To ask retail staff not to guess and volunteer people’s dress size?

[Schhhteeevie]

I’ve just been in a shop, I was looking at a dress, I picked up the first one at the front to look at it closer and the retail assistant walked over, shook her head and volunteered the following “No, judging from your shoulders I’d say you need a (insert dress size two sizes larger than one that I had the audacity to grasp in my grubby little paws) at least”

Thanks love, I’ll add rugby shoulders to my list of things I didn’t know I needed to worry about in up now.

Yabu - she was doing her job
Yanbu - she was being a nosey caaaah

I saw a lovely dress in a charity shop window and went in to see the size and a closer look. The woman at the till hollered across “it's far too small for you, it's a size 10”

Me being all of a size 12 at the time. But I could have been looking for someone else! It's rude.

That's awful. I find it really hard to tell what size someone is unless they're around the same height as me. I really couldn't guess, and it would be rude to try.

I've also had a beauty assistant tell me a foundation "will hide your freckles"...err no I love my freckles thanks!

Was she right?

On honeymoon I picked up some trousers to try and was immediately handed a bigger size. I felt a bit embarrassed in case she thought I thought I was thinner but it was just that didn't know that countries size range.

@CaribouCarafe

Yep, hate it in general when shop assistants descend upon me and start giving me unsolicited advice. It's the number one way to ensure I won't buy anything from that shop. Just. Fuck. Off.

Had an assistant at Sephora once try and plug me some full coverage foundation to "cover up those horrible freckles". I told her my freckles were my favourite feature and that I wouldn't be purchasing anything from her and walked straight out. I've not been back since.

@CaribouCarafe Ah this reminds me of something that happened to me many years ago. A sales assistant was trying to persuade me to buy a foundation but I didn't really want it then she asked if I really wanted to walk around with everyone seeing my skin with all the blemishes. Sadly I murmured no and paid. As we were walking away my friend who was in as much shock as me asked me if I'd really just let her blackmail me into buying a foundation I nodded and she told me to turn around and take it straight back but I had zero confidence and just wanted to go home with my horrible skin for a little cry. That crap wouldn't wash on me now, older and wiser (with a lot more sass lol).

Ha I had something similar today, I was in a charity shop browsing the size 8s for a dress for my daughter and the sales lady said to me the larger sizes are over there!

My skin wasn't even that bad which makes it worse!

@MeetMeAtOurSpot

I would maybe assume their sizing comes up smaller, compared to other store sizes, rather than she was being snarky tbh. I hate having to guess what size I’m supposed to be these days. I can vary up to 2 sizes in one store depending on the garment!

But there’s a way of saying that without making it sound like she’s decided the OP is deluding herself as to her dress size

I'm sure her employers would be thrilled that she's putting customers off purchasing by making comments about their size.

If you were holding the dress up to yourself, or were clearly heading to the changing room, I could kind of see where she was coming from. Still rude though. Like most people, I just want to be left alone when browsing.

I have a friend who is close to size 26/28, and bought a size 6 skirt from a charity shop because she liked the fabric. She cut it up and used it to make a lovely journal .

One Christmas Eve a few days ears ago I bought a lovely little cocktail dress from our posh charity shop

Woman folding it looked at me and said "oh you do know this is a size 12" with emphasis on the 12 while looking at my size 16 body

I just said yes it will fit HIM well, her face was a picture

It's such a shame people are having these experiences. Why can't the salespeople say helpful things like "that's cut quite small, I suggest customers go up a size or two from their usual size" or "this is designed to be worn quite baggy, if you don't like that style, I suggest sizing down"

I've had a few of these experiences.

I enquired about a dress in the window. The lady suggested I try it on as it's very forgiving. I wondered aloud what I needed to be forgiven for. She looked at me blankly.

I had just bounced over the finish line of my very first half marathon and was utterly elated. The finisher t-shirts were being handed out, I called for a size medium to the guy and girl volunteering. I think you should get a large the guy shouted. My face dropped to the floor. The girl looked like she wanted the ground to swallow them both up. She spun around "they're slim fitting and quite tight..." but the damage was done.

It can be very rude, but I've found it helpful at times. I was in AS when I put my items down, I picked up an XL, and the lady said that she thought I'd need an L. I got home and the L was a bit roomy, XL would have swamped me so it helped.

Been in the position plenty of times before where staff have guessed my size and told me they don't sell clothes in my size. I'll never forget the time that a sales assistant in the US refused to put me on their waiting list into the store because nothing would fit me... absolutely humiliating, and would prefer people didn't feel the need to comment most of the time

This happened to me a couple of times as well!
One time I was called a "big girl" -- at the weight of 106 pounds.
I am still disgruntled about that one!

Another time I was looking at something, and the 'helpful' (actually really lovely) assistant handed me an extra-large in the same item.
Again, at 106 pounds. ???
But I guess to be fair, I was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants at the time.

But still.