I’m going to a Bar Mitzvah. I’m looking forward to seeing all my relatives and celebrating with them. I’m also looking forward to the trip back east, to the land where Autumn is an actual season. In celebration of this event (and the festivities that surround it) I decided that I might get a new outfit. Maybe. I would have to see what the store had and what my shopping tolerance was like.
Now this is a great outfit!
I had some time yesterday afternoon, so I headed over to a store at the outlet mall where I’ve had good luck in the past. I triggered the little “welcome” bell as I walked in and headed to my left. This store is split down the middle, with plus size on one side and “normal” size on the other. The fitting rooms are in the middle and the checkout is in the rear.
I veered off to my side and began to browse. I picked a few items, and expected that any moment a sales associate would be along to see how I was doing and put the items in a fitting room. I’ve shopped here before. That’s how it works. I glanced around but saw nobody, no shoppers, no employees.
I continued browsing the racks, working my way to the rear of the store. As I passed by the fitting rooms I noticed they were open, so I dropped off the items in my arms and carried on. I picked up a few more things along the way as I arrived at the sale rack, right next to the checkout. As I browsed, the two sales associates continued their conversation about vacationing with their boyfriends. How nice for them.
Meanwhile, not ten feet away, I was shopping with my arms full of merchandise.
“How are you doing today?”
“Can I help you find something in particular?”
“Would you like to try those on?”‘
“Can I put those in a fitting room for you?”
Any of those phrases would have been appropriate. Even a simple “hello” would have been nice, but nope, nothing.
Fine. I still wanted to try the clothes on, so I went back to the fitting room and proceeded to try on all nine items that I found. Naturally it took a while. In the meantime another woman came in and was trying things on. In breezed the sales associate and asked her if she was doing ok, and could she get her anything.
Love this look, and those shoes, killer.
Really?
I’m in the NEXT fitting room.
You can SEE my feet.
I’ve been in your store for nearly 45 minutes!
Am I invisible? I must be.
Fortunately I didn’t love anything I tried on, because at that point I would have hated actually buying anything there.
I got dressed, left the fitting room, and walked out. And no, I was not acknowledged then either.
I left with a bad taste in my mouth. Shopping is difficult enough for me. How hard would it have been for either of the associates to just say hello? Retail is a service industry, it requires that you put on a smile and be nice, even if you’re faking it. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I’m fat. Was the other shopper trying on items from the “normal” sized collection? Is that why she received help and I did not? What else could it be? I wasn’t rude. I don’t look homeless. What then?
I’m a little embarrassed by how much the incident hurt my feelings. I felt devalued as an individual, which is silly because I know it wasn’t about me at all. I know I’m friendly. I know I’m approachable. I know I have worth. Still, I felt invisible, and that’s a terrible way to feel.
BulgingButtons 
October 9, 2015 at 8:58 am
I hear you, sometimes I feel like an invader when I enter a store and I’m sadly not rude enough to interrupt the chat of the sales persons. I rather shop online or I go to stores with nice staff… the clothes I bought in stores where I was unwelcome somehow are always like haunted for me… I only remember oh, that was the sweater/pants/whatever I’ve got from the store with the unfriendly ole bat… and immediately this piece becomes a shelf warmer in my closet :o( I love the first outfit, that’s perfect for fall!
October 9, 2015 at 9:01 am
It’s so hit and miss, isn’t it? A good salesperson can really help you find things you love that you might not have tried on otherwise, and but a bad experience really is unpleasant. Thanks for chiming in and letting me know I’m not alone!
October 10, 2015 at 8:08 am
I feel that sometimes I am not treated well in stores ( and have been ignored) because I go in my weekend attire- not work attire. I wear jean shorts printed t shirt , no make up, flip flops and my hair is not well done. I think they feel as if I don’t have moneyso they don’t put much effort into my needs.
October 13, 2015 at 9:02 pm
I believe you’re right, how you present yourself definitely sends signals out to others, and when we’re dressed up we normally command more respect. On the other hand, so many people dress casually all the time that it’s still odd to me that something like that still can make a difference, especially in a retail environment. Thanks for your two cents.