Its either personification or imagery but i'd go with personification since it kind of lacks imagery words and its a bit hard to picture that event :)
The process of taking in and fully understanding information or ideas.
I think she can see that there is skepticism in terms of the marital roles played by husband and wife. Because of her upbringing, Chopin was able to see through the discrimination of the marital roles. Especially when her husband constantly reminds her of how she should acts or what she is expected to do.
She wants to appear that she can afford to wear these things
