San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-02
Retailers and Wholesalers
Are Ready for
Season.
SOME PRICE BOOSTS
Orders Indicate Increased
Demand for Evening
Clothes.
By j. C. ROYLE.

1
New York, Sept About next
Tuesday, American men young and
old will commence to take thought
over "the new fall scenery"
The purchases of fall suits and
overcoats will begin about that time
and retailers and wholesalers are
fully prepared for the flow of trade
Shipment of clothing from the
manufacturing centers is in full
swing today and many retailers will
employ the Labor Day respite to ar
range attractive displays.
Practically all the larger clothing
manufacturers throughout the coun-
try declare that the volume of bust
ness so far has not been largely in
excess of 1922.
But the labor situation has been
quiet throughout the summer and as
adequate materials were at hand or
readily available. no disturbing ele-
ment has entered into the preparation
! OF fall garments.
As a>resuIt virtually 60 per cent
of fall orders came when time to
start deliveries arrived.
Rochester manufacturers indicate
that prices OH suits and overcoats
should show only moderate increases
this fall, such advances as are made
being to absorb increased costs OF
| L
They indicate, however, that they
expected the most popular price range
to be between $40 and $50.
This level. they said. is due to the
increased discrimination shown by
American men.
No strange innovations show evil
dence of attaining popularity this
year.
Clothing designers are turning
away from narrow waists, pleats,
darts. notches, curves and other &C.
centricities and turning toward the
more conservative pre-war patterns.
Indicates Better Taste.
This does not mean, the designers
said. that either young or old men
are less anxious to follow fashion
dictates.
On the contrary the desire to be
well dressed is more widespread than
ever but it does indicate more dis
eliminating taste.
This trend is clearly evident in the
increased demand for evening clothes
and dinner coats emphasized by the
orders booked this summer by manu-
facturers who specialize in those
garments.
Heretofore they say, in localities
| outside the large cities. evening dress
was considered necessary only for
! extraordinary occasions.
Now. however, 1.-THE soup and
fish" is attaining wide popularity
even in rural communities.
Motion pictures are credited in
some quarters with this spread of
popularity.
One remarkable factor in the
clothing situation is the unusual and
early demand for overcoats. Credit
| for t..is is placed in some quarters
on the tremendous increase in auto
mobile sales in the last year. Drivers.
it is contended. have found it neces-
sary to have light and heavyweight
coats at time of year when the
need was not felt before they owned
cars.
Soft Goods Popular.
Another factor in the overcoat de-
mand has been the popularity of soft
finished goods which, from THEREON
struction. show wear more easily than
the hard finished materials.
Friction from automobile wheels
and from hands in pockets make it
difficult for wearers TO make these
garments last as long as those of less
popular materials.
Hat dealers do not quite know
whether TO be pleased or not at the
success which has attended late sales
of straw head pieces at reduced
| prices.
Stocks. it is true. have been cleared
out quickly. in many cases, but deal
ers have found that customers are
walking away with two or three hats
with the evident intention of putting
one or more away for the summer
of 1924.
The average prices being paid for
these purchases for future needs
range around 81 per hat.
What the reaction will be next
spring when window offerings name
prices two and three hundred per
cent above this figure, remains to be
seen.
Manufacturers, however, seem to
feel that designs next, year will have
! much to do with the result.