Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-10
SUMNER GOODS IN WINTER.
Bargains in Light Underwear Snapped
Up by Women at This Season.

From the New York Times.
"It may seem homogeneous, and even ridic-
ulous" said the manager of a large de-
partment store uptown, for women to go
rushing around town in the snow the day
after Christmas buying bargains in sum-
mer underwear and cotton goods that can
be of no possible use to them until the
leaves are green on the trees. But the fact
that thousands of them have been doing it
since the stores opened last Friday morning
speaks we'll for their thrift
II suppose 1t would be hard to find a
man in New York who gives a thought to
his summer underwear while the winter
winds whistle, but it is safe to say that
seven out of ten women in the city will
have their summer muslins well out Of the
way before the LIST of February; and by
buying it early in the new year they can
put away tidy little sum to help out on
the summer vacation. That is why all the
big dry goods stores advertisements in the
newspapers just now are devoted to bar
gains in summer fabrics.
Bargain sales of summer goods in mid
winter are result of new conditions in
trade and Of combination of interests. In,
the summer and the early fall business is
very dull with manufacturers Of cotton
goods. For current business it would be
scarcely worth while for them to keep their
mills in operation. Sewing women and
others necessary in getting up such mate
rial are to be hired cheaper then. Buyers
for big dry goods houses know this and
take advantage of it. BY combinati or
ders placed with the manufacturers they
can get vast amount Of work done at
cheaper rates, which enables them to throw
lot of it on the market after Christmas
at prices that a thrifty woman cannot re-
Sist.
These sales are by no means confined
to women who are obliged to be economical
in their household expenses. Women of
1uy wi n 90 or ont md
after for the summer months, are great
buyers at the midwinter muslin and linen
sales. New goods? Every stitch of them.
No house that cared dollar for it's repu-
tation would dare carry its muslin and
linen stock over for year. Women are
more careful buyers in this branch of the
business than almost any other.
After the August sale, which is never
SO large as the January sale, dispose
Of leftover stock to smaller dealers at
prices that enable them to sell at fair
profit, but We would rather give it way
than keep it In stock In a department
space is a matter Of much consideration.
For that matter the same thing is true
In fiat or an apartment. The superf1uous
clothes Of many family are kept under
the bed. There is no other place for them.
The scant closet room afforded is required
for garments needed from day to day. If
a woman is lucky, she has a couch bunk
in box form as place to keep her muslins
and things.
True, a large number Of mems white
and madras shirts are bought in the mid
winter sale Of white goods. But they are
not bought by men. You would be sur
prised to know what a large number of
men trust absolutely to their wives in buy
ing their shirts Many men do not even
know the size Of the shirts they wear. The
woman buys the shirts at the winter sale.
puts them in storage under the bed, and
trots them out In due time with a dollar
or two to her own advantage out Of the
transaction.
There are very few Christmas goods
left over, even in the dullest season. This
year buying was so brisk that almost
everybody was cleaned out. What 1 mean
is that manufacturers are gradually elm
mating from the market the old style of
Christmas presents. and substituting gifts
that can be carried for stock all the year
around"