paper, and placing it in a hat box at the bottom of my wardrobe; for I knew that clothes become destroyed far quicker by being handled carelessly, or by being left lying about in the dust than they do by hard wear. I had always been taught to keep my clothes in tihorough repair, so that I had not much sewing to do; quicker by being handled careless, about little details such as gloves, ribbons, boots, and shoes.

Although I had trees for my boots and shoes, I rarely troubled to put them on the trees each time after taking'them off, but I made up my mind to do so in the future. I was also determined to clean my gloves myself, as I knew that I could no longer afford the endless twopences that I had been spending hitherto. I had always trimmed my hats myself, and made all my light frocks. My heavier frocks 1 had made by a reliable dressmaker, because J found that it was cheaper in the long run: a dress that is both well made and well cut wearing out two that are made or cut by an inexperienced hand. I was also in the habit of brushing my skirts well before putting them away, as the

least particle of dust will work its way into the material and make a good skirt look shabby long before it is worn out.

By dint of following these rules, and adding to my clothes from time to time I managed to preserve a welldressed appearance on £l2 per annum without the smallest difficulty. During the first year I bought:—A navy blue serge frock, £2; one dark underskirt, 6/; two cotton underskirts, 6/; light evening frock, £1; coat and skirt, £ 3 3/; pair of boots, 15/; walking shoes, 11/; house shoes, 4/; four pair of gloves, 12/; one cotton frock, 10/; summer hat, 10/; sailor hat, 3/; sunshade, 5/; replenishing underclothing, £1; sundries, 15/. During the following year I managed to do without a new serge frock, as my last year’s had been worn very little. My coat and skirt was also in good condition, but as th<4 winter was a very eold one 1 bought a heavy* ready-made winter coat; and I also found it necessary to have a new black frock, the one with which I had started my wardrobe having seen much hard wear.

With these more expensive garments, and a few oddments, I managed splendidly throughout the second year, the entire list being as following:—

Winter coat, £2; black gown, with evening bodice, £3 15/; summer frock, £1 10/: three cotton blouses, 10/; one silk blouse, 10/; four pair of gloves, 12/; one pair of boots, 15/; one pair of dress shoes, 5/6; umbrella. 7/6; sailor hat, 3/; best black hat, 12/: replenishing underclothes, £ 1.

At the .end of the third year I found tiitft my wardrobe was, if anything, in a better condition than when I started, my’ purchases during the third year being: —

New coat and skirt, £3 3/; tweed frock, £2 5/; one underskirt. 6/; two cotton underskirts, 6/; on-' light evening frock, 18/; two cotton frocks, £1; two cotton blouses, 5/; Holland skirt, 5/; summer hat. 10/; four pair of gloves, 12/; pair of boots 15/; pair of walking shoes, 15/; replenishing underclothes, £l. Thus, by economising, 1 Was always well-dressed, and looked bettec than others spending three times the amount. Children and Pictures. The keen delight which a child l. ay take in pictures is prettily illustrated by an anecdote recently related by an aged English lady of her father, who in his boyhood was taken to visit the studio of Komney, where the portrait of Lady Hamilton as “Cassandra” was on exhibition. The little fellow, only nine yeais old, fell completely under the spell of her exquisite face and graceful figure, and no sooner was he left alone for a moment than he stole across the room, came closer to the wondrous picture, and kissed it—a tribute of which the artist might well have been proud. Teachers and workers who have the opportunity of watching young children from unlovely surroundings making their first acquaintance with pictures in embellished! schoolrooms or settlement parlours have similar tales to tell. A teacher in one of our public schools has recently been transferred from a bare-walled room to one where there are pictures. Among her pupils there is one little girl, not bad but so restless as to be troublesome. k

After a short time in the new room the teacher observed that when :ver

this child was reproved or called to order, she glanced quickly at a picture hanging near her—Richter’s noble and gracious Queen Louilse. Children’s fancies are shy things, and the lady had the tact to ask no questions; only the next time the little fidget was at fault she said nothing: instead, she lifted her eyebrows warningly and herself looked up at Queen Louise.

The culprit flushed, stared, then smiled; and ever since, with no word spoken, a glance at the picture is enough. Moreover, finding herself thus unobtrusively sympathised with and understood, the child has become an adoring little friend to the teacher whom before !she tormented and disliked.

Yet another anecdote is different, although akin. There is a picture of a puppy in a certain primary room, and the teacher noticed that one small boy on going out always tiptoed and rubbed his hand over t. The glass suffered from his smeary little fingers, and she remonstrated: “Don't touch; you can look just as well without touching, Bobby.” Bobby’s eyes filled.

“Oh,” he cried, distressfully, “I’ve never had a real puppy to pat. but I thought I could pat this one! He’s awful nice and live, and I make believe he's mine.”

The teacher now scrubs that glass off once a week with a Special duster, and Bobby continues to pat his pictured pet.