SHOPPING BY MAIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23121, 20 August 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

SHOPPING BY MAIL

CHARM OF SPRING CATALOGUES TO FEMININE HEARTS

By WHETURANGI

TT is the custom of large stores throughout the world to send their customers catalogues of each new season's goods on display in their departments. These catalogues in England and America sometimes attain heights of sheer artistry. Whether they advertise the latest luxury motor-cars or are merely more or less grocery lists, artists of high qualifications and copywriters of oxcellent penmanship cooperate to produce books that are little works of art. While those in this country cannot, of course, be judged by the same standard, the big shops in New Zealand have nevertheless followed the overseas praotice of sending their customers catalogues attractively produced, at the beginning of each season. Often these books travel far into the back-blocks, to houses isolated by heavy bush country and bad roads, and are seized upon and read word for word with tho utmost joy—indeed, with surely as much enthusiasm as the first books from the English press were read

by the eager literary intelligentsia of the Middle Ages. For these little volumes carry news of the great world beyond—the world which the fanner s wife perhaps once lived in, knew and loved; or a world maybe which she lias never seen, but still in her dreams clothes with the glamour of a fairy tale, the great world that progresses on from height to height—while her life drags steadily from routine to routine and seems to progress nowhere. Thov come as a breath of time, these catalogues, bringing the story of the change of fashions; and the copywritei, idly spinning words in some distant city office, chewing his pen and mouldinn- sentences as part of the d<iily round, thinks seldom of the critical, avid audience in the heart of the country. Momentous Decisions Later the housewife earnestly studies each sketch, each sentence, each pneo in the catalogue and pores over the face of "Judith" in the smart tailored costume, "Angela" in the neat little house frock (surely no ono would wear a house frock as elaborate as that.), "Cynthia" in the flowing evening gown. She learns to know them, to recognise them even in her dreams, and regowns herself in their clothes —clothes that sho will never wear. Then, forced by loneliness and the desire just to be in touch with that faraway city store, to have contact with it as a thousand lucky women in the city have, she probably takes her pen and writes to the shop. Sometimes it is a simple request or a "thank you" for the catalogue, and although she "requires no goods this month, she hopes that the firm will again send it next season ; and, sometimes, if the season has been good and there is a little extra cash, it is a real order. Then begin days of expectation, hours of waiting until the waggon will be going into the little township, to return late at night with groceries and gossip, and—most precious of all—the mail. In the mail there will be a letter of acknowledgment and goodwill from the shop, a further bid for her custom, and —a parcel. We very often find that parcels are disappointing. That to which we looked forward, for which we have longed and hoped, is very little as we dreamed. We are like children groping in a Christmas stocking, hearts beat-