Body-Con

Working retail, or any form of customer service, is difficult without a question. You have to be patient and respectful even when the people you are paid to be polite to are rude and disrespectful. The hours are long, you don't have weekends, you stand all day, you're not making much money, yet you bust your bum working really hard. I truly think the people who disrespect or complain about customer service employees have never worked in our position. Granted, there are times when we do suck at our job, and there are people out there who have zero business in a field that involves being nice to people. People like myself though are trying quite hard, and I would never intentionally offend someone.

Ok, that is a tangent beyond the point of this post.

I think one of the most challenging aspects of working in a clothing store is when customers are insecure about their bodies. I work in a women's fashion store, and you learn really quickly that when your mom told you that once you got past your insecure teenager phase, you'd begin to feel better about your body--well, she was lying. Lying might be the wrong word, and sure some people surely do grow out of it, but it's amazing, and sad, how many women still hold onto these insecurities. I have helped women my age, their thirties, forties, fifties, sixties, tall, petite, pregnant, athletic, etc. and the self-consciousness is ceaseless. It's tragic how society pressures every single woman to look and feel a certain way about their body.

The sometimes difficult part is when I have to build up a customer's confidence. I will do it willingly because I think people deserve to have clothing that makes them feel comfortable and like themselves, and I dislike when women feel as if they cannot buy clothes because of something they dislike about their body. There's a body dysmorphia epidemic going on so it seems.

 

Sometimes I feel like a fraud when I'm trying to uplift my customers when I'm as self conscious as I am about my body. I'm constantly pinching fat on my back and stomach (yet I can feel my ribs pretty easily). I'm self conscious about the paleness of my legs, as well as my stretch marks and cellulite. Sometimes I'm insecure about my teeth, my breasts, my arms, thighs, etc.  I pick myself apart.

 

Have I gotten better though? I think so. I actually like shopping for clothes because I know what makes me feel good about myself, and cuts that flatter me in a way that I like. My poochy stomach doesn't bother me everyday, and I do actually like having hips that contrast with my smaller waist. I feel better about myself, and it's a tremendous improvement from where I was as a teenager. I remember when I was at my worst, just obsessed with my body beyond belief. Pure anxiety. And I thought I wasn't worthy of anything because I hated how I looked (not good grades, friends, fun, happiness, boyfriends, etc.). I was a downright bastard to myself, and I still can be, but I do think I'm a little bit less intolerable.

 

It makes me a little sad meeting women who don't think they are allowed to wear pretty clothes, or who won't get a different size in order to get the right fit. If there's anything I've learned in all of the jobs I've worked that involve selling clothes it's that sizing really isn't significant. There isn't a standard involved. In my store alone, I wear anything from a size four to an eight, or an extra small or small. In other places, it's strictly a six, or nine, or medium. Whatever. It's irrelevant at this point, and you look thinner if your clothes actually fit.

 

 

And so we don't end on a sad note, here's a fashion tip from Amanda: it doesn't matter if you're a size two or a size twenty--if you wear undergarments that don't fit you correctly then you will have rolls and lumps when you put clothes over them. It's fact. Start with a smooth canvas, and undies that actually fit you then you're set! Easy enough, yes?

Manners

I think working in various retail stores since 2008 has given me quite the unpleasant view of the way people can be so awful to others. I reckon anyone who has worked in any sort of customer service position can relate. Generally speaking, most people aren't friendly or they are just aloof and aren't really there to do anything but look. However, you do get those people who are so nasty that you wonder if they were ever taught to be freaking nice to people. I'm surely not Miss Manners, but I try. I try to be polite and respectful of other people because it's just the way to be. Just because someone is pouring your drink and folding the clothes you want to buy, it does not mean they are of an inferior race of humans. Yet, sadly, some people do treat us that way.

Don't get me wrong, those of us who work in customer service are not always majestic, perfect little angels. We've all experienced poor service somewhere. I once went to a bar where I got a drink that had a bug in it, and the waiter basically ignored me the entire night in a seemingly deliberate fashion. I wasn't rude, I just wanted a drink void of a dead bug. I've also experienced walking into a store where the employees don't even acknowledge my presence, sit around gossiping, swearing on the floor, or stalk me around the store as if I'm a thief. Recently, I went into a bookstore to order a book and the employee did not ask me to verify the edition I wanted. I looked up the copy he ordered for me, and it was abridged (considering the book is originally 1500 pages, and this version was near 600...yeah no thank you). Personally, I guess if I saw different editions/prices for a book coming up, I'd ask the customer which it would be that they want. This list goes on of fouls. Sometimes we customer service people do suck because we are patronizing or too smothering or completely negligent. It happens.

As an employee, I do try, with earnest, to be polite and respectful to people. However, sometimes it's really difficult when people will not ever stoop to say "hello" back to you when you greet them. Today, I watched a woman basically throw a shopping bag at my co-worker. Then, while she was shopping, she had a decent number of items racked on her arm. In EVERY clothing store I've worked, I've been taught to ask a customer with full hands if they'd like a fitting room started so they don't have to carry all of these heavy clothes about. I politely asked her if I could start her a room, and she says "No. I will let you know when I need help." I could understand if we had been pushy or rude to her, but we weren't. I mean, she was planning to try all of these clothes on, and she had several articles of clothing, why wouldn't you want your hands free? Something so trivial as that to be rude about. Rudeness for the sake of rudeness.

None of us had been rude to her, as is often the case when people are snarky to customer service employees. I've seen circumstances in which the customer surly reaction to an employee was justified because we were being disrespectful. Personally, I can't stand when I feel like I'm being followed in a store, but if that happens, I'll leave. I'm not about to get pissy because it's hardly worth the energy.

Honestly, I joke about it a lot, but I really think that manners should be taught in schools because seemingly they aren't learning them at home. Politeness, "please," "thank you," a "hello" back, etc. it gets you so far in life! And it is so appreciated. Don't be disrespectful of us because we are in customer service. Many of us are college educated, or just intelligent without the need of a degree (some of us do suffer from stupidity, in fairness). We are humans. We make mistakes. We would not try to offend you on purpose because if we did that we would get fired, and not a single person these days can stand to lose their job even if they are in something like food service or retail. Forgive us if we apologize; I promise, we mean it when we do.

I think schools should implement manners/etiquette into their curriculum through the grade school years and into university. They teach us to play nice with others in kindergarten, but they never continue to lesson! From respecting other people, to dining manners to job interview manners, I think it would be tremendously worthwhile if we taught these things in schools.

I also think at some point everyone should experience customer service. Nothing teaches you patience and humility in such a hands-on way.  Whenever I go into a store now, I do my best to be respectful. If the employee speaks to me, I kindly reply. If I pick something up or knock it over, I put it back as it was. I often will talk to them because they are surely bored out of their mind if it's a slower working day. And having to deal with someone that's a virtual stranger being mean to you doesn't always get easier. Eventually, you do learn to let it slide and laugh it off, but it's still a slow process to develop a thick skin, if you ever do.

Work, Work, Work

I had my first day back at the store I work at today, and it was exhausting and long. However, I did enjoy it a bit! It was nice getting dressed, putting on makeup, and getting up. Standing for 7-8 hours a day is tiresome, but I'd rather a job that involves standing than sitting all day. While it's not what I was hoping for, being retail and it isn't full time, I am glad I was about to come back. Any money is better than none, and if I get hours like I'll have next week, I could save a nice little bit of money if I save my pennies. Wearing all black is a bit sad after awhile, but at least it will hopefully keep me in check in regards to spending my money. If I can't wear it to work, I won't be able to wear it too much unless I get a second job that doesn't require a color dress code, days off if I go somewhere, or until I hopefully begin graduate school again. I'm definitely going to keep applying to maybe get a second gig going. I want to just dedicate this time to making as much money as I can. Ideally, upon getting readmitted to grad school and getting the fellowship, I would like to still try and pay my loans (since they will be pretty low monthly payments, and my rent at my potential location will be quite low).

I do actually enjoy the job because it keeps me on my toes, and I really like what we sell. The clothes, a bit pricy at times, but they are nice, and grown up. I sometimes will find clothing in juniors stores, but at 24 I think I am a bit too old for places like Charlotte Russe and Forever 21. I own things from these places, but some of the things they sell are so obviously meant for a teenager and really short. I am not a fan of a mini-mini skirt at all. This place is classy, grown up, versatile, and even better, the portions are understanding of the female form. I also like the people I work with. There was a rough patch when I worked there last summer, but now that it's been handled, I think being back will hopefully be nothing but positive.

And no, I will not disclose where I work for privacy reasons.