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 used to feel the same until I thought that meh, I scrub up okay too and just can't be bothered with competing these days (for anything other than a special day/night out, I've not let myself go completely). I now have the attitude that they look lovely (sometimes) but I have better things to do and my it looks hard work to stay so groomed.

I had a consultation from a funky young Mac girl who 'matched' my perfect lipstick for me... it was gopping, a kind of sludge colour. Pick something you like the look of, ask the assistant to apply it for you, take a look and if you like it buy it, if you don't, pick another colour you like, rinse and repeat until you're actually needing help choosing, then ask for advice. I spent a lovely 45 minutes in a store only the other week, came away with 3 lipsticks that the assistant hadn't recommended, one that she had, and about 6 that we'd tried and said 'ew' to (4 of them were her choice).

OldLadyKnowsNothing what colours do you LIKE, what colours make you feel good? Start there. I like beige (seriously!) but Beige doesn't like me, and therefore makes ME feel rubbish. Try try try again, take a friend you can trust, if you have a DH/DP, reserve a few items that you've tried and aren't sure of, then return to the store with him, and see what he says.

Successful shopping in my experience is either bloody good luck, or a process of elimination, and I've never found the 'perfect' outfit by just one person looking at it. Good luck though... get your outfit first, make up after. Take your outfit with you when you look for make up. And if shop assistants look at you like you're a PITA/nutter, give them a withering smile.

Do you know Valium I'm not even sure I can remember now what my one did to me - but I know it was to do with me asking a reasonable question and getting a rolling eye deep breath 'don't give a shit' response! The trouble is they wear too much bloody make up and they think their shit doesn't stink! I'm fairly sure that's a requirement of being employed by Virgin!

Have to agree, I've chickened-out of buying something I had my heart set-on a few times because I just couldn't face the sales assistant (usually expensive make-up related). I've never feel quite good enough or rich enough to shop there.
But then again I also worked in an expensive shop that I know some women feel too intimidated to go into (hence most customers we got were arrogant arses who wouldn't know what self-doubt was if it slapped them like a wet fish). It was hard to get ordinary customers to overcome their preconceptions and come-in and give the place a chance; but actually they would have found it much friendlier and down-to-earth than they thought.

Thanks, aldiwhore, and sorry all for the slight hijack.

Bats I just said to dh ' Do you remember that snotty VIRGIN woman?' and he rolled his eyes and said 'Yes, I fucking do'

you could dye your hair a fetching shade of red then whip your hat off as the shop assistant narrows her eyes at you, preferably wearing red heels too....

Why does this shit stay with us for so long I wonder!

I would have learnt so much more at school if they made it all into an advert

:o @ Bats!

No, no, no the orange ones are fine because I feel like I look less silly than they do and if they come over all patronising I can just grin to myself at their orangeness. It's the 6 foot, perfect-skinned, razor-cheeked size-4, perfectly-coiffed ones that are far too scary to talk to.

I had a makeover in MAC once, it was ace. £25 but redeemable against products. Their staff are proper make-up artists and did a fantastic job. I loved my smoky eyes soooo much. I watched what she did, bought the products & can now do a decent job of it at home too. :)

I do sometimes find make-up counter staff pushy though. They are salespeople at the end of the day, so I agree with the poster who suggested you take your time, take control & you'll probably see them change their tune once they realise that YOU realise you're the one in control. You've got the cash after all!

YABU. They work in a shop - their job is to serve you. Never been intimidated by any of them. Annoyed sometimes yes but not intimidated.

I was just saying to DH yesterday how I DESPISE the shop assistants standing right infront of their doors at Next ready to "welcome" you or bid you goodbye with a "HELLO!!!" or "GOODBYE HAVE A NICE DAY!!!". Ugh. The one yesterday got 2 dirty looks from me yesterday. One on the way in and one on the way out.

Why MyBloom?? She/he is just doing their job, they are being polite.. why should they deserve a dirty look?

I'm not intimidated by make-up counter assistants at all. I usually go in looking rather scruffy, im 27 but look about 16. My money is just as good as anyone elses.

Because I was tired from shopping around, and I don't want to go into shop and have someone go "HELLLOOO!!". It makes me uncomfortable. Plus she was skinny and pretty, and I on the other hand am 6 months pregnant looking like a camel. I don't need it.

MrBloomsNursery - the poor woman by the door in next doesn;t deserve your dirty looks. She would have been told to stand there greeting customers for hours and would have been bored out of her mind - it's the worst job in a shop. Maybe you would prefer staff standing at the door giving you a dirty look as you go in and out of the shop?

Aha, 6 months pregnant.. then you may glare at all the skinny women your heart so desires been there done that

I must admit I tend to do more of the doorway greeting in the winter so I can benefit from the hot air blowers to keep me warm. In summer I can be found annoying customers and passers by, by blowing lots and lots of bubbles.

nancy - no ofcourse I wouldn't. I wish they'd just keep away a bit. I must admit she must have thought I was a right bitch because my DH and even my daughter said hello and goodbye to her...Poor girl.

Yanbu! I get intimidated by them too! I'm getting slightly better now I work in a similar job and have realised they are there to serve YOU and sell products

i agree, i hated that all that greeter stuff. it would make me less likely to go into a shop as it made me self conscious and feel like i was going to get the hard sell. i won't go into space nk for example, as i just feel too fat and frumpy next to the impossibly well made up staff.

that being said, there is a happy medium. i was a real scruff on maternity leave. unfortunately i did not meet the standards set by the sales assistant in my local jojomamanbebe. i went in 3 times, and she fawned over other customers but was soooo rude to me that i just stopped going in the end. wouldn't even speak to me when i bought something and she rang it up on the register, let alone say thanks!

i have other places to buy things, and so now i do.

I hate being bothered by sales assistants. I do usually manage a polite 'I'm fine thanks, I'll let you know if I need any help' which seems to do the trick. I have found though that the worst places for this are those stands in shopping centres that sell mobile phone accessories. As soon as I approach just to browse phone covers or whatever I am pounced on and asked 'What are you looking for? What phone have you got? I can do you a special deal' and I just have to go. I want to browse in peace. I still attempt to browse but as soon as I see the stall holder get up and start to approach me I just walk away.

I still remember that scene from Ab Fab when Edina went into an expensive art gallery to buy some 'expensive, lovely things' and was patronised by the assistant. Her retort of 'you only work in a bloody shop you know!' was perfect!

You're shopping in the wrong places. Stick with John Lewis, it's mostly safe, and if even that scares you they are online and do free delivery for orders over £30. That way you can avoid the assistants altogether.

It's always when they tell you the price first thing that annoys me when you go to beauty counters.