I have to say, when I went to VS I got measured (US sizing is very different from what I was used to) and the girl who measured was 3 sizes off as well. I usually just grab a few different sizes and try them all on. (and yes, I do put them back where I got them!)

I do the same, though I haven't been in a VS in a long time. I made myself downgrade my underwear to save money...though after seeing that new stars pattern (can't remember the name, but it's a bunch of stars) I might have to.

When you say off by 3 sizes what do you mean? Off by band size? Cup size? Mixture of both?

Also, many people don't realize that you have a "sister size" in bra size, meaning that you can probably fit comfortably in two different sizes. For example, if you are a 34B and wear your bra on the loosest hooks, you can probably fit in a 36A as well. (You go up in the band size, and drop a cup size). Likewise, if you are 34B and you wear your bra and the tightest hooks, you can probably wear a 32C (go down in band size and up in cup size). This doesn't work for everyone, but it works for many (at least many customers I have suggested it to!) So don't freak out if you normally wear a 34B but they measure you as a 36A. That's just your sister size! (I know that's not what happened in your case, but I know it happens with many people).

And I'm still standing by this:

:p

ETA: Sorry for the bra hijack, everyone

Yeah, I'm usually 32 DD-F (ugh), and VS told me I was a B cup! I'm not a fan of VS because for a MAJOR bra store, they carry NO unusual sizes (nothing in 32 past C, nothing past DD period). I mean I know you can buy them online, but bras are pretty much one of the things that you HAVE to try on.

Not the salespeople's fault, though, except for the bad measuring.

She was 3 cup sizes off and band size as well. I did know about the sister sizes, always try different cup and band sizes because different bras just sit different. I'm also not a fan of buying them over the internet. I have to try them on before buying.
Haven't been to VS in forever though.. I just go to H&M now, they fit very well, are cute and cheap :)



Major bra hijack BTW LOL.... poor men...

When I was in grad school in Hawaii, I worked in a women's clothing store near UH. These Hare Krishna women used to come into the store and look at everything (why? they had to wear robes!??) and leave the store in a shambles. We thought they might be doing it to cover up shoplifting but we could never catch them.

Then there was this really tall guy who used to come in and try on (women's) clothes for hours. He was maybe 6'4". Of course very little fit him and he would rant. Okay, we're supposed to stock tall sizes exclusively for you in this state full of short women? I think the manager finally banned him with the threat of police because he was getting scary.

Yeah, that is WAY off, lol That had to be frustrating!

I too have had some difficulties with my own sizing. A few years back I measured as 34B but was fitting perfectly into a 34D. *shrug* Just like all clothes, you really don't know for sure until you put it on. It's kind of like how I have a size 4, size 6, and size 8 jeans...all from Express. WTH?

I'm so with you on the not having unusual sizes thing. I always felt bad for women who were an odd size and we didn't have anything for them. I mean it would make sense that VS would have something, it was mind boggling that we didn't. Yes, there's more sizes online, but what a hassle!

It's not like VS had to carry the unusual sizes in EVERY BRA. Chances are, women with large busts are NOT looking for a push up bra, lol Just a good supportive bra. I never understood why they sucked at catering to that.

This happens a lot at hospitals. Every hospital (and medical office) job I've had be it a volunteer, patient care tech/nurses aide, nursing preceptor, or nurse, we'd always get calls like this. At the hospital it was people wanting to be transferred to or know someone's room number that dispatchers/operators I guess didnt want to tell them, so they would transfer calls to Surgery Waiting Room or the Ortho/Neuro unit for us to look stuff up on the computer and tell them. Pre-OP would even get calls like this. At the medical office calls would get transferred back to nursing from the front office to make appointments for people or to answer questions about billing.

I could never, ever, ever work in retail. I'd throttle someone on the first day.

Ugh. People like that disgust me. Your lil pumpkin is NOT cute-no-matter what-he-does to anyone else.

YES. I used to answer phones in undergraduate admissions and we would get the weirdest calls that had nothing to do with our department.

I work at a different university now and it's not an isolated phenomenon. My job is actually two positions combined, and the woman who had half of my job before me was a sweet older lady with a lot more time on her hands who was generally happy to track down people's extensions. The operators picked up on this pretty fast and got used to sending her all the really strange calls they didn't know what to do with. Now I have her job (and her extension) plus someone else's and I really don't have time to do this, but they continue to send me the weird calls that have nothing to do with my department. I hate to transfer people back to the operator again, but since I've started doing that it's gotten better.

My co-worker told me the weirdest one she ever got was a man from another country asking her to find his wife, who had left him and moved to the city the university is in. He gave her a list of all the places she might be and asked her to find her and make her go back to him. Huh?

I've never worked retail, but I worked part-time at an animal shelter for many years and have plenty of awful customer stories. People trying to steal kittens by putting them in their purses, people opening up all the cat's cages so they can "play", people who treat the shelter like a zoo for their kids - we had some women actually try to leave their young children with us while they went across the street to go shopping. Because we had nothing better to do than babysit kids and make sure they don't get bitten by already-stressed animals.

This next part is not for the squeamish - but the cruelty and stupidity of people was something that really got to me in that job. One morning in the middle of a new england winter we arrived to find three puppies tied to the front door, freezing, because somebody didn't have the cojones to come in and surrender their dogs face-to-face (the puppies ended up being ok, btw, and all found homes). Another time a person brought in a guinea pig they had been keeping in a cage full of cat litter because they didn't want to buy shavings. The poor thing was caked literally all over with dried clay from where she had gotten stuck in wet litter over and over. And the worst one - this person brought in a cat in a carrier and just left it in the entrance before running out the door. We took the cat in the back to examine her and she smelled awful. My boss put his hands into the carrier to pick her up and his hand went inside the cat's abdomen. She had a mammary tumor that had gotten so bad it had burst and was left as a giant open infected wound. It was horrible. Unfortunately, at that point there was nothing we could do for her and she was euthanized.

There were a lot of happy stories in that job too, but it was a real eye-opener to how awful people can be.

Sorry :(

I did try to warn you!

I used to work with the transvestites when I worked at VS if the women were uncomfortable. Since I had a background in men's clothing, I was used to measuring their chests.

We did have one employee in one of our stores, however, who we were unsure of whether or not they were a transvestite. It's not a big deal, but you can only have women working in the fitting room area.

Are we the same person?
I worked in a pizza hut that was the exact same way and even teachers I had in HS who know what kind of student I am (an excellent one) that practically were asking if I got knocked up and dropped out (not exactly but it was well implied)
I was like uhh hello? Summer job. Hospitality student? No one is hiring in this tiny town? Annoying.
We need a "What I learned from working in hospitality thread"

Just want to echo what others have said about having customers talk down to you. I worked as a Wal*Mart cashier and/or snack bar worker during every summer through four years of college. People (especially people with coupons!) spoke to me like I was a small child. I admit, I did look about 14, but still... :p

My job is not retail but reading all of these stories I completely relate to those of you that have been in the trenches. Some of my pet peeves:

-you signed the check in sheet that says you will be charged 85$ for the exam-don't act stupid and say you didn't know you would be charged.
-I don't want to overhear about how your BMW broke down and you had to drive the maserati here-get the F off the phone with your mechanic and talk to me about your pet. It is 7 AM and I want to go home. (the guy was on the phone for 10 minutes while I just stared at him-Fing rude)
-don't tell me about how you have no money when you have a huge rock on your perfectly manicured hand and are clinging to your Louis Vuitton and Iphone-unfortunately veterinarian medicine costs money-I have to make a living just like you do
-don't tell me I should work for free b/c I love animals-see statment above about making a living
-try and control your unruly children, they are giving me and Fluffy an ulcer, no wonder Fluffy is always sick

BTW I have never worked retail but I always fold the clothes and place them back into their proper place and hang up what I have tried on-common courtesy

wrong. ;)

i do however, do NOT need a bra that is padded. if i am buying a bra from lane freaking bryant, you'd think that would be the general assumption.

Never assume... for years, I didn't buy padded because I thought, well, I have plenty of that to start with.

And I don't need the padding to look bigger, but it does offer a more stable "side wall" than one that isn't padded, and that keeps me looking more front and centered, if you will. Plus, no unsightly headlights.

I will tell you though, that I strayed and went to Soma - never again! She sold me a size that almost works because they had them in stock, whereas the truly better size is one they only carry in a few styles.

Back to Cacique it is.

Lol! This is the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread! I've heard that SO many time! "It's something about a cat, and the cover is orange." Umm....:confused:

On the other side of the spectrum on being talked down to, in my experience co-workers are just as bad as customers.

I was hired on-call for Macy's back in September and on my first day in the Home section for the holiday season, a "senior" employee tried to show me how to ring up a transaction. Overlooking that I had been working in the store since September, there's an extensive training when you're first hired with a register in training mode before you ever get on the floor. She also consistently makes a point to rub my "lack of college education" in my face, when I have made my alma mater no secret (especially on black friday with the football game later that day).

I never mind if people don't put things back themselves, I generally don't mind doing it, but I always appreciated it when customers would take the time to rebutton a shirt and put clothing back on the hanger. If the items are already prepped after they're tried on, it makes it that much easier to get them back on the floor.

I actually really do like working retail for extra money because I love starting conversations with people. I love repeat customers because they always tell me about their day or how their kids are doing or whatever. That's probably the best thing I've learned about retail: a little kindness will go a long way. I had a couple repeat customers come in today and one woman even brought in her husband to meet me. It was so sweet.

I do have plenty of horror stories, but I thought I would share a more humorous one from my college retail job.

During college, I used to work at Charlotte Russe and I was on the register one day. I was doing my usual attempt at trying to start some sort of conversation while ringing out because engaged customers are happier customers in my experience (also because I just like talking to people). While I was ringing out one customer, she pulls out an entire stack of one dollar bills to pay for her purchase (which was over $40).

"Oh, do you work in one of the restaurants in The Village?" The mall I was at had one of those outdoor attachments with all the specialty shops and nice restaurants.

She sneers at me and says "I wouldn't degrade myself by working food service."

So I just kind of shrug it off and compliment the shirt she's buying.

But my customer continued the conversation and said "I probably make way more money than any of those waitresses anyway. My tips are really good and repeat customers will drop hundreds of dollars on me."

At this point, I was trying my hardest to change the subject because I honestly had no idea what to say in response (if anyone has any ideas in hindsight, I would love to hear them). I think I fumbled with "A hundred dollars in one sitting sounds great" or something of that nature.

She smiled and told me "It's because the dancing keeps me fit. Not like being around food all day. Thanks for the shirt."

I was at a loss for any sort of response, but at least she left happy and gave me a thank you.

Meanwhile, my manager had been standing near by during the conversation and after the customer left, she started laughing hysterically.

I have to agree.

I worked retail throughout high school and college. My only problem was people being nasty (gross, not mean). I did my job and got paid for it. That job included picking up after people, restocking, straightening, cleaning up messes, being courteous to rude customers, etc.

Regardless of my experiences, I'll be courteous to people, because that's the way I am. But, I have no problem leaving clothes in the designated area and not putting them back where I found them. I'm there to get in and get out. I don't have time to be doing someone else's job.

It always grossed me out when customers took off their shoes to snuggle up in the arm chairs at Barnes and Noble. So many feet! I never sat there after I saw that. Ick!

Putting it on the rack outside the dressing room that's there for that specific purpose is fine. I put things back when I have time, but yeah if I took a whole pile of clothing into the dressing room I don't want to put each item back where it belongs and putting them in the wrong place just makes more work for others. I am unimpressed however by the people that leave piles of things in the dressing room, all junked up and off of the hangers. That's just rude. Especially since most stores (where I shop anyway) have a sign somewhere in the dressing room asking customers not to do exactly that, and that designates where to put the clothing you don't want.

LOL Just saw this. Not true. However, the stores are only supposed to hang Bs & and Cs (unless they were low on stock) in the display (for all bras, not just pink). The rest were in the drawers. I know at the store I worked at the Pink drawers were very hidden, so I can see how people think that.

LMAO! See, now I know quite a few.... um, thicker strippers. Not sure if their tips are the same as someone who's "fit" or not. I went and visited my brother yesterday, and he had a stack of 1's on his dresser. I said "Oh are you going to the strip club later, or did you get another side job you won't admit to? Let me know when you dance and I'll send all my friends to watch, you know they tip well." I'm a fun sister like that.

(The 1's were really tips from a valet job he did the night before.)

I didn't move up to a B until about three years ago and that used to drive me crazy. I swear the VS I went to just didn't both to restock the few As they did put out...I'd always have to go on a treasure hunt to find my size.

I last worked in retail 15 years ago and I think NOW customer service where something as simple as "Can I help you?" is not taught.

Customer satisfaction is nearly nil

and it sucks speaking to someone who is a manager who knows as much if not less than floor personnel truly sucks.

This thread is truly awesome. I'm nodding my head at most of it!

I worked in retail at a bath products store that I will not name (but y'all will probably guess) as a seasonal worker and hated every moment of it. The store was my boss's entire life...she was literally the Dwight Schrute of bath products, and I'm sure she expected us to be the same. While I will be dedicated and do everything I'm getting paid minimum wage for, I will not work on Tuesday morning when I have a final exam that I told her and the other manager about far enough in advance that they knew for over a month not to schedule me for. That was my breaking point. After they reassured me over and over that they understood I was a full time student and I would not be scheduled or "on call" for that day, I got the call. I quit right there.

Retail is a thankless, often boring job. As a college student, I'm willing to help you out, find things, and do my job, but I don't appreciate being talked down to because I'm wearing the stupid apron and swiping your credit card for inexpensive body lotion. However, it is NOT my job to watch your children while you peruse shower gels. And I can't give you the 40% discount on already half off products when the coupon clear states that it doesn't apply to sale items. It's already $4 instead of $8, and if you really need that $1.60 that badly, I suggest you don't buy the damned body scrub at all.

People may get stressed near the holidays, especially in the snow heavy area where I worked, but please, don't take it out on the store associates or cashiers. A little kindness does go a long way, and even before I worked in retail, I knew it wasn't fair to ruin an entire display looking for something, and I always tried to be kind to the employees. I wish we could require customers to read this thread before holiday shopping...or any shopping of this kind!

I worked for Radio Shack and The Sharper Image all through undergrad and high school.

Agree with most all of the above. It was a valuable experience, mostly in that you learn to put up with a certain degree of rudeness and verbal abuse to where it just rolls off the back. That's helpful nowadays when I'm making arguments in court and opposing counsel is an ass.

It was a decent experience, wouldn't trade it for the world. Also learned a lot about how I should treat the folks behind the counter.

Before anyone is allowed set foot in a store or restaurant and even begin to believe its acceptable to act like an ass to someone working in a retail/restaurant environment they should work in a retail store and restaurant for 6 months to see what its like.

I have always thought this. I think just about everyone would benefit for having some sort of service job for at least six months of their lives. In my experience, people who have worked in a restaurant or had a retail job are nicer to retail and restaurant employees even if they were just one of the other.

Haha! Sounds like a fun brother/sister relationship.

After the fact, I really did want to ask her how her tips fared in comparison to her other co-workers; I never saw her again after that day, though I'm sure she came in at some other point. It was just one of those situations where I was caught so off-guard at the time that I honestly had no idea what to say.

Maybe it would be different if people were instilled with some sort of common courtesy and respect for other peoples feelings from a young age but unfortunately its not 1950 anymore.

And good for the stripper. As long as she doesn't fall into the "dark" side of stripping that you hear about. I have a few friends who work at places such as Hooters and I have absolutely nothing against it what so ever. They do it for the money, now some girls do it for other reasons but it can be good money. I guess you have to do what you have to sometimes.

Unfortunately not everyone is. A lot of people still are though, so I take the rude ones with a grain of salt. For every rude customer I've ever interacted with, I've had plenty of positive customer interactions as well.

I agree that you definitely have to do what you have to do. Money is money, as far as I'm concerned--regardless of where it comes from. She was quite the character, though.

Whats funny is those are the types I tend to appreciate most. They're individuals and they usually have manners. Those and just genuinely nice people.

I have worked doing retail customer service; when I was in high school, I worked at the mall's customer service desk, then in college I was customer service for a Dillard's here in Cary.

First...I'm going by the store's policy for returns so you can get pissed at me all you want, but unless I get permission from the manager, I'm not budging. It's not me, its the store.

Second...be nice to those who are gift wrapping for you, particularly when you're paying for it to be wrapped. To be honest, I was snickering in the back because you're too lazy to wrap your own gifts.

I love the characters too. Many of them turn into repeat customers and it's always fun to hear any new stories they have when they come in the next time.