Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-14
SOME MEAN CUSTOMERS.
Rabid Extent of Feminine Parsimony
in London.
From the London Telegraph.

From the London Telegraph.
Heads Of departments and shop assists
ants are busy people, and to hinder them
with much questioning as to the deli1v
Quences of mean customers would bring
one into the same category In their eyes
as those undesirable persons. Still, the
fact that they exist Is admitted. and they
are not confined to the patrons Of any par
ticular class of establishment The court
modiste at the one end OF the scale knows
them as demanding gowns. with the large
quantities of soft fabrics and elabora ton
Of embroidery and effects that character
lied last summers modes, for the same
price as was paid three years ago. when
simpler styles. involving less material pre-.
vailed. At the other extreme the ''pushs
ing draper encounters them constantly
requiring more cheap lace and more show
mess In the blouse at is. 11Ed. II Is even
possible to form some idea OF their ratio
to buyers of the ordinary type, and the
manager of a great house. meeting the re-
Quirements of customers of almost every
social grade, laid 1t down result Of
long observation that about per cent
might be classed as disagreeable and per
cent would be actually unreasonable. Tho
assistants, however, In good and weiY
reputed shops were taught that every e1
fort must be made to satisfy and please
customers, who certainly had the right TO
refuse things that did not meet their needs.
From the shopkeeper's point Of view 1t
would be a great mistake to allow ladies'
to think that it was regarded as q trouble
to afford them the widest possible range
of choice. and a customer was often pleased
when the assistant brought several eX-
amples Of the item demanded or mentioned
that others of higher or lower price We're
in stock
Feminine parsimony. 1t would appear. IS
almost as keenly displayed over silken un~
derskirts it is In gloves or millinery
MI
it essential to make a display of payly hued
frills beneath her gown. But she has NOT
the three to five guineaS that would be the
cost Of genuine and durable silk petit
coat to spend what was originally
luxurious accessory. though she wants
something to look like 1t. The 'enterpris-
ing manufacturer has entered into conn
petition on her behalf. and produces at any
price from 9s. to los. lid. something in the
color OF the moment. be this cerise or
emerald or mandarin, with an abundance or
fuss and fril and rustic which Il most
captivating TO the bargain hunter. But the
silk so-called Is of the poorest foreign man
ufacture and Is adulterated to its utmost
limits, with the result that two or three
days wear sees il cut and slit In all direc-
lions. Then the buyer brings it back, de-
mands q new one in exchange, or that her
money shall be refunded, and leaves In high
| dudgeon when it is explained that she 'nad
| quite as good value as she could have exs
| pected at the price.
The ready-made costumes especially ar
| sale times, also lead to somewhat niggardiy
| demonstrations. When the shop makes an
nouncement that it will offer several hum
| dred say of coats and skirts at los. 1ld,
| there is, of course, prima rily rush to Sc
| cure those in the most popular colors ana
styles which Is, perhaps. only natural. But'
however low the price may be, the puT-
chaser is wont to think IT a gross imposition
IL she asks for alterations and Is expected
to pay for them. She probably does not
give a thought to the conditions under
which such costumes would have been pro-
duced, or how II would only be possible 10
present them when the shop had made q
huge wholesale purchase for cash from
manufacturer. If she consents to pay the
shilling or two charged to lengthen skirt,
shorten a sleeve or some such amendment,
she expresses plainly her displeasure. and
the forew oman of the department and the
filter exchange glances she points OUT
what she thinks Is needed. which, II car
ried out, would Re practically remaking. AS
one of these conversation remarked,
| when we give lady estimate for q
dress. and she orders II. she expects that it
shall fit and don mind any reasonable
trouble to make !, d. So but IT is hardly
fair to look Cor as much pains and atten-
ton over a sale hareain. though there seem
to be many who ihnt that all that is IN.
Guided.