This was a fun day!

I am working at Nordstroms in the Topanga Mall. The last time I worked in retail, I was adding shoulder pads to my shirts that already had shoulder pads. I would slide them under my bra strap.....never washed them for fear they would lose shape, so they were greyish in color. NICE! I looked like a line backer - slash -  rocker with hair as big as Jon Bon Jovi. So get how long ago that was????

When I first started this job, I sent an email to everyone letting them know about my new adventure and inviting them to the store. I have the ability to shop the entire store and set items aside for when my clients arrive - as if I am Norstroms personal shopper.  I didn't really expect any of my friends to come shop with me - I mean who wants the pressure, but so far I have been pleasantly surprised. My best guy friend sent me his Santa's list, then came to the store and we knocked out most of his Christmas list. It was fun to see him and I loved that I was able to do this service for him. He's a busy guy and always on the road. Then my a girl friend called wanting some jeans and sweaters. We have some jeans on sale in my dept. that are not super low (you know - the jeans so low they show your va jay jay) and not so high you feel like a dork. So I set aside a dressing room for her, filled it and gave her feedback to help her make her decisions - now this did not feel like work. We chatted and laughed for a bit, you know - it felt like two girl friends shopping. Plus she's happy and I helped - love that!

You may not know this = but we are all on straight commission at Nordys, so some days it feels like I am a clothes pusher, getting strangers in the dressing room and bombarding them with items hoping they'll buy something. It's a struggle, because I am brutally honest. If it does not look good and you ask me, I am telling. I may not get the sale, but I'll have my integrity.  I can't spend my days at work obsessing about my sales, it sucks the energy out of me, and that's not why I am there.

SO the super fun day:

I have another girl friend, we've been friends for a long time! When I first told her about this job she said she'd come to shop. I thought she was just being nice. She called this week and scheduled an appointment with me to come the following day. She was looking to dress up her wardrobe which is mostly cute jeans, sexy tops, juicy sweats and t-shirts. It is so helpful when I know what you already have = and when she told me the look she was going for "Country Club / Dating attire" I knew we needed to up the antie a bit. She has a knock out figure and not much looks bad on her (don't hate her). So off I went......every department like money was no object, pulling adorable tops, flowing tops, almost all colors and a few black slacks to really dress it up instead of jeans. At the end of the day I got in my car and thought, "she's going to see all I picked out and feel the pressure to purchase." I felt so uncomfortable.  I called her and let her know "if you leave with nothing, it's really ok, no pressure". She told me not to worry.  Well the next day came and she was there when I got to work (love that). Again, it felt like two girls shopping, was I really working?? We ran around the store, picked up some more clothes and headed straight to the dressing room. Some of the tops were PERFECTO, and the black slacks HOT! Exactly the look I was going for.....and she liked it. We updated her look, made it more sophisticated, but still hot, and I gave her some other ideas on what to purchase outside of Nordys. I was meant to do this. I could feel it! It brings me so much joy to get you to try things you might not normally try and love the new look I have given you. It's a control thing for sure! I love being the boss of you! OK so it was now tally time. We go off to the register and I start ringing and the total starts growing $200 then $500 then $800, ok final with tax just under $1000. I'm thinking, she's going to kill me, return everything later, or start taking items off the bill, what did I do - I pushed to hard! Then I hear "GREAT I was hoping to keep it around $1000". I laughed so hard, REALLY under $1000 is good??? At that moment I said "you are now in my blog!".