Today’s issue of the U.K.’s Guardian features a fashion Q&A section, highlighting the following scenario:
Q: Is it ever acceptable to inform a shop assistant that the item of clothing they are trying to sell you is “trashy”?
A: It depends on what country you’re in, Natasha. If you’re in America, of course, they’re all about blunt honesty. If you’re in Paris, the sales assistant will look at you as if you’re crazy as she certainly wasn’t talking to you, let alone helping you. If you are in Italy, they will be delighted, as “trashy” is a compliment of the highest order there. And if you live in the UK, the shop assistant will have a heart attack in shock that you didn’t just smile and nod in embarrassment at the attention and then feel obliged to buy the damn thing out of awkward politeness. National stereotypes: as Homer Simpson says, they’re funny because they’re true.
So what exactly is this “blunt honesty” that goes on in American stores? Does this mean it’s your duty as a shopper to say when clothes are trashy? Or that if you tell a sales clerk that the clothes she sells are trashy, that you can expect a ripe slap in the face? Perhaps this all depends on the store you’re in. Let us examine the possibilities … [Guardian.co.uk] Keep reading »
