Clothing For Indians

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6866, 24 May 1932, Page 3

Clothing For Indians

India these days is providing a profitable market for out of fashion Arne rican shoes and secondhand American clothes. Those Indians who wear cheap clothing are not accustomed to wearing trousers so few are sold there. But overcoats and vests find a ready sale. A sudden change in American fashions gave to Indian women who had never before worn leather shoes tho opportunity to do so. A large quantity of women’s high-top boots, rejected by those for whom they were manufactured because of the changed style, were sent to ludia to bo sold wholesale at 8 cents a pair, retailing about 25 cents. They are now feeing worn by'lndians, who remove the high heels and the “boot” part of the upper leather, the wooden heels being used as fuel for cooking and the surplus leather made into cigarette cases and jewellery boxes. /Both men’s and women’s overcoats aro imported into India. It is not uncommon to sec an Indian labourer who earns tho equivalent to 9d a day wearing a morning coat!