The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-17
A WOMAN Of
THE PLAIN TYPE
The New Mistress of the White
House Has Never Appeared
in an Imported Gown.
iLWAyS A CONSERVATIVE BUYER,
} cs Her Own Marketing and Never
as Had Secretary or House.
iecpcr.-Iiats Not Always Bccom-
g. Knows Just What She Wants.

..-, KNOWS just What She Wants.
Washington, ID, C.-ln the matter
80 "lothes the next mistress of the
white House is woman of the plain
type While Mrs Tart is always well
ana usually handsomely gowned her
clothes are never the first thing
which attracts the attention OF the
stranger. Her taste runs to the
plain cloth and rich silks. She is
emphatically not the tailor-made,
silk-lined woman. Her favorite col
ors for the street are brown and
gray and for evening wear pink al
most invariably.
She has never appeared in an i'm
ported gown. She has had a number
Of evening gowns made of the fasci-
mating, flmy Philippine fabrics,
which she brought back to the States
with her after her long residence in
Manila. And yet she brought only
what she might have actual need OF
In the near future. According to her
thrifty nature, she purchases only
what she can see a use for. Mrs.
Taft has never been wealthy. Her
money is always spent judiciously.
Mrs. Taft patronizcs always the
conservative establishments. Good
value for the money Is what she
looks for first in shopping. She rare
ly goes into the cheap stores. except
for unimportant articles, which
careful women know how to buy
During her residence in Washington
she las done her purchasing mainly
In the shops along F street. When
In Cincinnati, she buys there. She
has been known to patronize the tai
lor in Baltimore who sometimes
makes gowns for Mrs. Roosevelt and
Mrs. Metcalf. and she also patron
ICES the Sisters of St. Rose Indus
trial School in Washington, who are
famous for their handmade French
underwear.
1t is in her hats that Mrs. Taft
IS somewhat lacking, as she often
5e'S unbecoming ones. She has not
'}"elred In Washington in large
s. ever; they run in fashion to
English or walking styles. OF
YES she wears six and a quarter.
rs Taft has one failing in wearing
Yer clothes. Her skirts frequently
do not set" we'll.
Mrs. Taft and her daughter are
both careful buyers. In doing holi-
day shopping, they rarely are guilty
of purchasing useless trifles They
go about months before the holiday
week, and by the time other shop
pere are beginning to think Of buy
ing, their gifts are bought and care
FULLY put away, carefully labeled, |
awaiting the auspicious day. In this
respect Mrs. Taft is much like Mrs. |
Roosevelt, only that Mrs. Roosevelt |
does much Of her gift shopping in
the jewelry shops. while Mrs. Taft |
is more apt to look in the department |
or notion stores.
While both Mrs. Roosevelt and
Mrs. Taft frequently visit the shop !
ping districts, one must know them |
personally to recognize them, so un-
ostentatiously do they go about. In
stead or dashing up to a shop in a |
"a aarriage. they walk briskly along the
street, accompanied usually by some
favored friend, always choosing the
morning hours, when the crowd is
not SO large.
AS buyers, Mrs. Roosevelt and /
Mrs. Taft are unlike, for the latter
always knows exactly what she wants
and can see at glance how nearly
an article can answer her purpose.
She needs no advice, except occa-
sionally that of her daughter. Mrs.
Roosevelt rather prefers to consult
some one else's taste and Judgment.
The Taft household is dominated
by the mistress Of it except when the
master of 1t is in 1t, AS a matter of
fact. he does not dominate it then,
but only thinks he does. 1t Is only
the clever woman who can create
that delusion. Mrs Taft does her
own marketing. She has never had
a social secretary nor a housekeep-
or, nor has she done her house
hold buying over the telephone ex-
aept in emergency.