Evening journal., 1908-11-10
WOMANKIND
MRS. TAFT'S TASTES
i'm DRESS ARE PLAIN
She is Always Well GOwned.
and Often Handsomely, But
Not at Any Time LaviShIy

NVe III niiy iuhtS AuStJhttJ
WASHINGTON. Nov i0-In the mat
ter of clothes the next mistress Of the
White House is woman of the pam
type While Mrs. Taft is always well
and usually handsomely gowned her
clothes are never the first thing whicn
attracts the attention Of tho stranger.
Her taste runs to the plain cloth and
rich silks She is cmphatically nos Tho
tailor-made silk-lined woman. Her Ia
vorite colors for the atfeet are brown
and gray and for evening wear pink.
almost Invariably.
She has never appeared in an imports
cd gown. She has hsd a number OF
evening gowns made Of the fascinating
hlmy Philippine fabrics. which she
brought back to the States with her
after her long residence IN Manila. And
vet she brought only what she might
have actual need of in the near future
According TO her thrifty nature. she
purchases only what sho can see a uss
for. Mrs. Taft has never been wealthy
Her money is always srent iudiciouslt.
Mrs. TAFT patronzes always the con-
servativo establishments. Good value
I for tho money Is what she looks for
/ first i'm shopping. She rarely goes Into
I the cheap stores. except for unimport
I ant articles. which careful women
know how 10 buy During her resi-
/ dence In Washington she has done her
/ purchasing mainly in the shops along
/ T. street When in Cincinnati. ah-
buvs there. She has Decn known to
natroni1e the tailor m Baltimore who
sometimes makes gowns for Mrs.
Roosevelt and Mrs. Metcalf. and shv
also patronizes the Sisters Of ST. Rose
Industrial School in Washington. who
are famous for their handsome French
underwear.
Hats Not Always Becoming.
II Is IN her hats that Mrs Taft Is
somewhat lacking. as she often gets
| unbecoming ones. She has not appcar-
cd In Washington I'm large hats. ever.
they run in fashion 10 the English or
walking STYLES or gloves she wears
a six and a quarter. Mrs. Taft has
one falling in wearing her clothes. Hen
skirts frequently do moi "set'' we'll.
Mrs. Taft and her daughter are both
careful buvers In dcing Christmas
shopping. they rarely are guilty of pur-
chasing useless trihes. They go about
months before the holiday week. ara
by the time other Christmas shoppers
are beginning to think % buying. their
gifts are bought and carefully prt
away. carefully labelled. awaiting the
auspicous day. In th.s respect Mrs.
Taft Is much like Mrs. Roosevelt. only
Mrs. Roosevelt docs much OF her gift
shopping in the iewa,rv shops. whilc
Mrs. Taft IS moro apt TO look Ia the
DEPARTMENT or notion stores.
While both Mrs. Roosevelt.and Mrs
Taft frequently visit tie shopping dis,
tricts. one must know them pers,a,,. :,
10 recognize them. so unostentatiousiS
do they 60 about. Instead of dasnina
up 10 a shop In a carriage, they wnis
brisklv along the street accompanie 4
usually bv some favored friend. al-
wavs choosing the morning hours when
tho crowd Is not so large.
Knows Just What She Wants.
As BUYERS. Mrs Roosevelt and Ms.
Taft are unlike. for the latter alwavs
knows exactly what she wants and car.
see al a glance how nearly an article
can answer her purpose. She needs
no advice. except occasionally that or
her daughter Mrs. Roosevelt rather
prefers to consult some one else's taste
and judgment.
The Taft household is dominated ly
the mistress of IL. except when the
master of it Is in e. As q matter ~
fact. ne does not dominate Il then. bui
only thinks he does. II is only The
clever woman who can create that de
lusion. Mrz Taft does her own mari
ketinr She has never had a. soci$
secretary nor a housekeeper. nor has
she done her household buying over
the telephone except ia emergency.