The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-11-07
HALF SIZES IN C. 0TRES
Browning, King & Co., The 0dglnatsrs
the Latest In Exact Measurements.

The Introduction this season Of half
sizes IN clothing by the originators,
Browning. King & Co. gives rise 10 quite
an interesting controversy on clothing
sizes in retail circles.
Browning. King g. Co. have been at
work ON half sizes for "A year. and at first
contemplated bringing the new idea out
last spring, but later 81 was decided 10
introduce IL for fall The first announce
ment of the innovation woke other cloth
iers To A realization OF just whore they
were "at." 4 few years sgo when a GER
tain clothier advertised every size clothes
for every size man, and stated that the
system embraced seven distinct sizes, the
idea of including in any retail stock so
many different sizes was poohpoohed, not
as impractical but as encumbering. Since
then, however, almost every clothier or
any importance at all has repeatedly
dwelt upon this same idea, announcing In
advertisements that size for every size
man was 10 be found in his stock. Now
that Browning, King a Co. are reaping
harvest frntn- -tha- hard 10 at people with
their half sizes-which are not only very
much talked about, but looked upon by
other clothiers as about the strongest sell
ing point introduced in clothing I'm long
time are others who desire 10 i'm
press the public with the fact that they
have a number Of sizes for men Of differ
ent proportions. The following adver-
tisement by a certain New York city
house recently. tells its own story: I'VE
don't care what size you take. We know
we make il. because We make five sizes
for every chest measure II the tape
shows AZ inches cnest, YOU need a A.
regular. AZ long, AZ short. a AZ stout,
or AZ short stout We've been especial
ly happy i'm fitting our good natured short
stout friends. Being able 10 have SO
many sizes is one of the incidental ad-
vantages Of doing a big business"
To tho initiated these five sizes" do
not include any size not to be found in
the well stocked clothing store Brown
ing King a Co. took up the gauntlet, 80
To speak, I'm their advertisement as fol-
lows: Browning. King e. Co, origina
tors and sole makers Of half-sizes In
clothing Why half sizes are necessary. A
man, size 40. may be foot ,, or as tall
as foot 3. To ht him in either case.
we cut regular, regular short, stouts.
longs. extra longs-five sizes all having
the same breadth. The man OF a half
inch larger measurement now has the
same variety at all our stores-and no.
where else. This has been the way with
hats, shoes, gloves and collars; why not
with coats? Measure yourself--are you
Just an even size or half an inch larger
Your tailor. Ike your conscience said
Beau Brummell must be true in taking
your measure
In the controversy on sizes. those most
interested made tho discovery that in the
majority of special order houses making
clothes TO measure for hard TO fit pa
irons Of the ready made cother, half
inch measurements predominate. This
would seem to be a strong argument In
favor of half sizes.
Whether the firms remarkable business
this -eeaseH-i--+itfe ifrif sizes, TO its
styles and fabrics, to the general pros
perity OF the country. or To all OF these
things together, 1t would be hard 10 say,
yet that the stores are getting a crafty
ing demand for half sizes Is significant.
At any rate the Browning, King & Co.
stores. IL is stated. have made immense
gains every week since the season opened
over the corresponding weeks OF last year.