<p>I feel sorry for many department store sales associates. They take significant abuse and attitude from difficult customers. Waiting in line, I’ve seen some really obnoxious interchanges. Dealing with the general public can be very challenging.</p>
<p>Just a funny comment, someone posted a link to a dress here, and being nosy, I checked it out. There is another site that I visit frequently that has nothing to do with clothes or fashion, but now every time I log on there, that dress shows up in an ad on the page.</p>
<p>Girl down the street worked at Norstroms and quit. It’s pays a low hourly rate plus commission…and she said the ladies are mostly competitive and nasty with each other - although SUPER nice to the customers. Wow…had no idea. </p>
<p>I walk into NM sometimes…they call it “needless markup” around here too. It may be just me but I do feel a bit intimidated. Especially after I look at some of the price tags. Over the years I have bought a couple of items on sale… I don’t like paying retail!</p>
<p>sewhappy…for your bookclub, I imagine it’s casual right? I picked up a really cute coral light-weight cardigan at Nordstrom’s Rack the other day ($12! ) I plan to wear it over a cami (probably white). Cropped or regular white jeans. And my turquoise jewelery. Not sure about belt and shoes yet.</p>
<p>Gourmetmom, maybe it is just our little N-M that opened last fall. I always have a great experience at our Nordstroms (there 5 of them within 20 miles) or even at Macy’s, but at our only WA N-M a couple of times I was ignored by sales associates (once two of them continued their little chit-chat and pretended that they did not hear me). No, I do not “abuse” them, I’m always polite and say many “thank you’s”. 
You’d think they should be used to seeing people not dressed to the nines because there are Microsoft offices right above their store! 
And no, I do not wear fleece and sweats when I go shopping. The lady who helped me with the dress was very, very helpful, so I will give them another shot.</p>
<p>I posted about the dresses because I noticed that the dress departments of large stores got much better selection than they had just a month or so ago. Maybe it is time to hit the stores in addition to their .com’s if dress shopping is on your to-do list. :)</p>
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<p>I work a few blocks away from the orignal N-M flagship store. I have never been deemed worthy of sales associate attention, and I’ve always been in my lawyer work clothes. I really hate the store because of that. The only time I go there now is to eat lunch in the Zodiac Room, which is still the ultimate girly place for lunch. (Every diner is served a tiny cup of chicken consumme and fresh popovers with strawberry butter!)</p>
<p>Oh gosh. I recently heard a women tear into a sales person in an adjacent department. The woman wanted something done that required management approval, I don’t know what. And, yes, the woman had to wait longer than she wanted to for the manager to arrive. But she lit into that poor sales person like nothing I have ever heard. After I finished my transaction, I walked over to the salesperson and told her that I had heard what transpired, that it was obvious that she was blameless, and that I was appalled at the treatment the customer had dished out. The salesperson’s eyes welled with tears when she thanked me. Poor woman. Dealing with the public has its challenges, and not every one is built so that the abuse just rolls off without inflicting hurt.</p>
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<p>Son worked at his on-campus box office this semester. He said that the only thing that bother him was when people wanted him to do something that required management approval and wouldn’t believe him. The manager was just another student, so when he was in class he couldn’t be reached. So Son heard all kinds of “do you know how much money I give to the school?!” etc.</p>
<p>This latest fad of women wearing clothes that display the top portion of their boobs needs to go away fast. If someone’s breasts are outstanding, it’s not going to bother me (but honestly, I still don’t like the style or lack thereof). If they are not outstanding, it’s a completely tragic look.</p>
<p>Love that Calvin clutch back on post 2069…</p>
<p>And my sister recently got a great DVF dress. It’s navy, but with some nice pintucks, a self-sash, just enough detail. A cotton poplin.</p>
<p>cty…did you read the WSJ this morning? I don’t have the exact quote…(check the link) but something about big busted women not dangling necklaces off the cliff of their chests. LOL. </p>
<p>[Picking</a> the Best of Spring’s New Style Books - WSJ.com](<a href=“Picking the Best of Spring's New Style Books - WSJ”>Picking the Best of Spring's New Style Books - WSJ)</p>
<p>ctyankee: agree about the cleavage! I just saw some young woman on TV being interviewed with that look, and told my H that amount of exposure is only appropriate for the beach. </p>
<p>Can we talk about a new fashion subject–comfortable ballerina flats? I think Michelle O’s are quite cute and stylish. I have been researching them on Zappo’s and Nordstrom. I’m thinking of French Sole Sloops. Has anyone worn those?</p>
<p>bookie:
just got these in the mail and I love 'em. I went with pewter. Don’t usually spend this much but I needed a dressy pair. I’m tall so I have lots of flats. Some ballerina…some with pointy toes. I keep an eye on Michelle too! </p>
<p>[Sam</a> Edelman ‘Calypso’ Flat - - Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3066672?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=keywordsearch&keyword=sam+edelman+calypso&origin=searchresults]Sam”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3066672?Category=&Search=True&SearchType=keywordsearch&keyword=sam+edelman+calypso&origin=searchresults)</p>
<p>bookiemom, Famous Footwear had some nice Me Too flats on sale (I paid $25 for mine!). Me Too makes comfy, somewhat wider flats. I bought a pair because my new Born Adele flats (you can find them in many stores) went to Boston with my DD.</p>
<p>I just bought this dress at a local shop - and I got the same 30% off. The back view is really flattering - the double vent and scooped back make it special. What shoe do you suggest? It seems to be an even darker navy than the photograph.</p>
<p>[Madelaine</a> Wool Crepe Dress - Dresses * Women - RalphLauren.com](<a href=“http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3963686&cp=2943768.1766605&ab=viewall&view=all&parentPage=family]Madelaine”>http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3963686&cp=2943768.1766605&ab=viewall&view=all&parentPage=family)</p>
<p>Lovely dress. How about these shoes?</p>
<p>[Söfft</a> ‘Noral’ Sandal - View All - Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3067607/0~2376780~6009391~6014574~6014576~6016625?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6016625&P=1]Söfft”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3067607/0~2376780~6009391~6014574~6014576~6016625?mediumthumbnail=Y&origin=category&searchtype=&pbo=6016625&P=1)</p>
<p>[Söfft</a> ‘Redondo’ Sandal - - Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3067246?refsid=279864&refcat=0~2376778~2372808~2372949~2372955&SourceID=&SlotID=1&origin=related&cm_Sp=Related-Items-_-Product-_-Auto]Söfft”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/3067246?refsid=279864&refcat=0~2376778~2372808~2372949~2372955&SourceID=&SlotID=1&origin=related&cm_Sp=Related-Items-_-Product-_-Auto)</p>
<p>Gourmetmom- I love that dress. The scoop back is beautiful. I wish I had a better looking back. I like to keep mine covered.
I like the idea of dresses but I have a few issues. One is my back. It is better left covered. I don’t have much of a chest. Most of my weight is in my stomach. I also have one hip higher so I have a problem with anything that is tapered in at the waist. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Oh, just love the Madeleine wool navy dress. </p>
<p>GourmetMom you have an awesome eye for fashion. Can’t wait to see how you decide to accessorize!</p>
<p>Nevermind ;)</p>
<p>Yes, Gourmetmom is our fashion guru!</p>
<p>Bunsen, I first posted the comment to you because you also have infallible taste, imo.</p>
<p>Thanks (blush).</p>
<p>I’m in a lower priced fashion bracket, but as we’ve seen, even if you have a larger clothing budget, you still have to sift through a bunch of cr@p such as the Atomic dress (OMG!!! That dress was da bomb!) to get to the gems like GM’s lovey RL dress.</p>
<p>BTW, I think that RL dresses are usually very classy and well made no matter what price range they are in (Black label, Blue label or Macy’s clearance rack).</p>