£10,000 FOR A DRESS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 321, 21 January 1908, Page 4

£IO,OOO FOR A DRESS

SlkK. THAT COST tr. A VAISD. The mo»l wonderful, co-ll\, and mugniueeni garment in the world is tnc (jueeu of Slain',-* State nianile. winch she weairi only about once a \caf. indeed, she must be rather glad that sue has not to wear it oftcner, for it is so aeavi thai il is a. pain rather than a pleasure to put il on. II is literally covered with diamonds, emeraldr-, niliic-, and naplihil'e.s —iu fact, with alino-t every kno'Wi precious stone -and it i- as tliii-Uli powdered Willi jewels as the Milky Na\ i- powdered with hlai's. li ii wi'iu po--sible for il tu collie into the market it would probably fetch something iu Hie neighbourhood of ;CI,OUII,UIIU sterling. "Tine of the two sisters of ilie I'zar. the wife of the Grand Duke Alexander ilichaclovitch, runs the yueeii of Siai-i very close for tile possession of the eo-'_-liest dress ill tile world, for -Ih l po--e--n-a magnificent example oi ilie Russian nation il costume, perfect ill every detuii, but absolutely sludded with gem-. It eoii-i-ts of a bodice aud skirt, over which i- hung a hood and cape, th 1 whole surmounted by a lialf-moßii-sliaped lieaddr<vs, something liKe the hat made laiiiiliar to the world in pictures of Ilie great Napoleon. This wonderful drc-.s is worth a king's ransom, the head-dfe-s, bodice, and cape being one ma-t- of lieanlifu! and costly jewels. Actresses frequently wear die,-e----which represent a fortune. Ilie ".livi ie Sarah," for instance, has the luxurious tastes of an Kastern empress. Iler dresses commonly cost UI .OOO ea !i. Mrs. Lang-try, too, lusimll\ changes h'r dress'halt-a-dozcli limes in the course ol one evening oil the stage, and her display of jewels, lace, and silks probably represents L 10,000. Kejane is al-o noted for her luagniliccnl and costly stage dresses; and it is -aid that while appearing in " Taviata " at Coveut (iarden Mine. Melba weals jewellery to the value of a quarter of a million sterling. No wonder she employ,- a private ;'< - teetive to look after it.

Tin* wive* of American millionaire* are often more profuse than airings*** m the amount they spend upon their rson.il adornment. Mrs. Maekie. lor ii rttaiice. paid €10,00(1 tor a die— cm broidered with pearls. while the wife <>i another millionaire in tin* metropolis o: pork has in her wardrobe a jwrfeeily wonderful costume. The groundwork ;s Wavy satin <•! cerulean blue, with a Court train two and a hah yard* Ion;;, also lined iwth heavy *l\vo great shawls o) lirussel> point lace. .1 yard wide and three yards in length, kept in place by "diamond a'ld adorned with pendant* of" the 'aim* jewel," adorn the >ide> and trout 01 the skirt. The litre alone is worth C't.ooo. or more than 200 tiim— h< weight in gold, atld the whole die-- i" valued at U 10.000.

llusriial) are not v<-ty plentiful; but the wife of one of them lnis a long mantle of the fur of the >ilver fox* which is ot such value that its cost would not be represented if it-* wtiole surface were, covered with golden sovereigns. Indeed, the necklet alone is said to have cost her husband boo guiueas. Apropos of fnr>, it is said that the widow of Li Hung (.'hang, the dec-eased Chinese tstatesman and millionaire, has in her \vardrol>e .100 fur robes of fabulous value, the prepared skins ;»i ail the rarest fur-bearing animal*, in the world.

The beat-dressed woman in Kuroj*e is the (Jernian Empress. She seldom wears silks or satins costing le*s than C)o a yard. She wear* a Court dress once. or. if it be of extremely great value, twiev. but all the trimmings and decoration* must be entirely changed before she wears it a second time. A few year* ago she indulged in a length of Lyon-r-ilk, snow-white and adorned with llo\ver«, birds, and foliage iu relief. She intended it for a dress, but changed her mind and used it for a curtain. The price paid for this costly fabric was actually i:2b a yard!

Her husband is not far behind her. for the Kaiser is naid to have over J.OUO different suits of clothes and HIM) pair- ot' trousers, and he could ecrtainly wear ;• different uniform for every day in the year. Sundays included. It is well known, indeed, that he changers hi- uniform hali-a-dozen times a day for various function* and ceremonies, although he will wear the same suit several times in all. There is a certain Uoyal per-tm-dgt, however, iu the confine* of the Uvmau Kmpire who beats his Sovereign hollow, for he attires himself in a bran 1new suit for every day in the year and runs up a tailor's bill amounting to many thousands of pounds per annum. He anoints bin 3(53 yearly suits with ?t«lar of roses at t!5 an ounee. He wea>at least -three necktie- a day. or miwards of 1(100 in the cour-e of a year, and uses upward* of 200 pairs of boots and shoes in the same period.