OK, I know, it’s corny. But I was inspired. Was in the Nordstroms in Lynnwood, WA (no. of Seattle) this evening, getting my scruffy shoes shined (shone??) so I actually can reflect some iota of credibility with the customers I deal with on a daily basis. I’m kickin’ back in the shiner’s chair, and he’s working his magic. Across from me is the women’s shoe department with a rack sale going on. And it’s utter chaos.
It’s 8pm on a Wednesday night, and there must be 150 women foraging around in the sale racks. Shoes are flung everywhere on the ground. These are some very intent women, slipping candidates for the closet on and off with a sloppy rhythm. The seriousness with which all this takes place borders on silly.
I know, guys have their own foibles, like Craftsman tool sales at the Roebuck, and regular rehashes of endless sports stats from the week’s games of note, etc. But this was funny. The energy was palpable. There was electricity in the air. The chatting and giggling rose up in the store in a weird symphony. Cell phones were ringing. These lovely ladies were even shouting across the aisle at one another. “Hey, how do these knee-high Uggs look with my new plaid capris?” This could have been the most entertaining $2.50 I have spent in a while, and all for a premier seat watching a shoe circus Wheeee!
And I wondered: What is it about shoes that seems to energize women so? Where does this collective happy mob mentality come from at a Nordstrom sale, for crying out loud? Any of the fairer sex wish to comment on this? Just trying like mad to understand.
I’m afraid I’m of no help on answering the question. The scene sounds funny. As a woman who loves shoes, I don’t get the mob thing. I like to shop when others aren’t. So, I’ll be curious what other female readers of your blog have to say…
Unfortunately, I am one who LOVES shoe sales. I love getting beautiful shoes at a bargain basement price. (What a rush! I think it excites the Scottish side of me.) I think the “frenzy” happens mostly at Nordstrom, because there you can get designer shoes at “reasonable” (?) prices; and everyone knows when Nordstom is having a shoe sale – the news spreads like wildfire. I have to admit that it is pretty amusing watching the “frenzy”, and it’s fun to hear the male take on it.
Althought I am, and have always been, puzzled by the lack of respect women demonstrate when shopping in these types of atmospheres. Whenever there is a big sale, and I don’t care where it is, women fling clothes on the floor, try on shoes and don’t put them back on the shelf, leave hangers and hangers of clothes in the dressing rooms, etc. Maybe it is because of my retail background, but I’m always disturbed by this – they don’t have any thought of the poor person that has to pick up after them. (Were they born in a barn?!?)