LADIES' COLUMN.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 878, 7 February 1879, Page 4 (Supplement)

LADIES' COLUMN.

LETTERS TO FARMERS' DAUGHTERS. WHAT SHALL I BCY f My Dear Girls.—When the care of providing your own wardrobe falls upon you, aa it must sooner or later, it will require much head work to bring out matters even. The art of spending money well, can n~> more "come to you " than the art of telegraphing could. You must think well over it, and stndy hard the details. " Oh, what a trouble it is not to have abundant means," sigh most who are compelled to calculate and trim down their ' expenses. But this is not the difficulty. Many with thousands to command are just as perplexed and harassed as you. They liave only raised their real and fancied wants a few grades higher in the scale. There has been just as much comfort got out of the judicious expenditure lof i'lo as m.'iiiy n-ci-ive from the investment of £IOOO. Prudence in the use of money is the magic that makes it a source of rnjoyiuctit to us. A lady of fashion, who was much liked in the gay circles of Paris, fell by her extravagance into the greatest want and suffering, even for food. Her old-time associates taking pity upon her, raised a very ltands >iih' sum to relieve Iter necesI skies. When she received it, she went out ; immediately and invested the most of it in 1 the purchase of a sealskin jacket, then [ coming into fashion ' We want to lay down some principles about otir dress which will guide us in the perplexing business. In the first place, a great deal is expended by inexperienced shoppers in trimmings, which add very little to the handsome appearance of a dress, and yet consume money voraciously. [ have known a young lady pay 20s. for a few yards of bugle trimming, when two dresses comprised her whole stock in that line, both of them prints. Tiie 20s. as prices then were, would have bought her tw» good print dresses. The trimming. which was to go on a pointed black silk belt then in fashion, lay for months unused. Another 5s from her hard earnings went f'>r ribbon to make a head-dress, which she would seldom wear after it was done. A young domestic of mine, destitute when she came to me of almost everything, spent her first week's earnings on some sham jewellery. The earrings poisoned one ear so badly that it was not heab'd for five months.

Let a young lady provide herself with good shoes and gloves, a neat hat and pretty jacket, lined and wadded in verycold weather and taken out in warmer spring days, if she can afford but one, and ;>.t least two good street dresses. A fresh bright looking delaine is always prettier than a shabby, soiled poplin, or slazysilk. The latter is only tit for iinin.'s. JN'o person of taste will ever make it into a dress. when so many idee fabrics, so much cheaper and more beautiful, abound in our shops. Make sure of the dress, hat, jacket, gloves, and shoes first, and then look over your money and see what is left for trimmings. In no case buy the trimmings first. Your dresses can be made to look very handsome without a particle except what you can make of the scraps left in cutting them. Almost every young lady of prudence and forethought can find among her rolls pieces that will answer for sleeve linings and often for facings : while very prudent saving girls will nearly rip apart, wash, and roll up, all good fitting lining* of worn-out dresses, but never a bad fitting lining. It is discttifott enough to wear out one dress made over it. Do not be too proud or too lazy to piece a lining where a little labor (t : that kind will save you a shilling. With all your skill you will scarcely equal the economy of the beautifully dressed French lady, who would look with amasement at what to her would seem our vulgar wastefulness. 2»ever fancy that waste is genteel. It is quite the reverse, and is considered by the well-bred to indicate a very low origin.

Calculate your money carefully, with pencil and paper, before you spend it. It will be a great help to you, and will save y»,t from the dissatisfaction of finding that all is g»ne, and you " have nothing tin show for it."

Several nicety made print dresses, one at least Very light, will be a source of satisfaction and comfort the year round. They cost but little, and every time they are "* done up," come out again as fresh as new. Th ire are many occasions in the country when nothing else is so suitable, but often a nice dress must be \i orn and spoiled, because no nice print that " can be washed without spoiling" is on hand.— T. S. 11.