Good Times as a Nordstrom Manager

If you were curious at all as to where my love for fashion comes from, look no further than your local Nordstrom.  When I was in-between jobs in my early 20's, I started working at Nordstrom as a salesgirl and over the next two years moved into being the manager of the Savvy department at Nordstrom, South Coast Plaza.  If not for the weekends and holidays away from the family, I would have worked there forever.  It was incredibly fun.  Beyond fashion, I also learned a few other things while there.  Here are my Top 10...

10. Everything is on sale when you have an employee discount.

9. Making friends with the salespeople of designer shoes is a MUST.  They will find all the designer shoes in your size, EXTREMELY marked down (plus discount!)

8. It really is possible to spend your entire paycheck on clothes.

7. If it is slow, you can play "dress up" in Celine and McQueen (thanks to Designer Collections being right behind you)

6. You will never step foot in a mall on "Black Friday" after having to work it.

5. Managing the largest Savvy in the company means LOTS of free clothes

4. You will meet designers (some before they become well known) thanks to personal appearances (I still have the Robert Rodriguez outfit I wore when I met him for the first time and he was just launching his line and I will always remember my fashion conversation with Zac Posen in Designer Collections)

3. It is entirely possible to go to work in one outfit and come home in another

2. Anything less than the highest level of customer service is unacceptable (I still live this way and refuse restaurants and stores when the service has not met my expectations)

1. Expensive taste can be learned within minutes (perhaps seconds).

Miss you Nordstrom!  But don't worry, you still take a TON of my money!