DODGES OF THE SMART SET

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 290, 2 December 1908, Page 4

DODGES OF THE SMART SET

KK--OED OUT JN OTHEIt t'EUI'LE'S FLSEIIV. (English p.ipi'i".)

It is really astonishing «hat some people will do in order to look smart and to be in the fasliioij. They will adopt all sorts of dodges, sometimes questionable and even dishonest ; and others there are who hire practically everything they need—the clothes tliev wear and the jewels that adorn them—just to outshine their rivals and to dazzle the public eye at a swell function. In the courts the other day in a provincial city, counsel related a singular practice which, he said, was resorted to by some of the smart set. This was for ladies to order a garment for a certain fashionable function, wear it ou that occasion, and then return it to the makers, stating that it did not suit. The people usually take good care to ask for the clothes to be sent "on approval. 1 ' If they get soiled they, of course, have to keep them, but if not—back they go to the shop. This is how a certain number of people " keep up appearances " on nothing. The same kind of thing is practised to an extraordinary extent in regard to jewellery. A well-known shopkeeper in town, who has special lines of his own make which can be easily idenlilicd, slated that he has again and again recognised his own goods, which had been obtained by well-to-do people " on approval," being worn at the Lord Mayor's ball. When this is over these smart people, who have enjoyed a sort of peacock delirium for a few hours on the cheap, scud their jewels back on the ground of mi suitability. The jeweller knows, in fact, that th_>Y have been " most suitable" for their own convenience, but he is quite helpless. Ho dare not even suggest anything of the kind, especially if the "ladies" in question have many society acquaintances who make their purchases from him. There is nothing «o damaging to the trader as society scandal. So he must grin and bear these sharp practices, and make things balance as best he may.

Kveii in this unsentimental age it is diflieult to conceive that any bride would care to wear borrowed clothing, veil and orange blossoms. But the objection is less real than it would seem. In view o£ th* fact that an appearance at the hymeneal alter, generally speaking, happens only once in a lifetime, there are business-like brides who have seriously argued it out whether the money for purchasing a wedding dres* is really well expended. A girl-bride may now be gowned on hiring -principle in the most elaborate Parisian made-dress, which has cost anything up to £2OO. for a CIO note. Among the jewellery factors of Birmingham. from which place most of tin Knglish jewellery comes, quite a new branch of the business has been opened out. There is no hard and fast line a*. regards the term for loaning jewellery. When the security is gilt-edged the interest i« usually at the rate of 2 1 /* P cr cent, on the value, but as the degree of risk increases : <o does the hiring fee. A gentleman not satisfied with an I-O-Uas security was actually given a lien on a suburban villa and the whole of the fur- 1 niture. just in older that several young ladies, the daughters of the owner, ! might, go lo a ball bedecked with gold and diamonds ! j Care i> a'way* exercised in the selection of patrons. As a rule they must be "approved," but great risks are run. nevertheless. The lender secures himself, as far as he can, by the I-O-U, and by charging specially liijfjli prepaid term-. In what wa« considered a "risky" case, as much as ten guineas has been charged for the loan for an evening of Cl2<l -worth of jewellery, a few diamonds and an abundance of superior artificial gems.