Product Description

First published in 1937, ORCHIDS ON YOUR BUDGET gives advice on all manner of subjects, from entertaining and creating the perfect capsule wardrobe to relinquishing the family estate. Lest you worry about how to put the advice into practice, each chapter concludes with a case study providing examples of women who heeded - and those lamentable souls who ignored - Marjorie's wise words. 'It's not difficult to have fun out of economising (up to a point), both because of the sense of achievement it gives you and because everyone else is doing it, too ...A slight financial pressure sharpens the wits, though it needn't sharpen the disposition. But it takes an interesting person to have an attractive menage on a shoe-string and to run it with gaiety and charm ...Maybe you would rather play polo than pingpong, but if you've got an old pingpong set and no ponies, you'll get a lot more fun out of life from being a pingpong champion than from taking a dispirited whack with a polo mallet every now and then.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7157 in Books
• Published on: 2009-09-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

About the Author
Marjorie Hillis (1889-1971) worked for Vogue for over twenty years, where she became assistant editor. She was one of a growing number of independent, professional women who lived alone by choice. In 1936 she wrote LIVE ALONE AND LIKE IT (9781844081257), the superlative guide for 'bachelor ladies' (who became known as 'live-aloners'). It was an instant bestseller.

Customer Reviews

Orchids on your budget
This is an excellent book, which covers subjects such as clothes, the home, entertaining - and includes a chapter entitled "husbands - can you afford one?". Throughout, the author emphasises the importance of taking a creative and cheerful approach towards economising, and encourages her readers to prioritise so that they can afford orchids - or whatever their preferred luxuries are. In the section on clothes, where she lays down firm rules about planning one's wardrobe for maximum versatility, she points out that though many women believe they would be well-dressed if they were rich, in her view those who know about clothes, and make them a priority, will be well-dressed essentially regardless of wealth or poverty.

Her ideas on entertaining are also stylish and creative, including suggestions for holding brunches or afternoon teas as a more economical and unusual alternative to fancy dinners.

Besides her tips on style on a budget, the author takes a very firm line with those who get into serious financial difficulty.

Although the book was written in 1937, it has generally stood the test of time very well, and as the advice was given shortly after a time of general depression in US, much of it resonates now.