Evening star., 1924-05-23
BUYERS OF CLOTHING
WARY, BUT STYLISH
Cautious Regarding Quality, Yet
Demanding Fashionable Patterns,
Manufacturers Say.
FAIR BUSINESS" REPORTED
Wages Remaining Fairly Stable
and Prices Steady.
BY J. C. ROYLE.


Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK. May 23-The Amer
ican family-father, mother, kids and
afi-is becoming a better clothed unit.
more careful in style selections and
more discriminating as to quality.
That statement Is vouched for by
members Of the Garment Manufactur-
ers' Association after they had talked
things over at their Chicago, conven-
tion. They add that IL the American
buyer Is more discriminating he is
also more cautious. Wardrobe re-
plenishments are being made sparing-
ly, but Mitchell r. lamar, jr., presi-
dent Of the Garment Manufacturers
declares most OF the clothing makers
are doing a fair business"
No Large Stocks in Hand.
Dealers have no large stocks in
suits, undergarments, shirts or gen.
eral textiles. The public is known to
be none too generously supplied. But
wages are remaining fairly stable,
prices are steady and the outlook for
the manufacturers is encouraging. 1t
Is unquestionably q fact. however,
that people in general do not buy
clothing today until they have to do
SO. Hat men In many of the north
ern cities are complaining that the
combination of a straw headcovering
and an overcoat have failed to appeal
to the public in spite of advertising
and window displays.
The Umbrella Manufacturers As
sociation has just concluded a session
in this city. held in the midst of a
two-day rain. and the delegates
themselves did not have an umbrella
with them when they came. Weather
has been a great factor in buying
this spring. but manufacturers OF
knitted underwear claim they have
not sufficient stocks on hand to meet
the present demand.
CoIored Shirts Popular.
The demand for colored shirts has
been of tremendous aid to many deal
ers and makers. George p. Wake
field president of the National Boys
Blouse and Shirt Manufacturers As
sociation. states his industry has
made garments by showing mothers
all over the nation that II could
produce a better Shirt for a boy
cheaper than it could be made in
the home.
Imports of cotton and wooden goods
from abroad are exerting an impor-
tant effect on the garment industry
at present. Tariff walls have failed
to keep out textiles from England
and Scotland. which are sold here in
competition with American goods to
garment manufacturers, and many
American buNrs at present are in
Great Britain - further supplies of
materials.
Foreign BuAiness Light.
The garment trade has been, help
ed. however. by the increase in for
eign demand for American clothing
Australia is showing an increased in
terest in underwear. shirts. collars
and neckwear, while the American
form of dress is being adopted more
widely all the time by the far east
ern countries
SO far as statistical position is
concerned, there appears no prospect
or any decided fall in the prices of
for woolens and worsteds has not
been heavy. owing to the caution
cited in the foregoing paragraphs.
and Factors in the goods situation
promise TO favor the buyers for the
present, but the raw material situa :
tion undoubtedly Is tight
See Good Summer Goods Trade.
Manufacturers and dealers are
counting on splendid business in
clothes this summer. They decJara
that In view of the cold spring II is
probable that the summer will be ex-
ceedingly warm in many sections, and
that the pride in appearance move
ment, which has been sponsored by
dealers and manufacturers alike, has
been such as to aid summer clothing
sales especially
Although some makers of silk neck
wear are doing a satisfactory busi-
dustry as a whole are unsatisfactory.
In spite Of the drop in the price of
the raw staple far below the high
point of 1923. This. however, has en-
abled manufacturers to reduce goods
prices to a point which they hope will
stimulate buying interest