Some unhappy ’returns’

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33419, 28 December 1973, Page 12

Some unhappy ’returns’

The season of giving is over lor another year, and no" comes the season of giving back. Those things that are the wrong colour, wrung size and style, or just dreadful, are coming to light now that the thank yous are done with. Most stores in town were doing a slow but constant trade in “returns” yesterday, particularly in clothing. The biggest "blues" come with women’s nightwear and underwear. Most husbands, it seems, imagine their wives as they were the day the two first met. and thev buy frilly dreamy things, or short naughty nighties—always see through. Thev have a strong preference for black, and often say they are trying to “brighten the old girl up.” As soon as the shops open again, back comes the wife to exchange the piece of frivolity for something practical

[ —cool and pretty cotton. d> , finitely not transparent •Some husbands go out of their wav to make trouble A young woman, tall and > slender, asked if she could j change an exceptionally short • nightdress given to her by e her husband. It was obviouslv the wrong size. The husband as a joke, had told the assistant that his wife was a short 1 fat barrel. There is an increasing pre- , ference among women for j “natutar’-coloured underwear. and some of the bright coloured petticoats given this ' Christmas have been ext changed for others in these cocoa and cream shades. t Women, it seems, do not ? make quite as manv mistakes • when it Comes to buying 1 clothes for other people, alj though there was one gentleman yesterday who returned i a size Ihy shirt. He v anted ■. a size 14 In one store, the number ; of returns made so far has

heen noticeably fewer than . hist year. The assistants think this is because people are ' shopping earlier each year i for their Christmas presents. - taking more time, and giving the subject more thought. i