Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-29
COST OF WOMEN'S
CLOTHING HAS GONE
UP CONTINUOUSLY

New York, Dec 2e.-The mother Of
for several years has kept. un account
of the cost OF her daughters ward
robe, in letter to a local newspa-
per, recently complained about the
present prices of clothing, shoes,
gloves, hats. etc.
Serges, formerly the cheapest and
most common dress material and
| which, before the war; could be
bought for 81 to $1.25~ a yard. are
quality. Velveteens. another: popular
dress material. could be bought five
years ago for 81 and $1.25 yard
and now are bringing $3.50 to $3.50.
The biggest advances, dealers say,
have been in cotton and wool and not
SO much in silk. Babies buckskin
| shoes, which normally sold at $3.50,
are now priced at 81 to 80 pair.
Many women of means, the retail
! and up for a pair of silk stockings
but these are beaded with pearls and
| are decorated with fine hand en-
broidery. The public demand for
! furs. in spite of the advance of SO
to rs per cent since spring dealers
say, is so per cent greater, this win
! ter than last season. Fur coats cost
ing many thousands of dollars arc
more in evidence than ever before in
New York.
An artist for New York fashion
paper recently sketched coat, suit
and dress at d local factory. the COM
bincd wholesale price of which was
! 1915. The coat, coarse wool fabric,
was marked 1915, the georgette dress
at 1915 and the suit at $325. Here
were three garments which, sold at
retail, would cost tho buyer at least
s1,50O, it was said. Such instances
high cost. of living has hit the rich
are by no means rare. One window
! displays a rose white blouse for $3,-
500.
Untold millions are being invested
in furs this year by American wom
en-" said j. w. Argenbright, a
Brooklyn importer, land the demand
| is less exclusive and more widespread
than ever before. showing that pros
$4,000 to $S5,000 are uncommon
but they are being bought.
America is not only importing
the finest Russian sables but is pro.
ducing the best specimens of the
| black and silver fox, mink, seal, OF.
ter, beaver, fisher, wolverine, bear
lynx, badger, skunk, raccoon .and
muSkrat. All tneSe ana many OCAeTS
in hundreds Of varieties, from the
richest and costliest to the moderate.
! ly priced are domestic products"
! Reports that wealthy Americans
had representatives abroad buying uI
so-called royal furs were dismissed
as nonsensical by Mr.. Argenbright
! For Is years. he said, there had beer
no such thing as ''crown" sables. Er.
mine also is less popular than cvcl
in the history of the trade.
! ut is an old and mistaken idea.
F.! he said. that the finest Russian
sables are not shipped outside of that
market, these skins being supposed
! to be the former Crown Russian
sables. In former years, when Rus.
/ sian sables were not SO expensive
! natives in the, interior used to pay
their taxes with pelts. In those days
the enterprising fur collector had not
penetrated the wilds of the Siberian
| forests. 1t was the custom of the
! trappers to dispose Of their seasons
catch to the Russian government but
since sables have become so much in
| demand and the prices are SO high,
the natives have found they can do
much better selling directly to the
| collectors who come from all parts of
America and Europe"