The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-09-14
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.WMANS
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SyAlene Sumner
BY Allene Sumner

VENICE, 1taly.-Some women, a
dubious few, may come to Europe
to see the leaning tower of Pisa,
and the Roman forum.
But a bowling mob Of 'em, hun
dred thousand million. come for the
great shopping bat of their lives
come with blood in their eyes, and
strength in their elbows to battle
their way into the bargain jam of
beaded bags today!
Florence may mean the birthplace
Of Dante and the huge canvas upon
which Michelangelo hung his wiz
ardry to one or two feminine souls!
But to a hundred million it means
the place where illumined and col
ored leather Florentine bags may
be purchased for IS.
Venice may mean Saint Marks
and the Doge's Palace to one or two,
but to a moiling, mob it means Vene-
tian point collars big enough to cir
die humming birds buxom throat,
for the simple price of $40.
Uncle Sam allows free passage for
500 worth of loot to each return
ing female of the native soil.
This means that the hotel lobby
conversation over the entire expense
of Europe consists of the respective
merits of smuggling rings in tooth
paste or cold cream, and the maxi
mum weight permitting one to
wear in" three dresses.
&c, oil n
ness in my soul today on the great
European shopping question. There's
a reason. In the shape of a certain
soft suede handbag in the suitcase
which my duenna, Pansy Herring
Pretzel, packs with faithful care
some. four times weekly, as we fiji
from Rome to Florence, from Flor
ence to Venice.
The bag in question looked heaven
ly in Florence. 1t was marked ESQ
lire. But one learns after the first
shopping spree that appearances are
only tag deep when it comes to price
tags aboard. After much hand con-
versation it became mine for the
sum of 100 lire; about six dollars and
sixty-flve cents.
Now we are\in Venice, city of va
gons and mosaic beads. And here
my bag, once so fair to see, rests in
no less than 16 windows, for the
sum of 100 lire.
This is the lesson of shopping in
Europe. Go south, young man, go
south.
The early bird catches the lucre.
But as one nears the sun and ones
family purse grows thinner and skin
nier, the prices tumble like Lillian
Leitzel from the big top.
Perhaps you must have Pari-
sian gown But make up your mind
that if you must you will devote
every waking and sleeping moment
in Paris to that gown, and that
gown only!
Partisan courturiers would no
more sell a ready-made gown than
the wine connoisseur would drink
orange pop.
Madame must call and call and
call again. Finally 'the creation"
which is the one and only creation"
for madame is designed. Then come
fittings daily and one may receive
ones creation" and the bill, with
in three weeks, if all goes well.
The bill? I heard a few women
speak raply of the perfectly sweet
little gown I got for $40r'
However, Paris is the place to buy
your kid gloves. Few women es-
cape with fewer than ten pairs. The
sofest suedes, hand-sewn, may be
bought for less than rs cents.
Paris, too, is the place for opera
glasses, corrections of beauty in
cloissonne and gold, with sticks that
make one resemble the Duchess of
/ Something's
You will buy perfumes of a hun