I love this show and I love Mary Portas. I just watched the first episode of the second series, you can see it here-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/b007m4sr.shtml?src=ip_potpw
The description of the show
Retail guru, Mary Portas is back to save the boutique. Blinkz is a shop for the fuller figured woman. But owner, Amanda Collins has a negative attitude to her clientele.
Did anyone see this? I was watching with my jaw on the floor! The shop owner, a thin woman herself was very negative, commenting on her clientele with such gems as 'bouncy castle belly', 'bullet body' and 'no-hoper' whilst exclaiming every mishapen body part must be covered and all this said whilst pulling a face which can be best described as disgusted. Luckily Mary got to work on her, and I give her a full 10/10 for remaining composed whilst listening to the shop owner examine and define her customers using such derogatory terminology. I was pleased to hear Mary, whilst narrating a particularly gruesome scene in Harrods, say that she is shocked to see that the shop owner is '.....sizest', a word that's not often used in the UK media, the owner herself didn’t even know she was doing it so hopefully this show will result in the education of a few viewers.
It reminded me of my recent trip to America. We managed to check out a Lane Bryant whilst in Boston and I was impressed to see some pretty, fashion focused clothing displayed in a bright, simple store. As I'd heard so much about the new sizing method and I was eager to find out what 'colour' I was, I headed straight for the jeans section. I was browsing the display when an assistant asked me if I needed help, she looked very serious, so I assumed jean selection must be a very serious matter so I let her chatter on and look me up and down for a few minutes until she said, '...you carry severe weight in this area...so you must be 4’ (whilst stroking me up and down in the hip and bottom area, I might add). For a few minutes it made me feel a little uncomfortable and ponder the situation for a while. Such negative wording, said in such a serious, concerned tone felt a little like being at the doctor’s office. Severe, a word akin to dangerous, awful, terrible and grave, not a word I would choose when using words to describe someone’s body. I guess I should have said something? I know that she wasn’t being malicious in anyway, just blinkered but looking back I wish I’d gently let her know that I thought her wording to be inappropriate and unnecessary.
I guess in terms of persona and approachability, shop assistants can be a little hit or miss. Does anyone have any similar tales to tell?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/b007m4sr.shtml?src=ip_potpw
The description of the show
Retail guru, Mary Portas is back to save the boutique. Blinkz is a shop for the fuller figured woman. But owner, Amanda Collins has a negative attitude to her clientele.
Did anyone see this? I was watching with my jaw on the floor! The shop owner, a thin woman herself was very negative, commenting on her clientele with such gems as 'bouncy castle belly', 'bullet body' and 'no-hoper' whilst exclaiming every mishapen body part must be covered and all this said whilst pulling a face which can be best described as disgusted. Luckily Mary got to work on her, and I give her a full 10/10 for remaining composed whilst listening to the shop owner examine and define her customers using such derogatory terminology. I was pleased to hear Mary, whilst narrating a particularly gruesome scene in Harrods, say that she is shocked to see that the shop owner is '.....sizest', a word that's not often used in the UK media, the owner herself didn’t even know she was doing it so hopefully this show will result in the education of a few viewers.
It reminded me of my recent trip to America. We managed to check out a Lane Bryant whilst in Boston and I was impressed to see some pretty, fashion focused clothing displayed in a bright, simple store. As I'd heard so much about the new sizing method and I was eager to find out what 'colour' I was, I headed straight for the jeans section. I was browsing the display when an assistant asked me if I needed help, she looked very serious, so I assumed jean selection must be a very serious matter so I let her chatter on and look me up and down for a few minutes until she said, '...you carry severe weight in this area...so you must be 4’ (whilst stroking me up and down in the hip and bottom area, I might add). For a few minutes it made me feel a little uncomfortable and ponder the situation for a while. Such negative wording, said in such a serious, concerned tone felt a little like being at the doctor’s office. Severe, a word akin to dangerous, awful, terrible and grave, not a word I would choose when using words to describe someone’s body. I guess I should have said something? I know that she wasn’t being malicious in anyway, just blinkered but looking back I wish I’d gently let her know that I thought her wording to be inappropriate and unnecessary.
I guess in terms of persona and approachability, shop assistants can be a little hit or miss. Does anyone have any similar tales to tell?
