to find shop assistants intimidating?

[AKMD]

Especially the perfectly groomed ones at makeup counters. I find the orange ones much less scary as I bounce up in toddler-stained clothes and purple rosy cheeks.

I don't shop anywhere ridiculously expensive but I do feel a bit put-off by perfectly-groomed, uber-trendy, impossibly slim sales assistants in shops aimed at women. They are always very nice but I feel like the a ragamuffin. AIBU/slly?

I know what you mean, I feel the same sometimes

I do. My neighbour gave me a boots gift card after i found her cat, i was going to buy my self a posh tinted moisturiser but the assistants looked really unapproachable.

Got nappies and random baby tat instead

Just remember that they are there to serve you. And that they need you more than you need them.

I don't intend to be disrespectful towards shop assistants, but I found this to be the only way to get over my fear of shop assistants. I just used to tell myself that whenever I felt the scornful gaze....

Nope. Strongly suspect they'd be intimidated by me.

Ihave an expectation of a high standard of service and don't take any nonsense

i feel the same!

especially in places like topshop etc

Topshop are the absolute worst for superior assistants. Awful

YY to Topshop.

My cheeks are far too chubby to do battle with the razor cheekbones of doom, although as I said in my OP, whenever I have approached a non-orange assistant they have been very nice. I once made the mistake though of approaching the lady at the CK makeup counter in Selfridges, who gushed about how 'Calvin likes the natural look' while I very rudely gawped at her orange mascara, wonky black eyeliner, ruby-red lips and shaved-and-drawn-on-again eyebrows. I think I was too amazed at her interpretation of the 'natural look' to buy anything.

KnackeredWoman that is awful, poor you!

Yes, I feel the same too! I have noticed that if they're nice, you don't notice the grooming/clothes (like the lovely lady at the MAC counter in my local Debenhams, who was gorgeous but I didn't notice until after she'd helped me find what I was looking for!). It's the ones who seem to want to sneer at you I find annoying. I would prefer it if they didn't insist on jumping on me the minute I walk past/glance at their stuff, too - doesn't make me want to buy things, it makes me want to run away!

What, like

Yup, just like that, except teenage.

My absolutely, lovely, adorable SIL works on a make up counter in House of Fraser (Meadowhall). She looks stunning - I can't say if she looks intimidating or not, as I know her too well - but just imagine that the perfectly-groomed sales assistant you see next could be her and give her a smile. She feels equally intimidated by some of the customers.

Aww Scholes. Tell her to go orange and her sales will double. Or I could just man up...

AKMD If she went orange, she'd no longer be stunning! She's 10 years younger than me, blonde, slim, tall, two gorgeous DCs. I really should hate her, but I can't repeat it too often how absolutely adorable she is. She can't bake as well as me, though - which is probably why she's slim and I'm not.

I used to until I left the UK. Sometimes they can be horrid but I have enjoyed many a session in Mac being made over by the scarily pretty girls by just asking for help. I recently went to Gucci and bought some shoes and was treated with disdain, back in the car I realised that I had Big Mac juice down my top. Who cares?

Agree.

I feel a bit like this in MAC, as I shop there all the time. I just feel like a bit of a gimp in their presence. Can't think of another word to describe the feeling...

Even if I've done my makeup meticulously and am dressed well, I feel inferior and unattractive.

I think a contributing factor is that I tend to be friendly, and often they're a bit distracted and cold.

But ultimately I think it comes down to my own self-esteem issues...

I think you would be surprised at how helpful the orange ladies are if you just smile and ask them questions. I have never met a snooty one yet, they are only too pleased to pin you to a stool and cover you in slap help.

But they're just children really (to a 35 year old fogey like me anyway) and since having DS I'm not intimidated by children.

I have to admit though, I always feel intimidated at the hairdressers.

American shop assistants are completely different. DH and I went shopping in New York for my engagement ring and they were all lovely - even in the really posh shops where we admitted straight away that we couldn't really afford anything and just wanted to have a look.

I can't abide the type either! In any walk of life - not just sales assistants! I especially loathe it in air hostesses - and particularly Virgin ones who walk around with their noses so high in the air it's like they have a little piece of shit taped just underneath to remind them! Ghastly. At least with BA you get normal looking women and on EasyJet you know exactly where you all stand!

I do wonder if businesses give this matter any thought though - perhaps they have no idea they are alienating more potential customers than they are attracting?

So which orange ladies are most helpful for someone who is, say, 50 and completely out of practice with this sort of stuff, but whose son is getting married next year? I've already gleaned that Debenhams personal shoppers are good. (No, I can't dress myself either. )

Oh I agree about VIRGIN ones - I had the BIGGEST todo with one about 10 years ago - still haven't forgotten it!

Valium - I swear mine was 20 years ago and I still haven't forgotten it either! Time to move on I suppose but I think they absolutely on purpose employ that type!

Never mind the orange women! I went into a crap designer boutique the other day and the guy who owned it looked like he had rolled in a bag of Wotsits.

He was super full on scary and doing the hard sell with clothes that my Granny would laugh at.

Electric blue waterfall cardigan with flamenco ruffles down the front? Anyone?

Bats she took BOTH parts of my ticket and then refused to look in her pile of tickets for my return part AND SHE WOULDN'T LOOK AT ME BECAUSE I WAS 'WRONG!'

Dear God I need to get a grip...