The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-07-20
THE COST OF LIVING.
CONCLUDED PROM First PAG1

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PACED
20 get, he can always obtain a good substi-
tute with the money he originally intended
10 spend. Commission dealers say that it
Doesn't seem to matter what prices are
asked for articles this summer. for they
ran dispose Of any quantity at any price.
COST OF CLOTHING.
In regard TO clothing made to order. 1t is
NVeIl-nigh impossible TO make an average
or the prices and compare them with those
of various years. as custom tailors charge
all kinds OF rates. according TO their repu-
tation, location and class OF trade. The
heads OF the large r~eady-made clothing
houses fully agree that the prices have not
changed IN the last year; but that they have
materially changed IN the last five years.
They say that clothing is now selling a
trihe higher than it did "a few years ago
because the prices OF material and the
cost OF labor have increased. 1t is said
that now every person from the militant
20 the tailor is receiving double the wages
ne formerly did. As the production of
clothing is the third largest industry In
the country 1t goes TO show what an impor-
tant factor the making OF wearing apparel
Is TO the American people. The makers of
ready-made clothing have got it down
TO such a fine point that they can COM
pete with the custom tailors and there are
now so per cent. more people wearing ready
made clothes than five years ago. AL the
clothing merchants agree, however. that
there is a general disposition on the part Of
customers TO buy better grades of clothing
than formerly as a result OF the general
prosperous times. This is due not only TO
the general disposition OF Americans TO buy
better things when they ave more money,
but 10 an understanding OF the fact that
paying half as much again for a suit as a
cheap one costs will in many cases secure
double the wearing value. There has been
considerable more clothing sold this year
than formerly. OF course with ready-made
stun the price is not anything like what
the custom tailOrs charge, for dealers say
that they can give a man a perfect-ftting
end stylish suit made OF the best cloth for
from so 70 So. They further say that ready
made clothes can be bought from s. to SIS.
but the average paid for them is from SIS
20 SO.
WOMEN'S CLOTHES UNCERTAIN.
The prices OF women's clothes made by
dressmakers Is as uncertain as the charges
OF custom ~tailors. IL not more so. Those
who have charge OF departments where
women's ready-made clothes are sold say
that there can be no comparison between
the prices OF to-day and those Of four or
I'VE years ago. At that time the fad Of
women's r~eady-made dresses was in its In
fancy, and there has been such a material
change in everything connected with the
making OF them that no fair estimate OF
the price can be made now. But all agree
that the prices in this department have not
changed from last year. About the average
cost OF these costumes is from SD TO S25,
ara from this they go as high as $50. The
advantage OF the ready-made tailored dress
Is that II a woman IS economically inclined
shs can wear II for two or three seasons.
During the summer months many women
claim they can get along very nicely with
a tailored skirt and three or four shirt
w1ists. In these clothes il is a w~ell-known
fact that the material IS the least expen-
slFe part OF them and what costs is the
quality OF the workmanship.