The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-12-09
Mems CIofhinu
Some
Better Values
BY SIDNEY MARGOLIUS
For Labor Press Associates

For Labor Press Associates
Mems clothing prices are takin,
a tumble, and while they're by n
means back to OPA levels, bette
values than last year are showinj
up.
| Wage-earners, however, can b,
no means expect the current mark
downs to signal an end Of the in
lflation that more than doubled
clothing price tags in eight years
For one thing, the decline is limit
ed largely to mems clothing. Their
have been few markdowns thi
year on women's and children's ap
parel, and the cost Of kids wea
particularly is at steep levels. As ;
matter of fact, women's suits anC
coats may be 81 to 81 higher thil
Spring, the showings Of Spring
styles now taking place indicate.
Also the armed forces are stepp
ing up their clothing purchases
Financial papers report mills anC
manufacturer are bidding eagerly
for current Army orders in the
hope military purchases will take
up the new slack in civilian buying
Also limiting the price decline il
the fact that number of woolen
and cotton mills have admittedly
curbed production, and the largest
mems shoe factory cut down its
output during most of this Fall,
resuming full operations only last
week. That makes the second round
of strikes against full production
since the end of the war, and it
was the mills who won the 1947
tussle against buyer resistance.
Apparently a consumer can wear
one pair of pants just so long be-
fore he has to buy another or risk
getting arrested for indecent ex-
posure.
Mems Suit Bargains
Meanwhile men do have a chance
to replenish their clothing needs at
reductions of from 5 to 20R.
On suits, prices of both the hard
finish worsted and the softer wool
ems have been cut. One of the
sturdier woolens like a closely
woven tweed, cheviot or covert is
good value now at around $50 to
S35. Another concession manufac-
turers are making is greater pro-
duction of two-trouser suits, par
ticularly important for the woolen
suits.
But while the average person out
shopping can tell if material is
closely-woven, it's harder to recog-
nize good quality construction.
Actually there's nothing wrong
with a machine-sewn suit from the
point of view of wear. 1t makes a
sturdy suit for work or everyday
use. But a suit with some hand
sewn details does keep its shape
longer and look better. Easiest way
to tell hand-tailoring is to look for
crude, uneven stitches around the
buttonholes and underneath the
collar where it is sewn to the back
of the Jacket and the lapels. Also,
the lapels of hand-sewn jacket
will have a slight roll instead of
lieing flat.
One of the most important fac
tors in getting satisfactory wear
out of a suit is to get proper mt.
There's a. lot of strain on material
and construction when a suit fits
poorly.
Coats Plentiful
Even sharper price cuts are ap-
pearing on coats. Unusually warm
weather in many areas this Fall
has placed manufacturers and
stores in a near-distress state, has
forced early clearances of coats,
and aroused the prospect of addi-
tional buying opportunities be-
tween now and mid-winter as
stores try to unload.
Longest-wearing overcoats at
reasonable prices are tweeds, che
yiots and melton cloths. Overcoats
made of soft-napped materials do
,ffer a higher degree of warmth
vithout-weight, but become shah
oy-looking quickly as the nap
starts to wear off.
In shirts, too, there are better
values available already, with trade
.eports indicating that by Spring
.hain stores will be offering STAN
lard-quality dress shirts at S1.9o,
almost a prewar price. Chambray
work shirts have also started down.
Those that have been selling for
;1.98 are now appearing in stores
It $3.50 to $1.75. Those that have
,een selling for $1.98 are now ap-
bearing in stores at $3.50 to $1.75.
Denim and other work pants how
,ver have not yet been reduced.
There is'little prospect of notice
lbly lower prices for shoes, up
more drastically than any other
lothing item after OPA controls
we're lifted. The most manufactur-
RS expect is that shoe prices may
'e five percent lower this Spring.
)nly one mems chain has reduced