Following my mid-week trip to the Nordstrom at the St. Louis Galleria, I had a new dress to wear, money left on my self-gifted Nordstrom gift card, and a free Saturday afternoon. I decided another day out was in order.
My first stop was the local Macy’s. Currently their dressing rooms are closed, so after a quick look at their “last chance” dresses, I went to the shoe department. Recently they have seemed to have more shoes on discount, and they have a fair number of shoes in size 11, and they are priced at a pretty good discount. I found one pair I thought about buying, but they were a bit small, and I don’t really like the look of my bare feet (although I do like showing off my painted toes on the rare occasions they are painted).
My next destination was the other Nordstrom at West County Center. I find the two stores often have different items, so I thought I would visit there.
I have been looking for more summertime tops and dresses, as I have gotten over my fear of showing my bare shoulders. I also find the spaghetti straps on dresses or tops is cooler, which helps compensate for the St. Louis summer heat (especially wearing a wig).
I selected a handful of dresses and the SA (Paige) opened a change room for me. I tried on dresses I had selected, and as I was the only one in the rooms, walked out of my room to another area to look at a different mirror with different lighting. I then returned to my dressing room and closed the door.
Then something happened that had never happened before. I hear a voice–presumably a SA, but not the SA who opened the room for me–asked me if I walked into a room with clothes in it. I answered that it was my room, and I was just looking in the other mirror. The SA then excitedly asked “are you a man?” and I said yes and “I’m a crossdresser”. The SA then walked away.
I was surprised. I’ve been in lots of Nordstrom dressing rooms in the last four years at seven different stores and I’ve always been treated well (which is why I keep coming back). For a minute I was offended, but then I realized there is a lot of turnover and I wasn’t going to be put off by one SA who didn’t quite meet the normal Nordstrom standard.
So I returned to deciding which of my two favorite choices to buy, the black spaghetti strap dress or the blue floral dress with the shoulders. I asked Paige for her opinion and she thought the blue floral looked better, so the decision was made, and I bought it, and thanked her for the help.
It was now late afternoon and I was a bit peckish (Aussie slang for hungry) and the Nordstrom Cafe was nearby, so I went in for a cookie and a glass of water. While I was sitting at my table having my snack I noticed a woman at a nearby table wearing a Nordstrom Anniversary sale t-shirt. I knew I recognized her but I couldn’t place her.
After she finished, she walked over to where I was sitting and said hi, and then said, “it’s Dee, right?” I said yes, and asked her name, and she answered Samantha, and I remembered. I previously met her when she was the store manager at the Galleria store, and was now the store manager at the West County store.
I told her about the incident with the SA, not to get the SA in trouble, but because I thought she would want to know. She appreciated me telling her.
I then said something to the effect that I was surprised she knew my name, and I hoped that wasn’t for the wrong reasons.
She said, “No, we love you.”
Wow.
From the store manager.
For a customer she probably met three years ago.
Any question why I like shopping at Nordstrom? (If you have a Nordstrom near you, and haven’t been, I suggest you pay them a visit. I can almost guarantee you will be treated well).
On that high, I left and headed for my final destination.
I needed some things from Costco and I figured today was the day that Dee should shop at Costco. I had thought about it before, but I had chickened out. It was pretty crowded, but I didn’t have any issues–masks probably make it a bit easier–and it will likely not be the last time Dee does Costco.
We love you too!!
Dear Dee, Thank for sharing this story and pictures. I find the story encouraging and in the end very heartwarming. Franzi
I visited the lingerie department of a Nordstrom in Feburary looking for a longline bra (in “boy” mode) and they where helpful. They were willing to let me try what ever I wanted to on, but they didn’t have anything I wanted.
Ended up with a corset Add-2-Cups from Victorias Secret. Tried it on in a dressing room and the SA adjust the straps for me, but had to wait in line with other customer for the room.