1007. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
73 
HOW MUCH FOR CLOTHES? 
Annual Expenditure of the 
Average Woman. 
Some time ago the late Edward Atkinson 
conducted an inquiry into the annual cost 
of clothes necessary for the average woman 
earning her own living. Ills decision was 
that a town or city woman could be comfort¬ 
ably clad for $65 a year. The following views 
will be found interesting to rural women, 
but it must be remembered that the cost of 
clothing has continued to increase for several 
years past, and the most recent estimates 
would allow for this. 
From Connecticut. 
I must confess, to my sorrow, that I 
belong to the “town working women” 
rather than those of the farm, still I have 
some knowledge of both. Mr. Atkinson 
was undoubtedly correct in his estimate; 
a woman could dress “neatly and com¬ 
fortably” on $65, but it would be very 
plainly, and only possible for her to be 
really .respectable if she has the time and 
ability to sew quite a little for herself. I 
give below an estimate which covers the 
necessities: Underclothing, $11.50, pro¬ 
vided she makes most of it; shoes and 
rubbers, $7.50; hats, $10; gloves, hand¬ 
kerchiefs, etc., $5. The remainder would 
admit of one suit and the materials for 
the necessary waists and house dresses, 
both of which she must make, with per¬ 
haps a storm coat one year and a “good 
dress” the next, but there must be no 
errors of judgment in buying, and I hope 
most farmers would want their wives and 
daughters to have more “pretty things.” 
SARAH E. FITCH. 
From New Hampshire. 
In this section I think no farmer’s wife 
spends more than $25 a year for clothes. 
This includes footwear. Some years 
more is spent, but for a term of five 
years the average will not exceed the 
above amount. The reason we spend so 
little is, that doing our own work, we 
have to wear dresses of wash material 
most of the time. Most of the farmer’s 
wives make all of their home dresses, and 
many make their visiting dresses. The 
house without a sewing machine is an ex¬ 
ception in this neighborhood. This, with 
a paper pattern and some common sense, 
enables one to be “neat and comfortable” 
if not very stylish. Some of the farmers’ 
wives I have spoken to tell me that they 
spend less than $15 during the year for 
clothes. As they dress better than most 
of us, I found they had clothing sent 
them that was out of style. This was 
sent by city friends. This clothing with 
the aid of the sewing machine, pattern 
and common sense, takes on a new lease 
of life. Edward Atkinson’s estimate for 
the town working woman is too low in 
my opinion, for $25 in the country will 
go farther than $75 in the city; at least 
this has been my personal experience. 
e. F. s. 
From Ohio. 
A group of country women discussing 
the statement made by a town man that 
$65 is sufficient for a woman’s clothes 
for one year unanimously exclaimed, “I’d 
like to have that much to spend on my¬ 
self every year,” but when it came to the 
cold figures each one had to admit that 
her wardrobe cost nearly that amount 
from January to January. Few country 
or town women either keep accounts, and 
with most of them it is mere guesswork 
what they do spend. However, there are 
thoughtful women everywhere who can 
calculate the cost of living to a penny, 
and it is from them the following state¬ 
ments have been gleaned. 
In this section of the country I have 
never seen a country woman wear a seal¬ 
skin jacket nor a $20 hat, but all the mer¬ 
chants unite in saying the country trade 
is the best. In fact, the store with a 
large list of patrons on farms is sure to 
succeed. Town women want the latest 
novelties, but the women in the country 
go in for sensible and durable fabrics. 
Tt may seem that $20 for a jacket or wrap 
eats a large hole in the $65 to begin with, 
but it must be remembered that wraps 
are not bought every season. A black 
silk dress is the standby of most country 
women, and answers alike for church, 
social gatherings, funerals and all occa¬ 
sions. A good silk dress will last a num¬ 
ber of years with a few alterations, and 
is cheaper in the end than a novelty wool 
gown that costs half the sum and soon 
gets out of shape. I have known coun¬ 
try women to wear cloth jacket suits four 
seasons, and always look well, but the 
suits were good to begin with. The same 
might be said of hats. Many country 
women haVe^ one new hat each year, 
wearing the Summer and Winter one two 
seasons, and thus having the expense di¬ 
vided. Old dress skirts washed and 
pressed make petticoats after they have 
done duty as house skirts, and the under¬ 
garments, except Winter ones, are nearly 
always made during the slack season, 
thereby reducing the cost. Of course the 
Winter undergarments were the ribbed 
ones sold by all stores, and last more than 
one season. Calico at six cents per yard 
and gingham about the same price, fur¬ 
nish the working dresses and aprons, and 
$4 a vear would cover all that most wom¬ 
en find necessary to look neat and clean. 
At a sewing circle of a country church 
where 40 women were present, most of 
them said they had adopted the plan of 
buying a jacket suit one year, a good 
black or other color dress the next, and a 
new wrap the third, thus averaging the 
heavy expenses in the right proportion. 
The jacket suit helped out when the 
wrap was getting shabby, and the best 
dress was good enough for all occasions. 
In addition to this each had about the 
same allowance for one silk waist a year, 
or a light wool, a thin waist or two, 
gloves and small articles like collars. It 
was a gathering of representative women, 
from the wife of the rich farmer to the 
tenant’s bride, but in the country the pas¬ 
sion for outdressing one’s neighbors has 
happily not yet arrived. Many of the 
women present could afford to spend 
much more on their clothes, but they are 
content to be neatly dressed without be¬ 
ing slaves to style. 
The following list would cover the cost 
of all the clothes the wives and daugh¬ 
ters of even rich farmers buy, and in 
many cases they look well on much less. 
A great deal depends upon the ability 
of the woman to make her own clothes, 
and to select trimmings for hats that 
will last several seasons. It also sup¬ 
poses that only good shoes are purchased, 
for shoddy ones are the most extravagant 
things on the market. .Year in and year 
out $65* is a very ample allowance for 
any country woman : Underclothing, $5 ; 
shoes, $10; hat and gloves, $6; wrap, $5 
(share of cost each year); dress, $15; 
everyday dresses, $4; extras, $10; total, 
$55. HILDA RICHMOND. 
From Pennsylvania. 
I have made out a list of what I 
would consider a working woman would 
really be obliged to have in order to be 
neatly and comfortably dressed in our 
climate. As I understand you to mean 
for one year’s supply, I have figured the 
cost of the material and the making and 
given you the actual cost of the same; 
that is, what it would amount to here. 
A woman would have to be very careful 
of her clothing in order to make my 
list supply her for that length of time, 
although she might be able to buy things 
cheaper than I have estimated them if 
she was in town where she could take 
advantage of the sale days. 1 do not 
seem to agree very well with Mr. Atkin¬ 
son on the subject, and I think perhaps 
he does not understand a woman’s needs 
any more than I would what a man might 
require, but T think it would make him 
squirm to dress himself for that length 
of time on $65. 
One best dress. $12.00 
Two working suits. ]<L50 
Two while shirt-waists. 3.50 
Two black petticoats. 3.00 
Two white petticoats. 3.50 
Four underskirts . 2.00 
Five night dresses. 7.00 
Five suits under-clothing. 5.00 
Corsets . 2.00 
Corset covers . i.no 
Aprons . 2.00 
Wraipper . I.oo 
Two dressing sacks. 2.50 
Six pairs stockings. 1.50 
Two pairs shoes. 0.00 
Four pairs rubbers. 1.80 
Two pairs gloves. 3.00 
Twelve handkerchiefs . .60 
Four hats . 10.00 
One Winter wrap. 10.00 
One Summer wrap. 5.00 
One fur boa. 6.00 
One umbrella . 1.50 
Collars, ribbons, etc. 3.00 
$103.40 
MRS. M. L. M. 
STIFFNESS, STITCHES, LAMENESS, CRAMP, 
TWISTS AND TWITCHES, ALL DECAMP WHEN 
YOU APPLY 
'L «T 
JACOBS 
OIL 
THE 
OLD-MONK-CURE 
TRAOI 
MARS. 
PRICE 
25 AND 50 CENTS 
EDdystomE 
PRINTS 
Simpson-Eddystone 
^5. Black & Whites 
The cost of making a dress often 
exceeds the cost of material. 
Simpson - Eddystone Prints out¬ 
wear the cost of making. Sub¬ 
stantial quality. Fast color. Some 
designs with a new silk finish. 
Ask your dealer /or Simpson- 
Eddystone Blach-and-Whites. 
Three generations of Simpsons 
have made Simpson Prints. 
The Eddystone Mfg. Co. (Sole Makers) Philadelphia. 
BROKEN CRACKERS 
are as fresli as whole 
ones and can tie bought 
at low prices from the factory of NEW ENGLAND 
BISCUIT CO., Worcester, Mass, manufacturers of 
the famous “Toasted Butter Crackers," "Little 
Brothers Lunch Biscuit,” etc. Write us. 
Buy Land Now Ann^Teo 
I can soil you farms and plantations today in deop, rich 
soil sections of Tennessee at $5 to $20 an aero for cash, 
or, on easy terms. You can raise cotton, wheat, potatoes, 
hay, vegetables, or fine stork fast enough in that fine, 
honlthful climate to quickly pay for your land, which is 
advancing in value rapidly with the prosperity of the South. 
Write me today for facts and free booklets. H. F. SMITH, 
Traffic Mgr. N. C. <fc St. Louis Ry..Nashville, Tonn. Dept.C. 
$5to $20 an Acre & going up 
of a 
YOU CAN SEE 
WITH YOUR OWN 
EYES just how hake 
_ or roast is progressing 
without losing a particle of 
heat from the incomparable oven 
| Sterling-Range] 
This isthe oven in which 16 -loavcs of bread may 
be baked at one time. Such a perfect flue system 
surrounds our oven that it bakes as well on one 
side as another. It’s necessary to do this in order 
to Lake a barrel of flour with a hod of coal,” 
and the. STERLING is the only range that can 
accomplish this feat. It will pay you to write for 
our booklet K, today. Know our patented features 
and you’ll know it really “ Has No Equal.” 
SILL STOVE W0RK8, Rochester, N. Y. 
VIRGINIA FARMS 
S 
$10 and Up per Acre. 
In "THE GREEN FIELDS OF VWGHUA’* 
on win grow bettor crops and raise finer stock at 
ess expense than elsewhore. You can buy a 
COMPLETE FARM FOR $500 
with comfortable, now three-room cottage, and 25 
acres for vegetables, fruit and poultry, Close to large 
eastern markets. Exeollont church, school, and social 
advantages. Abundanco of water and grass: snort 
mild winters; cheap land and labor; and excellent 
shipping facilities make this section very attractive 
to homeseokers and investors. 
Write for onr beautiful agricultural pamphlet, 
lists of farms, excursion rates, etc. 
F< H. LaBAUME, 
¥ 
„ Agrl 4 lndl. Agt. 
Norfolk a Western Ry, 
ox E I.Roanokc, Va. 
MAP OF THE 
WORLD 
OC- Valuable reference map 
in full colors, on heavy 
paper, 42 x 64 inches, mounted 
on rollers, edges bound in cloth. 
Shows our island possessions, 
Pacific Ocean cables, railway lines 
and other features of Japan, China, 
Manchuria, Korea, and the Far 
East. Sent on receipt of 25 cents 
in stamps. 
W. B. KNISKERN, P. T. M., 
CHICAGO, ILL. 
■Chicago & North-Western Railway 
R. N.-Y. —This list includes Winter 
wrap, Summer wrap, fur boa and um¬ 
brella all in one year, which is not eco¬ 
nomical buying, nor should she spend $7 
for nightgowns in one year, or $2.50 for 
dressing sacks. The most indifferent 
needlewoman can make a dressing sack 
or kimono, which takes 3 1 / 2 to four yards 
of material; flannelette at eight to 12 x / 2 
cents for Winter, lawn or dimity with 
the same price range for Summer. We 
also think $3.50 too much for two white 
waists; very pretty fancy ones can be 
bought for $1.50, which is as high as the 
suggested purse allows. 
The Bookshelf. 
Who’s Who, 1907.— This biographical 
annual is a most useful reference book, 
growing in importance every year. Tt is 
an English publication, but contains many 
American and foreign names. Each ref¬ 
erence gives full name, address, parent- 
aire, life work, as far as possible, and 
also recreations,_ though recreations are 
usually missing in the case of Americans; 
Such a book is most useful to teachers, 
writers, and people' in public life, and a 
necessity in a reference library. Pub¬ 
lished by the Macmillan Company, New 
York; 1,958 pages; price $2.50. 
‘A Kai&nvazoQ 
Direct to You" 
Kalamazoos are fuel savers,— 
They last a lifetime—• 
Economical in all respects— 
They are low in price and high in quality,—' 
They are easily operated and quickly sex up and 
made ready for business,— 
Buy from the actual manufacturer,— 
Your money returned if everything is not exactly as 
represented— 
You keep in your own pocket the dealers’ 
and jobbers’ profits when you buy a Kala¬ 
mazoo. 
WE PAY THE FREIGHT. 
We want to prove to you that you cannot 
buy a better stove or range than the Kala¬ 
mazoo, at any price. 
We want.to show you how and why you save from 20% to 40% 
in buying direct from our factory at factory prices. 
OAK STOVE HEATER, 
For All Kinds of Fuol. 
If you think $5, or 810, or 840, worth saving 
ROYAL STEEL RANGE 
For All Kinds of fuel. 
Send Postal for Catalogue No. 114 
Examine our complete line of stoves and ranges for all kinds of fuel. Note 
the high quality; compare our prices with others, and then decide to buy from 
actual manufacturers and save all middlemen’s profits. Catalog shows 267 styles 
and sizes for all kinds of fuel. Write now. Sold on 360 Days Approval Test. 
Kalamazoo Stove Co., Manufacturers, Kalamazoo, Mich. 
All Kalamazoo Qook Stores and Ranges are fitted with patent oven thermometer 
which makes baking ami roasting easy. All stoves blacked , polished 
and ready fur immediate use when you receive them. 
Oven 
Thermometer 
