How Much Attention Do You Need?

One of the reasons I never seem to enjoy shopping for clothes is the fact that Sales Associates can never get the type of service I need. You see, I'm the type of guy who prefers to be left alone when buying clothes. I'm aware of my (so-called) fashion sense, so I rarely need anyone's help zeroing in on whatever it is I need. The only time I seem to need help from anyone is when I want to check if there are sizes for something still, or if I can't find the dressing room.

For many mass-market stores like American Eagle Outfitters, PacSun, Express (though truthfully, I rarely buy things here), I have to say, "No thanks, just looking around" so many times that by the time I'm done browsing the racks, I can't wait to leave fasterthanIcantypethis. For cheap-chic stores like H&M or Zara, either the sales associates are busy filing their nails or don't really care. When I go to designer stores (yes—I go to designer stores! Either I go for kicks or the piece of clothing I'm looking for is so specific that money isn't an object), the associates give off that "Uh, do you even have money to buy our stuff? Go away" vibe that just irritates me. (For the record, I could buy their stuff. But I wouldn't buy it just because it's designer. I have to freaking like it.)

Have I found a store that has the right mix of attentive and leave-you-alone sales associates? Nope. But that isn't stopping me from going to every store I care to visit just to window shop.

Image by boyonabike/SXC.hu