"A new dress"

At the beginning of the story Rita said that to compensate herself in a way for her boring life, she would buy her a new dress in order to feel happy and not to worry about it, instead of making an effort by being educated to understand life and try to solve hers.
But then, she decided that she would not buy a new dress unless she became educated.
At this particular moment in the play, Frank thinks that Rita is already an educated woman who is able to make her own decisions and take charge of her own life.