Shopping

[Lacey]

The other day I was shopping at a Walmart for a nice top for an outing this weekend with my SO. We have been planning this for a few weeks and I have had trouble with deciding what I feel comfortable wearing. So I happen to be in Walmart shopping so I wandered over to the women's section. I browsed for a while and called my SO to ask her opinion on some tops. She had a great idea of taking some male clothes in to the the fitting room, with some tops I liked underneath to try on. She said that she had never had a salesperson ask to see the items before going in. So I selected two tops I really liked and a male sweater the lay over top of them. I walked up to the fitting rooms and there were two ladies working the counter folding clothes. So I thought cool they're distracted so I can slip in and out relatively unnoticed. But of course the older lady of the two asked to see the items. She lifted the male sweater and saw the other two tops. She gave me a real dirty look and handed them back to me. I tried them on and didn't like the fit. So as I walked out I handed the items to the older woman and she just grabbed them. The younger woman smiled said have a nice day. It was the first time I have ever tried on woman's clothes in a store, which was exciting. But the woman's reaction has really bothered me the last few days for some reason. It really makes me angry to think of the look on her face. I don't care if it's not her cup of tea, but I was a customer and not hurting anyone. I was using the male fitting room as well. Bottom line is I enjoyed trying on the things in the store and would do it again. But that woman really made me mad. I was dressed in drab at the time. So maybe next time I'll go as Lacey and really give her something to get her panties in a bunch about. Thanks for readin', Lacey.

[Bethanygirl]

Some shoppers, (even crossers) are Bit*hes! So are some salespersons, don't let it bother you.

[krisinpink]

Heck with the grumpy one!!

Next time, grab a handful of baby-girl infant wear and just let her see you cruising past her fitting room a few times looking like you just might be looking to 'pop in' .... that oughta get her knickers in a knot!!

(sometimes I just feel SOOOOO naughty!!)

[Glenda58]

I find that it usually the old SAs that look at you. But now I shop dress all the time and try everything on. It's only when I pay with my charge card that they find out that I'm a he. Just smile and take my stuff and tell them to have nice day.

[Cristi]

I really don't understand what it is with some people that they feel they have top 'put us in our place' and make us feel uncomfortalbe just because THEY don't approve of the way we dress.

I've run into this attitude with SAs several times now and just feel more sorry for them than anything else... What a sad, narrow closed life they must live if such a simple thing as me trying on a skirt puts them over the edge.

I think these are the same types of people that 50 years ago would have glared at a black person who DARED drink out of a 'white' fountain, or 20 years ago a gay couple that DARED hold hands in public... or 100 years ago a woman who **DARED** wear pants in public!

[DonnaT]

Some people still think of it as a perversion or immoral. They'll think anything anyone does out of the norm should be looked down on. So your not going to get them to change their attitude. At least she let you try them on.

[Aprilrain]

your first problem is you were shoping at walmart. try the department stores, no one checks to see who is going in to what changing room with what items. last week i walked out of the changing room at dillards and a SA was hanging clothes on the racks right out side. she saw me walk right up to the counter and she came over to ring me up and saw the clothes i had walked out of the changing room with and said " oh i love this top are these new" i just smiled as she was really just talking to her self, then she asked me if i wanted the clothes gift wraped? why would i want clothes for my self gift wraped. the point being i think most people faced with glaringly obvious evidence to the contrary still go with their assumptions ie. i'm a male buying womens clothes there for they must be for someone else.

[Bev06 GG]

Hi Lacey,
Well to be honest I'd just have said that they were for my wife and I was hanging on to them. If she'd said she'd look after them for you whilst you tried your other stuff on I'd have said no thank you I'll hang onto them if you dont mind. Just be as joe blunt back. These people are very ignorant and judgemental, but to be fair, they've probably never come across this before or if they have theyve felt very akward and acted in this way as a means of defence because they feel abit embarassed. Dont let these people rob you of your joy.
Bev

[Jodi]

The other day I was shopping at a Walmart for a nice top for an outing this weekend with my SO. We have been planning this for a few weeks and I have had trouble with deciding what I feel comfortable wearing. So I happen to be in Walmart shopping so I wandered over to the women's section. I browsed for a while and called my SO to ask her opinion on some tops. She had a great idea of taking some male clothes in to the the fitting room, with some tops I liked underneath to try on. She said that she had never had a salesperson ask to see the items before going in. So I selected two tops I really liked and a male sweater the lay over top of them. I walked up to the fitting rooms and there were two ladies working the counter folding clothes. So I thought cool they're distracted so I can slip in and out relatively unnoticed. But of course the older lady of the two asked to see the items. She lifted the male sweater and saw the other two tops. She gave me a real dirty look and handed them back to me. I tried them on and didn't like the fit. So as I walked out I handed the items to the older woman and she just grabbed them. The younger woman smiled said have a nice day. It was the first time I have ever tried on woman's clothes in a store, which was exciting. But the woman's reaction has really bothered me the last few days for some reason. It really makes me angry to think of the look on her face. I don't care if it's not her cup of tea, but I was a customer and not hurting anyone. I was using the male fitting room as well. Bottom line is I enjoyed trying on the things in the store and would do it again. But that woman really made me mad. I was dressed in drab at the time. So maybe next time I'll go as Lacey and really give her something to get her panties in a bunch about. Thanks for readin', Lacey.

Lacey, The problem was not that you wanted to try on the tops; the problem was that you were trying to hide something while going into a fitting room. Trying on women's clothes is no problem, but hiding something is a no-no in any store. Also, none of us know what kind of body language you were giving off, ie nervous, tense, etc.

Right now Walmart is aggressively pursuing any type of shoplifter. They are hammering into the staff on what to look for. Your mistake was hiding the items and trying to be cool about it. Next time, be honest. Hold the items out in plain sight and go to the fitting room. If asked, smile, hold your head high, and tell the SA that you intend to try them on. It is no crime to try on women's clothes. What gets you noticed is trying to deceive store staff in any way.

Jodi

[linnea]

Hi Lacey,
Well to be honest I'd just have said that they were for my wife and I was hanging on to them. If she'd said she'd look after them for you whilst you tried your other stuff on I'd have said no thank you I'll hang onto them if you dont mind. Just be as joe blunt back. These people are very ignorant and judgemental, but to be fair, they've probably never come across this before or if they have theyve felt very akward and acted in this way as a means of defence because they feel abit embarassed. Dont let these people rob you of your joy.
Bev

I think that Bev is right on the target: "Don't let these people rob you of your joy." I also think that she's right about their ignorance as the source of their attitude. They just don't know how to react because they are so ignorant about such things. In the throes of their ignorance, their minds are locked into "closed" position, so they lash out to save face or avoid doing something "wrong."
It's sad, but you don't have to be.