The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-03-16
OPENING OF
DAVIDSON CO.
Spring Event Of Yesterday Was
Marked Success From Every
Standpoint.

FROM an drtlbIlC STANDPOINT, paftl-
cularly in the beauty of the offerings
in the millinery and ladies ready-to-
wear departments, from standpoint
of attendance and financial returns
the spring opening of The Davidson
Company Friday and Friday night was
one of the most successful in the his
tory of this attractive establishment.
From the opening hour until the close
the store was almost constantly
thronged with members of the fair
sex who came to see, and very many
were so strongly tempted by the beau
tiful hats and other lovely things in
women's wear that they stayed to
buy. The attendance at night was in
the nature of a social affair and was
made all the more attractive by the
musical program rendered.
OF course the millinery department
was the center of attraction, and Mrs.
Mullenix' successful stay in New York
this season was reflected in the offer
ings. A number OF imported hats we're
shown, but the hats most admired
were those designed and trimmed in
The Davidson store, and these were
so reasonable in price, when compar-
ed with the prices of the fashionable
establishments Of large cities that
they attracted comment. One young
lady, whose home is in New Orleans,
bought hat designed and trimmed by
The Davidson Co., and sold at $1,000.
She stated that for hat so nearly
alike In design and material that she
could not tell the difference, she was
asked $500 in New Orleans last
week.
There is no especial prevailing size
in the hats this season. They range
from the large picture hats to the
small turbans. But there are a num-
Der of new and fashionable shades
Some of the most fashionable are the
primrose, the Oiseau, the Champion
ons, the Orage, the Basalisque, the
Venetta, the Glace and the Nacre, and
the majority of the hats shown carried
these shades or their combinations.
Among the most admired was a pic
ture hat of macleme lace and pleated
white maline, finished is white ostrich
aigrette and ornaments of pearls with
bandeau Of black velvet ribbon. A
large imported picture hat of panama
straw with white Tagle braid facing,
the crown banded with embroidered
straw ornament, studded with amber
and finished with handsome bird of
paradise across the crown came in for
large share of admiration. A hat
around which clustered many ladies'
had large rolling brim of hemp braid,
the top covered with shades Of mar
quisette in colors of blue, green and
apricot, single wreath of rose buds,
made of glace silk, around the crown,
with French plume in apricot, edged
with grey.
The Knox sailots in small sizes,
trimmed very simply and finished with
ornaments or small wings on the side,
are very popular this season, and the
department had handsome showing
of these. Another feature which was
not overlooked was a large case con-
tanning millinery for the little folks.
While the millinery department
came in for the largest share of ad-
miration, the ladies ready-to-wear de-
partment was not neglected by any
means, for The Davidson Company was
never so well stocked in late offerings
in this department as this season, nor
was the dress goods department on
the first floor overlooked Handsome
dresses in longeree, silk and wash
goods, tailored suits and coats, skirts
and corsets, all came in for a share
of praise, while on the first floor the
silks in the new shades, the oriental
and embroidered wolfe flounces, forty
| five inches wide, the voiles and mar
quesetts in white and colors, plain
and embroidered, the lace trimmings,
macrene lace, rattine lace, chattel
lace, crystal trimmings, and the eve
ming slippers to match every evening
shade were too enticing to pass by.