Prejudice?

And no, I am not talking about ethnicities... I am talking about social class.

The day I went in for my hair cut we had to go window shopping in the 16th street mall. While shopping Cassie and I began to talk about make-up and the fact that my forehead looks like a 14 year old girls first major breakout after wearing one application of make up... and we saw a Bare Essentials sign.

"Have you tried BE?" asks Cassie.

Pfft! Of course not. I have barely use Mary Kay... and that is it. And no I don't need anymore thanks, I have enough to last me 6 years.

So, she suggests I go in and see what they can offer in the way of moisturizers that don't have oil or are medicated. I leave everyone else at Claires next door and I walk in and there are about 5 other sets of customers in the small store.

I wasn't greeted but being that the store was busy I didn't expect anyone to interrupt any customer to say hello or anything. So I looked around the store a bit.

--Pause--

Oh yah, I am in jeans and an Old Navy sweatshirt. Glasses and earrings with my hair going all which way because I was going to Aveda soon.

--Play--

So, I am looking around the store for just 30 seconds or more and then another customer walks in. She is dressed very posh (for lack of a better word) and the lady behind the counter looks up and says, "Hi! Welcome to Bare Essentials, Can I help you?" and she walked to the end of the counter and smiled at the woman by passing me all together.

Uhh, Bye. I walked out.

Didn't think TOO much of it. Told Cassie the scoop and said, "Ah, they were busy anyway."

--Fast Forward to today--

We were in the Lone Tree area with Renee and her DD bowling and we decided to run over to Ulta because Cassie needed some things and I could look for my medicated moisturizer or at least get some tips.

*sigh*

Can you see where this is going?

Anyhow, we all go in. I am with the kids, Cassie, Renee and her DD. Today I am wearing my black jacket and some yoga pants. My hair is done (in fact Iona took a pic of me at the bowling alley that I will post below) and I didn't look too frumpy... I didn't think?

I digress.

So, we are walking around the place and its big and there are lots of ladies working. Some with customers and some without... all passing by me. I am thinking ok, they are on a mission until one passes me to approach another woman.

SHE is wearing designer shoes, jeans, shirt and carrying a designer bag.

I couldn't believe it. Here this woman had been in the store 1 minute and was approached and I had been here 10 or so and no one had even attempted to speak to me.

And, those of you who know me KNOW that I am a completely approachable person.

AND-- I had a reason to be there. I was going to spend money.

So then I started thinking, "Well good freaking gravy! If they won't come to me then I will go find them." And I started walking around the store to find an AVAILABLE person... and then as I walked thought to myself, "why should I buy from them? If they are treating others like this just because we don't look like we can spend the money here??"

I abandoned my flight to find a representative and then just lingered around the front where representatives are still passing me by.

Cassie asks if I found what I was looking for and I said, No. No one even talked to me and I didn't get help. So Cassie got in the line to pay.

Ha, I think the woman close to the front heard me.

And I could have been all Heather-Like at this point... but instead I wore the BIG B across my chest for the moment.

"Hi, did you find everything you needed?" she asked.

Oooooh I bet she was sorry she asked. I wasn't mean but I wasn't nice. I basically told her that no I hadn't found anything because I wasn't helped. And that people passed by me more then once asking OTHER customers if they needed help but never me. And that we were about ready to leave.

She replied with a very surprised looked plastered on her face, "Well better late then never?"

And I said something like, No, it's too late. We are leaving without buying anything... And that I didn't have time to be treated this way.

I can't remember exactly what I said... but I said it VERY dissatisfied and shocked the woman a little. She had already passed by me once earlier so it shouldn't have surprised her (my words).

But that got me thinking about the social class prejudice...

Do you experience it?

If you have money or at least dress like you do, do you get better service?

If you are coming from the Gym (or bowling as the case was) do you go home and dress up to go grab something from the make up store?

I didn't think the first incident bothered me that much until the second one... and then I am bothered. A LOT! I mean I don't have a ton of money to spend, but is my money not any good to these people because I can't buy the whole enchilada?

I want to write to both of these companies and tell them of my experiences. I would HATE for someone to get disciplinary action over it but it really bothers me. I was legitimately looking for one of their products, yet because I wasn't dressed UP for the occasion I didn't get service.

Grrrr....

Speak, tell me what you think about this.

Oh and here is that pic.


Oh and I am very sorry for the novel of a post...