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Comments You Get When You Dress Vintage

Rocketblast

One of the Regulars
Messages
107
Location
South East England
I got a really awful look today, it was the first time I have ever had a negative reaction when dressed vintage. It was by a salesgirl in the Ann Taylor outlet. She looked me up and down with disgust. I wanted to crawl under a rock.

Aww, that's so mean, I hate it when that happens, it takes me ages to get over that sort of thing. Good job you got some positive reinforcement nice and quickly! Some people are just plain rude. Tell me, was she an absolute picture of stylishness? She should stick her stinky attitude where the sun don't shine :p
 

Puzzicato

One Too Many
Messages
1,843
Location
Ex-pat Ozzie in Greater London, UK
I got a really awful look today, it was the first time I have ever had a negative reaction when dressed vintage. It was by a salesgirl in the Ann Taylor outlet. She looked me up and down with disgust. Hubby and I were out shopping for shoes (we both needed sandals) and I was wearing a cream sleeveless sweater and a red and white polka dot skirt along with HUGE v-rolls. I wanted to crawl under a rock. Hubby said to heck with it, and to consider where we were... The girl behind the counter at Bass, however, gushed and quizzed me on how I did my hair! That helped a lot. So did the three pairs of shoes Hubby bought me... ;)

How unnecessary. I hope you didn't spend any money with her!
 

rue

Messages
13,319
Location
California native living in Arizona.
^ I hope you didn't either.
I'll never understand why anyone that works in retail would treat customers like that. They are there to sell, not judge. She had no idea who you were or how much money you had and I know for a fact that they get a commission, so that was really stupid on her part. Don't worry about it Tatum. It's only a matter of time before she gets canned :)
 

Miss Golightly

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,312
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Tatum - I bet you looked fabulous!

I don't understand why people would react negatively to seeing someone dressed in vintage - personally I would love to see it - it would be so refreshing to see someone looking glamourous and looking like they care about their appearance - it would make a really nice change!
 

LittleMissToniJo

One of the Regulars
Messages
132
Location
Boston, MA
^ I hope you didn't either.
I'll never understand why anyone that works in retail would treat customers like that. They are there to sell, not judge. She had no idea who you were or how much money you had and I know for a fact that they get a commission, so that was really stupid on her part. Don't worry about it Tatum. It's only a matter of time before she gets canned :)

Rue that's exactly what I wanted to say. It reminds me of that scene in Pretty Woman when Julia Roberts goes shopping! What an idiot!
 

Puzzicato

One Too Many
Messages
1,843
Location
Ex-pat Ozzie in Greater London, UK
I'll never understand why anyone that works in retail would treat customers like that.

Precisely!

I went out for dinner last night and the lovely waiter complimented my pronunciation of the Spanish dishes. Did we give him a large tip? Oh yes we did! Would we if he had sneered (which frankly he could have because my Spanish pronunciation is awful)? No.

It's not that hard to be nice, so why wouldn't you?
 

Tatum

Practically Family
Messages
959
Location
Sunshine State
MarieAnne, I don't think any older than mid-forties.

Tell me, was she an absolute picture of stylishness?
No, not really. She was pretty casually dressed.

Puzzicato & Rue, no, I didn't get anything in Ann Taylor. Usually I find SOMETHING in there I can't live without. But then, that might have been colored by her look. She was just inside the door, so that was the reception I got. Funny how all the kids who were working in other stores were doing their usual spiel, regardless of what they thought of me.

Thanks, MissGolightly. :) I don't get it either. The only time someone gets a reaction from me is for rude behavior!

ToniJo, I remember that! And lord knows I have spent a LOT of money in Ann Taylor over the years...

I went out for dinner last night and the lovely waiter complimented my pronunciation of the Spanish dishes. Did we give him a large tip? Oh yes we did! Would we if he had sneered (which frankly he could have because my Spanish pronunciation is awful)? No.

It's not that hard to be nice, so why wouldn't you?

Now, that's a great server! :)
 

Lily Powers

Practically Family
I got a really awful look today, it was the first time I have ever had a negative reaction when dressed vintage. It was by a salesgirl in the Ann Taylor outlet. She looked me up and down with disgust. Hubby and I were out shopping for shoes (we both needed sandals) and I was wearing a cream sleeveless sweater and a red and white polka dot skirt along with HUGE v-rolls. I wanted to crawl under a rock. Hubby said to heck with it, and to consider where we were... The girl behind the counter at Bass, however, gushed and quizzed me on how I did my hair! That helped a lot. So did the three pairs of shoes Hubby bought me... ;)

It really irks me that someone - as a representative of a relatively well-known retailer no less - thinks another woman is beneath her because she marches to a different style drummer. How hard would it have been for her to simply smile and welcome you into the store? Instead, she botched a possible sale, is being talked about in this forum, and quite likely may be on the receiving end of a nasty-gram to the corporate office describing their sales associate's behaviour. Even though she hurt your feelings a bit, I'm glad her sneers and jeers didn't squash you! :)
 

Marla

A-List Customer
Messages
421
Location
USA
Possibly the best compliment I've ever received came today from a sweet older lady:

"You look like you could have gone to high school with me in the 1940s."
 

40'sfetish

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I was at work the other day (I work in a public hospital as a Personal Assistant) hair set, nice skirt and blouse and got 3 winks from various octagenarians that day lol. Not so much comments but a nice to get a reaction. Cheeky beggars lol
 

MissLaurieMarie

One of the Regulars
Messages
173
Location
Alberta, Canada
I was told I looked like a pin-up the other day :D Not only that, but a co-worker later told me that the lady who said it rarely gives compliments, so I must have made quite an impact.
 

Miss Moonlight

A-List Customer
Messages
440
Location
San Diego
I got a really awful look today, it was the first time I have ever had a negative reaction when dressed vintage. It was by a salesgirl in the Ann Taylor outlet. She looked me up and down with disgust. Hubby and I were out shopping for shoes (we both needed sandals) and I was wearing a cream sleeveless sweater and a red and white polka dot skirt along with HUGE v-rolls. I wanted to crawl under a rock. Hubby said to heck with it, and to consider where we were... The girl behind the counter at Bass, however, gushed and quizzed me on how I did my hair! That helped a lot. So did the three pairs of shoes Hubby bought me... ;)

I really have come to the conclusion that women who do this to other women are in fact jealous. I have experienced several dirty looks from other women, and it was always from ladies who looked like they put effort into what they were wearing, and always when I felt like I looked damn good. You probably looked amazing. She wishes she could. I realize it's a generalization, and sure there is a chance she was just a jerk, but really... jealousy happens.

On the note of a gal giving me a compliment, I recall going to a burlesque show all gussied up for the show and then Deadbolt playing after. When I went to ask the door gal about when the band was going on she asked if I was one of the dancers, and when I said no, she said I should be because I looked good. That was super nice. Made me feel fabulous to.
 

W-D Forties

Practically Family
Messages
684
Location
England
I had a similar thing happed at a Burlesque show last year. I would have thought it a complement if the guy who said it hadn't been so obviously dead drunk and didn't have his tongue hanging out whilst he said it!
 

Tatum

Practically Family
Messages
959
Location
Sunshine State
I got compliments all day today. One specifically delighted me though. One of my husband's clients, who I deal with a lot, made mention to me a few weeks ago that I looked really nice, and that Hubby had told him about my vintage wardrobe integration, and how cool he thought that was. (Hubby doesn't say much to me about it, so to hear that tickled the daylights out of me.) I have worn business casual around clients forever...up til this year. Anyway, today I saw said client, dressed in a vintage linen skirt and a vintage-y top and my hair down and curled, and he says, "The whole vintage thing really does suit you. You always look so put together, and like a real lady." :D
 

Katinka von K.

A-List Customer
Messages
316
Location
Germany
My neighbour (an older guy) just commented on my "new hair" (which is quite a mess today, for my thinking) and that I look like an intelligent author now. He must have ignored the cat skull shirt I was wearing...
 

BettieHousewife

New in Town
Messages
3
Location
Victoria, Australia
My fella and I went into the local bottle-o for some wine the other week, and the guy behind the counter said, "Are you guys going to a 1950's party or something?" and we said, "No, we dress like this all the time!"
He kinda stared at us blankly...not sure if he thought we were taking the piss haha! Oh well, at least he got the era right!!
 

Kate O Potato

A-List Customer
Messages
303
Location
Dulwich, London
I was in Whitstable yesterday with the lad and we bumped into a lovely couple in 1940s dress. After exchanging pleasantries, we were asked "Do you take the Chap magazine?"

Such an oddly specific but accurate observation!
 

Tuesday_Next

Familiar Face
Messages
69
Location
Kansas City
Kate O Potato, what a great response!

I was at the airport last week wearing a repro 50s polka dot skirt, saddle shoes and a cardigan and the clerk at the ticket counter asked if I was coming from a play. Confused, I said "No, from Chico!" and he looked bewildered. As I was walking to the TSA checkpoint, I realised that the clerk thought I was a stage performer and I thought he was just being pleasant and asking where I had been visiting. LOL!
 

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