Well everyone, pre-Fall is on the floors and the sales are in full flight. The disappointing thing is that the buys are very 'thin'. I am not talking about body type; I am talking about selection. If somehow you were awarded a fiscal year-end bonus or you were one of the few fortunate souls who actually received a cost of living increase, don't assume you are running to the stores to make that great purchase. It ain't there!!!
I have scouted the big four in San Francisco and was really not terribly disappointed that I am on the same fashion budget as most of you. The way to characterize the buys was from dismal to hideous. Just to let those who are interested know the big four are Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. O yeah, there is also Macy's. I guess we have the big five. You can normally go to each and find that "I really want to add this to the wardrobe " piece. Not this time.
I will not name the establishment as I speak of the buy. It would not be fair. I have to remember that if you are building a wardrobe, there may be some interesting pieces. However, I am enhancing a wardrobe and that makes a difference.
Dismal means, needing assistance. Hideous means, why did you bother. I have to admit when I was at the establishment with the hideous buy I became agitated and was not my normally pleasant self with the sales associate. She rubbed me the wrong way as she bristled at my logical questions.
When you ask "are you getting other items in for the sale or has everything arrived?" and "are there some great pieces I missed by not coming the first week of the sale and if so, do you have them in a look book so I can place an order?" you don't expect a sneer. When you get the response, "these are really great pieces" and "what else would you want to see?" attached to that sneer, I get a bit miffed.
So now it is time to perform and put the associate in her place. Her role is to provide me with a pleasant shopping experience. Her role is to make sure that she knows what I am looking for and make suggestions. Just because it isn't in her department doesn't mean it is not in another. What are my choices as I look for the piece I want to add to my wardrobe?
As she followed me around, hungry for that sale and assuming that I would desperately buy just anything I dug in. When I say I am just looking the response should be, "if I can be of assistance or if you see something you would like to try, my name is ______________ and I would be happy to help". You do not lurk. You do not provide editorial comment. You do not tell me what I cannot wear because of body type. How do you know it is for me?
Now I have more than dug in. NOW I am about to dig into her, be it ever so gently. I held up a garment and asked "what is this? Is it a tube dress? Is it a skirt? Is it layered with something"? I knew what it was but I wanted to show her the impracticality of the garment. When she replied it's a skirt I laughed and asked "how do you sit in this? You can't sit in this. What is this fabric? Is this silk jersey? Your behind would be permanently imprinted in the fabric once you sat for more than 30 seconds". Then she showed me what she would pair with it. It went from unwearable to remarkably unwearable.
My next question was "Who is the buyer for this department and how do I get in touch with that person"? Well the associate went sideways, told me how experienced and professional the buyers are and if I had questions I could speak to the store manager. Unless he made that hideous buy, I have no questions for him or her. I want to know why fashion challenged people are allowed to place buys for women who are willing to drop $8,000 on a coat. I want to know why you think I will drop that $8,000 simply by seeing the coat in a look book. I want to try it on before I invest that kind of money.
It actually got worse. I asked to see the Armani jackets that were there for the season. Out of her mouth comes, "oh ma'm, you can't wear Armani". I understood her comment. I could never get my shoulders in the jacket comfortably. However, you ask me what size I would like to try.
For those of you who think she was sparing me the humiliation of not fitting into a garment, you are wrong. Most stores will not order the larger sizes. They all like to believe that people with style, taste and money could never wear more than a size 10 or 12 (which the designer department buyers consider extra-large). Armani manufactures up to a size 16!! If I am willing to purchase the 16 to get the comfortable fit in the shoulders and have the garment altered to fit properly elsewhere, then I can wear Armani, can't I!?
So what the customer hears from that comment is "OMG you are much too large to wear Armani". Not a way to get me back to your store or snag me as a client for you ever important client book. If they work on commission, and they do, not a way to bolster that paycheck. She should have said, "System-wide we did not order anything over a size 12 in Armani. We do have a couple of other designer jackets that I may be able to order for you. Would you like to see them"?
For all of the women out there reading this blog I want to give you some comfort. The average woman in America wears a size 14. Sixty percent of the women in America are a size 12 or above. Janice and I met with someone the other day who gave us some food for thought on language. If size 14 is average and you wear a size 18, you are referred to as a 'plus size' woman. Even at a size 14 you are considered a 'plus size' woman. What if, like Raye states, you are 'above average'. In my book, above average means you have surpassed mediocrity and attained greater heights.
Raye also pointed out how powerful the words are by stating that if you wear a size 8, you are below average. How painful is it to be labeled, below average? If you are below average then you are simply not up to par. So as women, sales associates, fashonista, etc. let's really think about how we label other women and ourselves. Fashion should, and does, come in all shapes and sizes. Fashion is for everyone irrespective of age, dress size, ethnicity, race, etc. We all love it and we all deserve it.
So, the buys aren't great and don't expect fall to be much better. Retailers are saving the best for pre-fall 2010. I have to believe that and I have to believe that with our help, the industry will see great improvement by then.
Janice is going to blog about boots. 'Tis the season. And just on the off chance she forgets to mention these, the Costume National over the knee boots are hot!!!!!
a la prochaine
Debra
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