Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 February 1911 — May Dare to Be Shabby [ARTICLE]

May Dare to Be Shabby

Carelessness in Clothes Gives Impression That Wearer Is Wealthy, Says Woman Who Knows. ‘•There are two ways of Impressing people,” said a woman who had knocked about the world a good deal. “You can be very smart or you can be directly shabby. For a woman of small means I recommend the second way, and I can speak with some authority, since I have followed my theory for a long time. "Before I adopted It myself I watched it In operation. I know an old lady of some means, but not rich, who lived In a good hotel. Everybody received more or less consideration from the management, but this old lady was the mogul of the place. “She paid no more for her rooms than the others, and she spent less In the dining room, and I was at a loss to account for the fact that she commanded instant and implicit obedience, even in the most exacting requests, until one day, when the hotel clerk, having seen me In conversation with her. said casually: * *’ ’You know she’s awfully rich.’ “So one day I told her of this, and asked how * the rumor of her great wealth ever started. She laughed. " ‘lt’s my clothes, my dear,’ she said. “ ‘As you know I am interested In so many things that I have not much money left over for clothes. Two gowns at a time are all I can afford, and going out so little 1 wear them for at least a year or tiro. “ They cannot Imagine a woman economizing in clothes, and they Interpret my lack of vanity an to the carelessness a woman known to be rich has for details. I’d love to hava

clothes If I felt I could •'fford them, at least I would have llkec. them once, but now. that I find the consideration bestowed on my eccentric shabbiness I am not'sure that the change would not be for the worse. “ ‘I have the best table in the dining room. The other day some people who must spend twice as much as I do had a table near me, and annoyed me by their talking and laughing. I complained, and their table was changed. • * “ ’lf they should object they would have to leave, for the management Is not going to offend a woman of millions like myself. I was thinking of getting a new bonnet this year, but as it might lower my social position I shall probably continue to wear the one I bought eight years ago.’ “This is a scheme that works in any number of directions. I personally ccnnot afford to dress as well as most of the women I know, so I make a point of dressing less well even than I can afford. They all know 1 could do a bit better than 1 do.”—Philadelphia Public Ledger.