Misadventures of a Pregnant Lady

Dear (Store Name that I'm not going to mention right now),

I am writing today to tell you about a recent experience in your Fresno, California store. I could just tell you that I am "highly dissatisfied" or that the store's customer service was lacking but I don't think that would quite cover my feelings.

I am in the sixth month of my first pregnancy and I am extremely aware of the new addition to my midsection (not to mention the additions to my thighs, arms, face, and chest). I'm desperately clinging to my pre pregnancy wardrobe and I don't want to be stuck wearing only maternity clothes. I walked into your store on Saturday because I saw a dress in the window that I instantly loved and was hopeful that it would be "the one".

The young woman at the counter gave me a once over as I asked her where the dress was on display in the store and smiled as she said, "I'm sorry but I don't think we have your size." After I asked again, she started leading me in the right direction but not before she added the additional comment, "I already told you, we don't have a size to fit your fat ass." Not only did I mention that I heard her but I also let her know that I am 6 months pregnant and that my size is none of her concern. What was her snarky response, you ask? "Well, that is no excuse to let yourself go!"

Man or woman, pregnant or not pregnant, plus sized or model thin, no retail store customer service employee has the right to judge a customer based on his or her size. It is absolutely unacceptable and uncouth. The lack of empathy that I received when I spoke to the manager of the store was equally as disturbing. I'm not a size two or a four, I'm a pregnant woman who is a respectable size 10. A size, by the way, that you do happen to carry in your store and it is not the largest size that you carry. I could have easily decided on my own whether or not my size was available on the rack. I could have easily tried on the dress and decided in the dressing room that it was cuter on the rack than on my body. It should have been my decision to make, not your employee's.

I'm pregnant with a little girl and it is treatment like this that makes me scared out of my mind to find a way to raise her to be confident with herself despite the callousness of others. How can I tell my daughter that the only opinion that matters is her own when a situation like this has caused me to question my own self confidence? Maybe before your employee opens her mouth to put down a customer, she should realize that your company profile advertises that you design and carry clothes to enhance a woman's confidence, to assist a woman in being captivating. Don't you think that her customer service focus should be based on that rather than practically turning someone away who is apparently a fat ass who has let herself go?

Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you in regards to an apology in the near future.

-----

Seriously? I should have never needed to write that email to ANYONE. But the sad truth is that I did. And do you know what? I walked into a maternity store less than an hour later and almost started crying in the dressing room because "nothing fit right" and because I "was too big for everything". I was in desperate need of shirts because the belly requires MUCH longer t-shirts. (I found this out the hard way when I realized I was flashing the top of my maternity jeans to unsuspecting coworkers) Out of desperation, I bought t-shirts and tank tops and went home cursing humanity and stuffing my face with Chipotle. When I put one of the shirts on yesterday, I was so happy with how it looked and how it fit. I should have waited to go shopping until I felt better!

It's obvious... I've totally let myself go. Oh well, Chipotle still sounds good for dinner.