retail/fashion design

I work in a small boutique in Carytown. The store just opened in September so it has been interesting to see the start of a business I will be a part of for the rest of my life. The boutique carries all European fashion lines, something that is completely new and exclusive to Richmond. The lines we carry are all designers out of all over Europe, but we get the garments from vendors in New York and LA. We don't get the lines directly from Europe due to export/import issues, but the vendors we work with work directly out of Europe. This is a great experience for me because I one day hope to be selling my own line to independently owned boutiques. I have been able to see how the entire process is executed, from placing orders, communicating with design houses and vendors in both the US and Europe, and developing line sheets. As a design student, I don't get to learn much of the merchandising/business end of the industry through my classes - so this gives me a chance to see it first hand through a small, intimate learning experience.

The worst hair cut

Don't every get your hair cut at the Hair Cuttery in Carytown. It was the worst experience of my life. I went there thinking I was going to get a quick, cheap, and half way decent hair cut. WRONG! I sat around and waited for almost an hour it was just before noon when I arrived and no one was in-front of me all of a sudden two out of the four people working went on lunch. Now is it just me or should they have waited till after the 1 to take lunch, because most people who work get their hair cuts on their lunch break. Once I finally got a chair the woman began brushing my hair like it was a Brillo pad. She was also talking on the phone to her girl friend while cutting my hair. At the end she asked me if the sides looked even to me, i was like no the left side was way off. This girl didn't have a cute how to cut hair, some times i wonder where Hair Cuttery finds these people.

Shopping online

I am so skeptical about shopping online. Especially when it comes to Ebay, it can be so deceiving. For example my friend bought a pair of boots from Ebay, that had claimed they were bran new and when she got them they had a stain on the them that she could get out. That would really piss me off. I was also watching MTV's "Sweet Sixteen" and this chick bought her dress for the party off line and it fit in the waist and top part. But it was made for a seven foot tall person and she was like five-two, but she got a Porsche at the end so it was all good. If i was going to buy something off line like clothes or shoes for example i would defiantly want to know what i was getting fit.