The evening times., 1898-10-12
FAIR and BUSY SHOPPERS
Streets and Stores Crowded by
Purchasers.
THE COMING THEATER HAT
Beautiful Garments, Laces and En-
brofdery Piled High on the shop
Counters for the Inspection of
Feminine Army of Admircrs-The
Tastes of Washington Women.

The gentler sex is very much in evil
dence out of doors today, and with good
reason, for it is an ideal day for shop
ping. The air has just enough sharpness
in it to suggest that winter is approach
ing; that straw hats and summer gowns
must give way to warm wraps and winter
gowns and headgear.
For the busy shoppers who have taken
advantage of the sunny skies and the
fresh breeZes the most attractive of the
seasons novelties are effectively display
ed. Piled high on store counters in the
district where women delight to wauier
are surface broadcloths IN rich. subdUed
colors, nobby cloths of rougher texture,
poplins. handsome silks for gowns and
waists. soft crepons, delicate fabrics for
evening wear. laces, trimminSs-all the
accessories of the well-made gown down
10 the dainty little round-cornered French
handkerchief.
As 10 handkerchiefs. the old-fashioned.
hand-embroidered ones have come in
fashion again The embroidery is exquis-
ite. While it is all in white, some of II is
done with so much skill that the leaves
and flowers of the designs look as though
they were shaded. OF course, the pur-
chaser has TO pay more for such handker-
chiefs than for those embroidered by ma
chine. The price varies with the amount
of work Some Of the less elaborate ones
are comparatively inexpensive: others run
from $40 to s25.
In the cloak and millinery departments
the display is just as attractive. Long
golf capes, fancy cloth and velvet wraps
stylish little jackets, stunning peIisses
vie with each other in attracting the eye
Then the ready-made gown, with skirt
and jacket of the latest cut, demands
I its share of attention
There never was more attractive dis
! play of millinery goods. the most pre-
! cious of all wearing apparel TO femi-
! mines. The newest thing in this line is
! the "Reboux' bow. which is to take the
/ place this winter of the theater bonnet.
! On the head it looks something like a
toQue but il is really nothing but a
large bowknot bow of black or light-col-
| ored velvet. 1t has no crown not an or
| nament. not even so much as an al
| grette but il is very chic
The head of one large firm said: Wash
ington women prefer subdued to fiashy
colors. and they are excellent judges ot
qualities" In speaking of the outloool
for the present season, he said: 1T i:
very good, The season is late in begin.
ming but that is due TO the warm weath
er. II is always more difficult TO ge
things going in the fan than in tht
spring. as Washingtonians stay out o
town until so late. People don't bu.
in the autumn until they have to. 1t i
just the reverse with our trade in sum
mer goods. That begins in January. ant
we really do a better business in sum
mer goods then than We do two or thre
months later. The people who buy il
January know that they will want tn
goods later, and they buy just as 500
as the spring materials come out. Othe
people are like the fall purchasers-the
don't buy until they have to-
The social phase is one of the mos
attractive features to a Washington shop
per. 1t is a common thing in the larg
stores to see group of well-dresse
women having a cozy chat over the bar
gain counter. Many of the stores ar
convenient meeting places for debutant
friends. mothers and married daughter:
school girls club women. and for won
en- interested in all sorts of affairs
Apropos of shopping. a new field of In
, dustry is opening for women. Som
women who have taste for shoppins
who have q good eye for coIors an
qualities, have taken up the roe OF pre-
fessional shopping. and some of theI
make A comfortable living out of it. Lik
everything else, it is attended by ce,
tain amount of risk financially The pre-
I fessional shopper usually does the shor
t ping for out-of-town people. Sometime
they are her own personal friends. an
: then. of course, 1t is attended with com
| parative little risk
When woman makes up her mind
go into the business of shopping to an
extent she goes to the heads of the di
ferent firms with which she expects
deal and registers her name, finds OF
what discount will be given, and ais
n whether she can open a credit accoun
: To secure the credit account she has
e go through the same formality that an
4 | other woman has to do when she want
| to open an account. If she Is Marie
woman, she gives the occupation an
:, business of her husband, she states tn
II amount of credit desired and gives a Ii:
of references.
She may have to wait a little while b
fore definite answer can be given.
she is a Washingtonian the busine
standing of those to whom she has refe
red can be decided at once by a referen,
Y. to some commercial agency If she COM
from some other city and is an utt
y stranger in Washington, the I,st of refe
ences includes the firms WITH which 81
n dealt in her own home. They are tel
Il graphed to, or a letter is sent if there
IF no reason for special hurry. and upo
:. their answer depends the decision of Il
firm. In almost all cases credit is +
y fused unless the shopper does a stric.
IL cash business on her own account. F
instance, when she sends her samples
e her customers they must send with Il
e order money order or check GOVERN
i the amount to be spent.
The amount of discount given by 4
different stores varies from to 10 T
cent. The same discount is given to DIRE
makers, to tradespeople. to people w
buy large outfits, such as bridal trou
seaus., to all charitable institutions al
i of ha ras.ranti1,f ct