North of Spokane just twenty miles or so, Deer Park is the habitat of wildlife, firearms, and pickup trucks. So, when the hero took a vacation day and we drove up to buy a little truck, I dressed with care, as usual. My Deer Dynasty duds:
jeans (not too dressy, but with bling-butt) + thermal henley with sparkly buttons + colorful flannel
My accessories were respectable, as well.
white gold hoops from Pounders (upscale local jeweler), Columbia reversible leather belt, Oliberte sneakers
Dd said my hair looked good; I had on makeup. In Deer Park, I was perfectly well-received.
On return, we stopped at the little neighborhood auto licensing office, where we were treated with every courtesy. The problem showed on our way out of the building; you see, just across the hall is a really nice consignment store. While perusing their $5 rack in the hall, it occurred to me that I should go in and look for a nice dress for the upcoming wedding. I should have known better. (Still figuring out the picture thing; should be right-side-up if you click on it.)
I have become accustomed to being treated exceptionally well (read: spoken to in a friendly manner) pretty much everywhere I go these days. Not so @ The Reclothery! I had to get within 15 inches of one of the workers – and I was wearing one of their dresses! – for them to even acknowledge that I was there! (Ha ha! Is that overkill? Two exclamation points in one sentence? Clearly, this is an issue about which I have feelings ;).) And even then, I don’t think they looked me in the face.
Don’t read this as an absolute I-would-never-shop-there. Perhaps I will test them in the near future by returning dressed as my city-self. Perhaps I am alone in my preference for polite social interaction when shopping. But that, I guess, is a good question:
When you are out shopping or conducting other business, how do you prefer staff to interact with you?
I just had a great shopping experience where, after hunting through a couple of stores apparently devoid both of help and of the clothes I needed to buy tonight, a wonderful young lady helped me figure out exactly how to mesh what I was looking for with what they had available. I like help. If I’m going somewhere that charges real money (i.e. not the thrift shop), I expect to have someone who knows where things are and can help me figure out how to make things work.
Believe me, I expect people to be helpful. (IOW, do their jobs) The other day, I went along with hubby to an old school preppy neighborhood (that thinks of itself as its own city, doncha know.
He needed a minor fix to his bike and was a little nervous himself. He’d gotten an agreement over the phone that they would do the job and for how little. Had had a bad experience once before, though, when another bike shop didn’t want to touch any bike that didn’t cost well over a thousand and told him it was what he deserved. But those old school preppies, they’re frugal! So this time worked out.
I went across the street to check out a resale/consignment shop. I never go into these places because I don’t like paying extra to have things “curated” for me. I want to say I was accidentally wearing the right clothes but maybe that’s my style and it isn’t so accidental? It was very cold owing to wind gusts and I had on a vintage Misty Harbor raincoat in a beautiful matte cocoa with black inside the collar, placket, inside of belt. Showing at the neck was a mid green cashmere scarf caught by a non-blingy “antiqued” brooch. I got excellent, respectful, doting service. Though did not buy anything. Could have afforded some things as they had a 75% off sale but nothing called to me. Was lavishly thanked for stopping in to look.
Now here’s the thing: I could not have worn what you did and gotten same results. Town full of upscale couples walking in dressed down clothes *but* their stuff was explicitly expensive looking. I don’t happen to own stuff like that but would have needed it to fit in and look like a serious customer/resident. Now, the older residents might have worn what you did but the relatively young saleswoman/manager?/owner? wouldn’t have known that and I could tell from her accent that she hadn’t grown up there then. (like Main Line lockjaw)
So I think that’s what happened to you in the clothing store. She was judging your clothing and it didn’t fit the narrow confines of what she assumed her customer would wear.
Well I am glad I am not alone ine expecting help. All the more these days; if I don’t want the personal experience, what is not better about eBay? The hero wisely advised me not to get upset about it and kindly told me he would have sold me a necklace 😉
Vildy, I am sure you are right. Unless those people somehow are among that strange breed of salesperson who thinks everybody wants to look and figure it out on their own. And I knew going in that I was taking a chance. Iam considering a test where I wear the exact same thing, but change the flannel for my iridescent coral leather moto, which never fails to get smiles.
Today I went to a consignment furniture and decor store in a scruffy ish neighborhood close to home. Wore a brown velvet three quarter length coat over purple skinny jeans and Italian leather flats. Much more myself. Not much makeup. Scored a beautiful Broyhill buffet by flashlight in their storage room, and I even got a discount! 🙂
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