Pretty Woman "fat girl"

The other day I lived what I like to call my very own "pretty woman" experience.  No, I am not talking about a handsome man closing a jewelry case on my hand while trying to touch a beautiful necklace.  I am talking about that wonderful moment when you walk in a clothing store and get the sneaking suspicion that you aren't exactly welcome there.

The best part about this experience, is that I was not the only one who noticed it.  My husband, probably for the first time, witnessed first-hand how it is for bigger girls to go shopping in regular sized girls stores. (This can also happen if you walk into a plus-size store and they think you are too small to shop there as well!)  I am right on the edge where I never know whether or not I will be able to fit their clothes.  To say shopping is stressful is an understatement.

www.beigeplus.com

So we wander into the store looking for leather-like blazers.  Immediately my husband noticed the 50something year old size 4 petite woman look me up and down and choose to ignore our presence.  Of course I noticed it as well but after years of dealing with this, I expect nothing less.  Like most other size 14/16 women I immediately go to the XL jackets just praying that the damn things will fit. Meanwhile my hubby is thinking to himself and almost says to me, "Honey, maybe we should take our business elsewhere."

I head towards the racks and try one on......IT FITS!! So excited. The woman starts to take notice after I try a few on and comes over to see if I need assistance.  I explain what I am looking for and she begins the search.  As I begin to try on jacket after jacket and put them in a pile to purchase, the lady realizes I am here to spend and  proceeds to point out scarves and jewelry and everything else she figures she can sell me.  Finally giving me the attention I deserved from the minute I walked in the door.  I held back though and only bought 4 of the jackets (all of which were on sale).

www.fashionarchitect.net

While some would argue that she was just allowing me the time to see if I was just looking, the fact of the matter is, my husband felt the disdain radiating off her towards me the moment she looked me over.  Isn't it sad though that I have come to accept this as the norm.   Now I could have left and bought elsewhere, but I had been looking all over and this was the first place I could find a good selection of what I was looking for.

Besides, if I left the store every time someone looked at me like that, I'd be walking around naked.