do i needed to dress in suit and tie before...

[Dancing Fire]

walking into HW, Cartier or Van Cleef? if i wore T-shirt & jeans would they kick me out of the store?..

 

[chemgirl]

Nope, not in my experience. We looked far and wide for wedding bands and ended up in most of the big name stores wearing casual clothes (don't remember exactly, but probably jeans). The sales person at Cartier did ask my husband to leave his backpack at her desk while we tried on rings.

Yes, he was wearing a backpack in Cartier.

Yes, we're that classy.

 

[iLander]

@ Chemgirl; LOL!

I have been treated very well at Cartier, dressed in casual clothes. I think Cartier is very good throughout.

I went to Van Cleef on Fifth Ave, NYC, and even though I was dressed nicely, they stared at me like I had two heads. I practically ran out.

Hermes wasn't rude, but I wasn't comfortable.

Vuitton was okay after I managed to find one decent associate. The rest were snobby.

The key is to find an SA (sales associate) that treats people well. Some are just snobby and rude to everyone.

 

[Andelain]

.....

Vuitton was okay after I managed to find one decent associate. The rest were snobby.

The key is to find an SA (sales associate) that treats people well. Some are just snobby and rude to everyone.

I went into the LV boutique at Saks in Birmingham recently. Dressed in blue jean shorts, a t-shirt, sneakers, almost bald and using a cane because of the chemo, and oh yeah, toting a Manhattan MM. The SA there couldn't have been nicer. I walked out of there with a brand new Saumer.

 

[ame]

I actually just got kind of a crash course in this. Last weekend in Chicago I went into HW, Graff, VCA, etc., and I honestly don't believe they took my inquiries seriously at all. I think they were "humoring me" in a way. I had iPhone drama that morning and didn't feel like going back to my hotel to spackle and dress appropriately for the stores I would be in, and looked like a suburban scrub. I got treated well at Barney's, and obviously at Bravco, but Hermes and HW and Graff....no way. They were polite enough but I could feel them judging my budget. Despite having my rings on and a nice bag. I was just made to feel like I didn't belong. I am inclined to email the salespeople at the stores I worked with and have cards for and thank them for their time or something, just to sound like less of a loser I guess.

 

[JewelFreak]

didn't feel like going back to my hotel to spackle and dress appropriately for the stores

When I worked at Tiffany's it was a very big requirement that we treat everyone, no matter how they were dressed, as if they were good potential customers. Some of the slobbiest-dressed people bought the highest-ticket pieces -- these days zillionaires hang out in torn jeans & dirty t-shirts like anybody else. They always reminded us of how that rule came to be: when a bummy-dressed fellow in the NYC store couldn't get anybody to pay attention to him. He wandered around looking for help & the salespeople ignored him. Finally he left, mad, and wrote a letter to the prez. of Tiff's to complain about the snotty & non-existent service. He was, it turned out, one of the Mott (apple juice) family, looking for a diamond necklace for his wife's birthday. That was in the 60s -- from then on, NO customer was to be judged by dress.

--- Laurie

 

[radiantquest]

I was interested in what the answer would be.

Not to knock people that dress well, but it seems that people with real wealth dress in a way that doesn't suggest they have money in every nook and cranny. I would hope that high end stores would already know that.

It all goes back to Julia in Pretty Woman. The movie isn't great for kids, but teaches a real lesson about how to treat people.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Wear a t-shirt and jeans and your solid gold Rolex. That should help you get good service.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Wear a t-shirt and jeans and your solid gold Rolex. That should help you get good service.

but if i wore jeans they'll think its a fake. i have never been in a high end jewelry store.. does Tiff count?

 

[amc80]

I've found that DH and I get much better service since getting my e-ring and wedding band...and since getting him a really nice Invicta watch.

 

[Enerchi]

I don't think you *should* have to dress up to go to high end stores, but they often seem to hire sales staff that have it in their heads that only "pretty" looking people deserve service! I know that shouldn't be the case nor should sales staff assume that those with money will always look the part, but sadly, it does seem to make a difference. I think it really doesn't make as much of a deal, when you are in a touristy area. We were in Las Vegas and people will wear ANYTHING (or as little as possible, in some cases) and you just never know....

Hope you have a successful shopping trip DF and let us know what you end up with!

 

[JewelFreak]

Tell you what works best, DF -- go in however you want & forget about what they think of you. Just have a good time looking at the jewels or watches or whatever. If it helps you feel at ease, pretend to yourself that you have an unlimited Amex card in your wallet. You know your stuff -- that will go a long way to making any salesperson want to work with you since they'll think you have tons of buying experience. Concentrate on what you're seeing; the less self-conscious you are, the better & more successful time you'll have. Enjoy! That's what it's about.

--- Laurie

 

[Dancing Fire]

Hope you have a successful shopping trip DF and let us know what you end up with!

not planning on buying, just wanna look/see inside a high end jewelry store.

 

[Jennifer W]

Maybe you could do a bit of an experiment for us? Go into a random sample of high end stores in the oldest, scruffiest clothes you can find. Tear them up a little if you like. Stain them. Then, go back to the same stores a few weeks later in a really nice suit and tie, let us know what happens.

(I'd hope it made no difference whatsoever)