Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-15
THE REAUTIFUL IN HOSIERY
Some of the New Tints and Designs in
Imported Silk Stockings.

Recent impOrtatiOns of fine silk stock
ings for ladies are simpler in design than
were former fashions. Striped hose are
gone. So also are those fancy things
which were adorned with flowers and
birds and snakes.
To San reporter bright, clever sales
woman in a retail store said: '"rhe STYLES
this year are-I was going to say they
are just too lovely for anything, but you
newspaper men make so much fun of
that expression | guess / won't use it.
But indeed the new styles are lovely.
They are in such exquisite shades. Will
| show you some? Certainly. This is
the latest shade. It's called the electric
blue. Everything's electric blue this
winter. Too pale? Yes, think so. too.
Now here's some of the newest heavy
ribbed goods. Did you ever see any
thing so neat and so pretty and so
rich? They come in all shades, but are of
solid color. Here's a silver lavender, and
here's turquOis, and here's a Russian
blue, and here's Il Jet black, and here's an
orange, and-oh. just lOOk-here's the
ashes of roses! Isn't it perfectly beauti-
ful? In my opinion the ashes of rose
but beg pardon, what did you say? Can
we tell by the size Of the foot whether the
stocking will fit the ankle? o, yes; you
see-but won't you please excuse me,
here comes one of my customers. I'll
send our buyer to you. He knows Il great
deal more about hosiery than | do In
deed he does"
''There's no trouble about the fit" said
the buyer. ''Fine silk is very elastic 1t
will give either in breadth or in length.
Ii it is too broad it will become the right
size by pulling it up higher. See how
this stocking stretches. 1t will fit the leg
like kid glove fits the hand. The sizes
ranged from eight to ten. In Baltimore
the average is from eight to eight and Il
half. In Boston and Chicago it is from
nine to nine and half, and in New York
from eight and a half to nine. 1t is Il
we'll known fact among hosiery dealers
that the women of, Baltimore have
the smallest feet in the country. WHY.
there's not day passes without some lady
asking for seven and a half, which is a
girls size. l said asking but that was
a slip of the tongue. They don't ask for
any particular size. Nor do we ever
guess at the size. We show them the dif-
ferent shades and they make their selec-
tiOns, apparently without noticing the
size. There are, of course, exceptions to
this rule, but why most of the women Of
Baltimore should be so diplomatic about
buying stockings is something | can't see
any reason for. If | were in Boston or
Chicago or st. Louis l could readily un-
derstand the object.
eyes, there are lots of high-priced stock
ings sold i'll Baltimore. Here's a pair
worth $15. This style is known as the
CZarina. Each stocking is made in parts
and then woven together after the man
ner of an Indian shawl. There are four
or five distinct cOlors in this design. The
CZarina, the sandal fronts and other
freaks Of fancy designing are worn in the
evening and at parties. Black stockings
are worn at all times. and are very popu-
lar. The foot and ankle look smaller in
black than in any other color.
1.-The fashions in hosiery are set by the
women themselves. When | went to Eu-
rope this summer l found that the man
ufacturers had been making striped hose.
AS the tendency of this country was to-
ward solid colOrs. American buyers gave
orders accordingly. The striped hose was
Immediately put aside, and the manufac-
ture of solid colors begun. Tney arenOw
working day and night to supply the de-
mand. The best silk stockings sell from
$4 to SIS pair. Silk hose for babies sell
for 81 30 a pair"