We recently went out-of-town for a few days. And with that came the challenge of packing. I am always determined to pack light although that doesn’t happen every time. This time it did. Part of our get away involved going to a three-day conference where I would be dressed up a bit. I didn’t want to take hordes of shoes, purses, jewelry to make my outfits “work”. So I picked one pair of shoes, one handbag and worked with that. This Visible Monday, and the next two, will show you what I wore each day. Here is a sneak preview of what was packed:
(one pair of shoes: Nude Clarks; one handbag: Kate Spade; one necklace: pearls; one brooch: coral; one belt: Talbots; one scarf: Hermes; one bracelet: MaiTai’s Senegal === easy packing)
And this is what I wore the first day:
I bought this dress with much distress from Talbots. A few weeks ago I got an email advertising their dresses for $49.99. I had drooled over this dress for some time but not enough to pay the full price ($150). In my excitement I emailed Cupcake to let her know about the sale…she was already on that action. She told me what she ordered, I told her what I had bought. We were giddy in our savviness. A few days later, she had hers. I did not. I received an email from Talbots saying that they could not fulfill the order because my size had sold out. I called customer service. While the lady I spoke with was nice she assured me there was no way I could get the dress unless it could be found in a store somewhere. She checked her computer….click, click, click, click, click. Oh yes, she had a three stores in Michigan (the closest one was three hours away) that still had the dress. And two stores in Connecticut. Yes! I asked her to order me one. ”Oh, I am afraid I can’t do that. I can give you the phone numbers and you will have to call. Shipping will be free, of course.” Interesting. Customer Service could not serve the customer. Fine, I will call.
All three stores in Michigan were a bust. One lady said to me, “Oh yeah, we just shipped all of those to corporate yesterday.” So that told me my dress would probably be available again online but I didn’t want to run the risk of waiting. So I called a store in Connecticut. To say I dealt with the least professional sounding people on the earth would be an understatement. I thought I had called a Freshman Dorm. The first girl could’ve been smacking on gum, blowing bubbles and on roller skates for all I knew. She transferred me to “Bob”. I had a hard time imagining a “Bob” working in a Talbots. I have never seen a man working in this store before. But whatever. Just get me my dress “Bob” and I will crown you employee of the year. ”Bob” was nice but I wasn’t comforted by his lack of knowledge. When describing the dress, providing the item number, he still acted like he wasn’t sure he had the right one…”Yeah, I think this is it.” was the best I could get. He assured me it would go out “today” and they would charge my Talbots. Great! (I think.). I scurried off to work. When I checked my phone later I had two voicemails from “Bob”. They couldn’t find me in the system to charge my card. I called back. The convo:
Bubblehead: ”Thank you for calling Talbots.”
Me: “Hi, yes, may I speak to Bob.”
Bubblehead: ”Hold on” (clank)……”Um yeah. Bob’s not here today.”
Me: ”I spoke with him earlier and he left me a message to call”
Bubblehead: ”Hold on” (clank)….”Oh. I guess he went home already.”
Me: ”Could I please talk to your manager?” (Why I waited so long for this efficient step is beyond me).
Bubblehead: “Hold on” (clank).
Through the manager, I was able to clear up why I “wasn’t in the system” (name spelled incorrectly by Bob–shocker.) I was assured the dress was getting shipped the next day and I would have it in 5-10 business days. Merci!!!
Five days later…no dress, no shipping information. Seven days later…no dress. I place the dreaded phone call. I get “Bob”.
Me: ”Hi, yes, I called here over a week ago to order a dress (described) and I am checking on its status.”
Bob: ”Oh yeah. I remember you. Let me check on that. (Clank—long hold). Yeah, we shipped that out.”
Me: ”Could I have a tracking number?”
Bob: ”Hold on” (Clank). ”Here it is. It will be delivered through your USPS.”
Me: ”Great. Thanks, Bob.”
The tracking number doesn’t work with USPS. The tracking number doesn’t work with UPS either.
Two days later, still no dress. I called again and got a manager. She assured me the dress went out but, “you know, it can take up to ten business days.” Yes, I am “getting” that. On the eleventh business day (not including the two weekends that happened in between), it arrived. I was thrilled…and relieved. I try it on. It fits and it is…super sheer. Like sheer, as in, I better avoid all back lighting and flashes while wearing. That’s odd, I think to myself. But no worries, I will just find a full slip to wear under it (Cupcake encouraged me in this pursuit, painting imagery in her email of how to tantalize Master Bliss by wearing the slip around the house with high heels and pouty red lips–something like that–she is a little naughty : ) ).
Sorry this is so long but it actually gets better. I went shopping with a BFF to help her buy some new clothes (so much fun to help someone else spend money!). The only thing on my shopping list is the black slip. I checked three different places and could not find a black slip. I realize I do not have time to order one online before we leave. I am not sure what I am going to do but think maybe I can find one at a resale shop or Goodwill. After my friend and I went our separate ways that evening, I decided to pop into my local Talbots to see what was going on in their “Red Hanger” sale. I perused tops, skirts, accessories, jackets. I found two items that would benefit my wardrobe…and the prices were great. For some reason (I can’t remember why because I know they weren’t busy), I had to wait a while for the sales associate to help me. I decided to check through their clearance dresses on a whim knowing I would not be buying one because I just got mine. I am quickly moving through the dresses on the rack when I suddenly stop and see VOILA! MY DRESS. IN MY SIZE (what the???). WITH A BLACK SLIP THAT COMES WITH THE DRESS. I literally exclaim out loud:
“OH MY WORD! Are you kidding me???!!!”
A shocked sales associate asks me what is wrong. I explain my long, sordid story… to her dismay (not because of what her company put me through but because it is a long story–as you know). So, she knows I have the dress (because who could make all this stuff up?). And it gets better. They won’t just let me take the slip off the dress they have. I ask them to pull up my charge to verify my purchase. Nope. I have to BUY the dress again and come all the way back (25+ miles) to return the other one. Oh, for real. And the only thing good that came from that is I was able to get the dress for $8.00 less than before AND this same sized dress actually fit me better…was less baggy through the middle (a lesson to remember to try various sizes–even the same size– when shopping).
And THAT is my story of how I was able to get this leopard print dress to share with you on Visible Monday. Don’t forget to visit Patti’s.
Do you have a horror shopping story to share?
~~Mistress Bliss~~
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