Attitudes improving?

[rivegauche]

I live in the north of Scotland and though I have been shopping and skirt wearing for over 20 years I have never encountered a problem. I buy most of my clothes in boutiques or one of our two huge countryside emporia (Bruar and Brodie). I was in one of may favourite boutiques on Friday, but not skirted. It only sells womenswear. I was trying on a dress and was anxious for an opinion from the boutique owner, who was deep in conversation with a tourist who sounded American. When they eventually stopped (the tourist seemed enthralled by the shop but didn't seem to be buying!) the customer realised I had been trying to attract the owner's attention and asked her to apologise to the gentleman in the fitting room. I thought the visitor then left, and asked the owner if I could look in the mirror out in shop and she readily agreed. I knew she would but it is courtesy to ask. We discussed how the dress looked on me and it turned out the visitor was still there, but as she was leaving (definitely this time) she turned to me and apologised again. At no point was there the slightest hint of there being anything unusual about the situation. The owner and I discussed this and she said that no one has issues about men in skirts and dresses any more - it is just part of life. Aa we know there are a few but fortunately I never seem to encounter them. Maybe the lady was Canadian rather than from the US but clearly took the whole thing in her stride. Another boutique owner has said to me that if any customer criticised me for how I dressed she would throw them out of the shop (which I wouldn't actually want). I have five favourite shops and they all want me to feel free not only to try on clothes but to wear them around the shop to look in larger mirrors or fetch other sizes. Maybe some of this is me feeling more confident but I think that goes with me feeling that others are more comfortable with men in skirts and dresses.

[Stu]

That's how it should be - you are a customer.

I think it does vary enormously. I recall my wife visiting a branch of Richards (formerly Richard Shops - remember them?). They were a national chain retailing smart womenswear. She saw a dress and jacket she liked, but they didn't have her size. While working in a neighbouring city, I passed their branch of Richards and saw the dress in the window and decided to see if they it in her size. They did. As I selected them from the rail, an assistant approached me, smiled and said: "Would you like to try it?" I laughed and said I was looking for my wife. She smiled again and said: "OK, but if you change your mind, there's a fitting room over there" - or words to that effect. Initially, I felt a bit offended. I told her the outfit was for my wife! I think she was trying to put me at my ease, but she made a mistake in not believing me.

I cheered up when I took it to the cash desk and she served me and told me both garments had 50% off.