Show THE IN BLACK it enables her to avoid mashers and prevents costume those who are in the habit of doing a great deal of shopping have no doubt noticed the almost universal prevalence of black in the attire of saleswomen this fact is the outcome of a rule which is strictly enforced in all the large stores with one or two notable exceptions the casual inquirer who has noticed this detata of affairs is generally answered with the equivocating truth that a dresa of homogeneous black harmonizes quietly with any colored goods a girl may be belling cel ling and for that reason is desirable perhaps the superintendent of another store will tell yon that the rule is enforced for the sake of uniformity he will add that all successful merchants owe their success to a system and that uniformity is the basis of all systems these answers are true so far as they go but ihry do not give the true reason for enforcing a rule which is not only distasteful to a majority of the shop girls but is also expensive as well A bright young lady who is employed in the largest store in the city explained the matter thoroughly you will notice eaid she that the rols regarding the wearing of black is not enforced in this store except in the cloak department it is enforced in that department for the simple reason that black will harmonize with any kind of cloak or wrap and as the girls are compelled to try on cloaks wraps and sacks for customers yon will readily see why black ia preferable to any other color but this is not considered a hardship because the firm furnishes the dress goods for cloak department saleswomen now in all the other departments in which of girls are employed the rule is that nothing be worn but quiet subdued colors the nearest approach to black we wear the better are our superiors suited in all this army of girla it is impossible to have every one of the best character while I 1 insist that none of them are absolutely bad there are heedless flippant ones who would take occasion to show this disposition by dressing in the loudest and moat pronounced colors it this were allowed yon can readily see what harm would result dudes and who come in here every day to test their power to mash would at once know in what directions to throw their silly smiles therefore that all may be protected we are compelled to dress in subdued colors this rule against dressing in anything but black is generally enforced one large dry goods store on market street insists upon black dresses in winter but the rule is relaxed in summer so that the girls are permitted to wear white waists or jerseys but the skirts must be black no lively colors are allowed not even a rose two young ladies sought to break over the barriers the other day by appearing in pretty heliotrope dresses but both were at once sent home to change their dress with the stem admonition to not let tho thing occur again philadelphia record |