Answer:
The author emphasizes the value of Della’s hair by contrasting its beauty with the plainness of her possessions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author describes the scene in this way because he wants to emphasize how valuable and beautiful Della's hair is. The author describes Della's hair in many positive ways, and he states that her hair was almost a piece of clothing. He wants to highlight the beauty of it, and he does so by comparing it to her actual clothes. The clothes are plain, old and brown, and not nearly as beautiful as her hair.