Monday, September 26, 2005
Adventures in shopping
I finally made it shopping yesterday, but it was not a very successful adventure. I say adventure because part of the shopping experience was a sales clerk arguing with me.
I took a small list from my total list with me yesterday. Those things included sweater shaver, house slippers, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, nail polish, shades, suit, blouse, shoes, and hosiery. Our exchange carries high-end clothing, shoes, purses, cosmetics, etc., so I always start there when I’m hunting for something. Besides being below the prices out in town, I also don’t pay tax.
The shoe department was horrible. The only black pumps (closed toe and heel) I could find were Coach and the heels were not what I was looking for or I would have considered them. They didn’t even have a plain black Coach purse (yes, I looked at the purses). The rest of the shoes were perfect for playing at the beach or standing on a corner.
I only found a black pantsuit and didn’t think the jacket appropriate for swapping around in other outfits. The blouses were too holiday looking (rhinestone buttons, anyone?).
And then on to the cosmetic department. I have always been a Clinique user, but am not against trying products from another line. While I was looking for ‘my’ mascara a fragrance lady came over to see if I was finding everything okay and began to help me find what I was looking for. She mentioned that she liked the Lancôme mascara and suggested I try it. If she had been a cosmetic lady I might have ignored her, but she would get nothing from the sale so I took her advice. There was no one working in the Clinique department and I wanted to talk to someone about lipstick and polish so I waited for the Lancôme lady to finish with her customer and asked her about lipstick. I told her where I worked and how I dressed and explained that I wanted something that wasn’t too bright since I was not normally a lipstick wearer. And this is where it began.
Her: You do know that women do not dress up in offices anymore and that includes wearing lipstick and pantyhose.
Me: Yes, they do. I see it everyday.
Her: This is California and women just don’t dress that way here.
Me: Have you been in any law offices lately?
Her: No!
Me: Can you help me with a lipstick?
Her: What foundation do you wear?
Me: I wear a powder foundation.
Her: You do know there is a difference between face powder and foundation, right?
Hear me sigh.
Me: Yes, I know there’s a difference, I wore a liquid foundation for more years that I care to remember and I’ve switched to a powder foundation.
Her: Oh, is it a loose powder? (shows me a product)
Me: Yes, but it’s not a powder, it’s a foundation. It’s called *******.
Her: Well. Let me show you what I use. I have a horrible T-zone and I get dry here and I love…
Me: I don’t want to talk about foundation. I’m happy with the product I wear. I want to talk about lipstick.
Her: to use this product. You should try it!
Me. Can you please show me some lipstick?
Her: Women don’t really wear lipstick…
See Me turning sharply in a 180 and walking away
Her: ….anymore.
I’m thinking of calling Lancôme this morning and complaining about her. Not the store, but the product manager.
Do you see earrings on my list up there? Nope. They were on the list that stayed home. But, I knew they were on the list, and at 50% off I could not pass them up. I just have to exclude what I paid for them off next month’s clothing budget.
So I ended my day with sunglasses, sweater shaver, house slippers, mascara, eye shadow, pantyhose, and a pair of real pearl earrings that go perfect with my grandmother’s pearl necklace.
My face and jewelry are now perfect, but I’m still “naked.”
I took a small list from my total list with me yesterday. Those things included sweater shaver, house slippers, mascara, eye shadow, lipstick, nail polish, shades, suit, blouse, shoes, and hosiery. Our exchange carries high-end clothing, shoes, purses, cosmetics, etc., so I always start there when I’m hunting for something. Besides being below the prices out in town, I also don’t pay tax.
The shoe department was horrible. The only black pumps (closed toe and heel) I could find were Coach and the heels were not what I was looking for or I would have considered them. They didn’t even have a plain black Coach purse (yes, I looked at the purses). The rest of the shoes were perfect for playing at the beach or standing on a corner.
I only found a black pantsuit and didn’t think the jacket appropriate for swapping around in other outfits. The blouses were too holiday looking (rhinestone buttons, anyone?).
And then on to the cosmetic department. I have always been a Clinique user, but am not against trying products from another line. While I was looking for ‘my’ mascara a fragrance lady came over to see if I was finding everything okay and began to help me find what I was looking for. She mentioned that she liked the Lancôme mascara and suggested I try it. If she had been a cosmetic lady I might have ignored her, but she would get nothing from the sale so I took her advice. There was no one working in the Clinique department and I wanted to talk to someone about lipstick and polish so I waited for the Lancôme lady to finish with her customer and asked her about lipstick. I told her where I worked and how I dressed and explained that I wanted something that wasn’t too bright since I was not normally a lipstick wearer. And this is where it began.
Her: You do know that women do not dress up in offices anymore and that includes wearing lipstick and pantyhose.
Me: Yes, they do. I see it everyday.
Her: This is California and women just don’t dress that way here.
Me: Have you been in any law offices lately?
Her: No!
Me: Can you help me with a lipstick?
Her: What foundation do you wear?
Me: I wear a powder foundation.
Her: You do know there is a difference between face powder and foundation, right?
Hear me sigh.
Me: Yes, I know there’s a difference, I wore a liquid foundation for more years that I care to remember and I’ve switched to a powder foundation.
Her: Oh, is it a loose powder? (shows me a product)
Me: Yes, but it’s not a powder, it’s a foundation. It’s called *******.
Her: Well. Let me show you what I use. I have a horrible T-zone and I get dry here and I love…
Me: I don’t want to talk about foundation. I’m happy with the product I wear. I want to talk about lipstick.
Her: to use this product. You should try it!
Me. Can you please show me some lipstick?
Her: Women don’t really wear lipstick…
See Me turning sharply in a 180 and walking away
Her: ….anymore.
I’m thinking of calling Lancôme this morning and complaining about her. Not the store, but the product manager.
Do you see earrings on my list up there? Nope. They were on the list that stayed home. But, I knew they were on the list, and at 50% off I could not pass them up. I just have to exclude what I paid for them off next month’s clothing budget.
So I ended my day with sunglasses, sweater shaver, house slippers, mascara, eye shadow, pantyhose, and a pair of real pearl earrings that go perfect with my grandmother’s pearl necklace.
My face and jewelry are now perfect, but I’m still “naked.”