The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1904-08-06
BUYERS MOSTLY WOMEN
Principal Customers in Men,s n
nishing Stores-Clerks Dread
Their Approach.

Women used 10 go past the ais,..
where mems furnishings were III
with timid steps and averted eyes \
Christmas time they did grow ma
enough TO advance in schools on =.
neckwear and mufier counters -
make splendid spoil of all grades ana
styles, but during the rest of the ve.s
the aisles of the mems furnishing a.,
partment echoed only to the voices =,
men or perhaps occasionally to tbs
thick, sweet tones of some old-fasb.
Toned house mother who was bent on
taking good care of "her man"
All this is changed now. says tbs
Chicago Tribune. Women are fast he
coming the principal buyers in this
department. More than half the Gus.
toners are women and their number
is increasing every day. The increas.
ing dependence of great numbers of
people on charge accounts encourages
women to buy for the entire house.
hold, including their men folks. Then
women have more time as a rule in
which to do shopping and certainly
In a general way women know more
about shopping than men do.
The clerks dread the approach of a
woman in the mems furnishing de-
partment. When a woman leads her
husband up to the neckwear counter
with the triumphant intention written
large on her face of buying him an
artistic tie, the salesman Is ant tn
sigh and square his shoulders for hard
work.
Perhaps the man will pick cut a
Hice black satin with big red polka
dots on it and then his wife will say.
20, John, red is SO common! This
black and white is more refined look
ing. Don't you think so?"
Or perhaps she will insist on having
the clerk examine the thread Of green
In her husbands coat sleeve. 81 want
a gros grain four-in-hand Just the
color of that" she announces. The
clerk %shudders. He must match that
WOODEN thread in a silk tie! Only a
woman ever sets a clerk such a task as
that.
The man who comes in with his wife
to buy a tie is really a victim. He al
most invariably gives up his W
choice and buys what pleases his wife.
Once in awhile a nan will assert him
self SO far to refuse to buy anything,
leaving the counter with the remark,
III come back when my wife isn't
along and pick out something" 1t is
a rare man, indeed, who actually BUYS
a tie that his wife frankly disapproves
of-that is, while she stands at his ell
bow expostulating.
One woman whose husband thinks
he couldn't buy a tie without her real
ly doesn't know at all what Is becom-
or suitable Tor her husband, but as
she relies on the salesman she gets the
credit of buying all her husbands sue
ties. But it is a rare woman
who does not use her prerogative
when she gets a chance.
Women who come in alone to buy
mems furnishings usually know what
hey want and make good selections.
Once in awhile a woman tries to buv
underwear without knowing what size
The wants; some of them seem to
hink the clerk can tell them the size
u a mans shirt by his weight or his
'ge or even the color of his hair.
There is one counter where the
woman who doesn't quite know what
he wants is welcome-at the neck
Vear counter. She wants a gentle
tle,' but she doesn't know
'hether it is for morning wear or
Venlng, a puff or a string. She is
eally the salesman's delight. for he ;s
lre to sell her something. Ninety-nine
mes out of a hundred even the most
experienced clerk succeeds. All he
to do is 10 fix her preference. The
they all dread is the one who
as her mind all made up to find some
npossfble combination of color, style
nd material.
but the woman who draws all eyes
the young bride. She bushes. She
shy, uncertain. She is buying I'M
erwear or hosiery for her husband for
le hrst time, and whether she is
'oud OF the privileges or really pain
embarrassed, she is equally in
resting. Of course, the clerks make
'lieVe they think she Is an old hand
buying masculine attire, although
e is too preoccupied to perceive
cir covert looks of amusement. Be-
aes being interesting she is a good
from a practical point Of
Tor she usually buys what the
'rk recommends.