What Is It Like To Go Luxury Shopping In Sweats

People who project confidence can often wear whatever they want and receive good treatment out there in the world, even while shopping in luxury boutiques. Since they don’t need to try to impress anyone, they don’t have to care what salespeople think of them. In fact, according to a recent study,

dressing down might actually signal more purchase power and intent than someone wearing, say, a fur coat and a dress. The research — published in the Journal of Consumer Research and authored by doctoral student Silvia Bellezza and two Harvard professors — found that luxury shop assistants in Milan perceived those outfitted in gym clothes as more moneyed than people who were spiffed up. It makes sense, as confident types — and confidence is key here, you must come off like you’re deviating from the norm on purpose — typically don’t see the need to overcompensate.

What happens, though, when normals go to high-end places in regular clothes? Do they get the cold shoulder, Pretty Woman treatment? A writer for Fashionista throws on something shlubby and decides to try and see. She brings a nicely dressed male friend with her both as a witness and for comparison’s sake. It does not go well.

Bergdorf Goodman: After I get over the fact that I actually left my house dressed in this ensemble (seriously, it feels like one of those dreams that you’re in school naked), I purposefully stride into the store and head straight to the Céline accessories section on the main floor. It is bustling, with three sales associates tending to customers already. A suave man is pulling out all the stops for a pair of youngish girls, one of whom is dressed in sporty black leggings, Nike Flyknits, a chic overcoat with moto detailing and a huge monogrammed Goyard tote. I mentally note that this is the kind of chic “gym wear” that probably garners a lot of attention in these places (more SoulCycle devotee than YMCA). The girl passes on the three bags he’s brought out. He then walks right past me as I’m carefully examining a Trapeze of my own, appraising it from a few different angles with my chin up, as I imagine a rich lady might do. He approaches a nicely dressed mother/daughter duo and asks if they need any help instead. When they say no, he stands in the corner of the space, completely free and chatting with another male associate who is not attending to anyone either. They chat amongst themselves as if I don’t exist.

Things are better at Barney’s, at least at first. Then:

I venture over to the Manolo section, where I have an awkward silent showdown with a preppy dude for more than a few minutes, as I hold up a pump. There is literally no one else in the section and he refuses to even look at me. I move on, but catch the same guy greeting [my friend] Jeremy and asking if he needs help right after. And Jeremy’s not even examining a shoe!

Chanel is rough, too. (“Well, the security guard who opens the door for me is nice.”) Then, personnel at two stores in a row treat her well: Saint Laurent, which I’ve never heard of, and Prada, which I have. Good! OK! Then she strikes out again at Louis Vuitton.

I guess the message is, some high-end salespeople will be courteous even if you’re in sweatpants, but don’t count on it. Hell, you can’t even count on being famous to carry you through: remember when Oprah was (okay, “may or may not have been”) snubbed at a boutique in Switzerland?

If you want to get away with wearing whatever you want in the realms of the rich and fancy, make sure you either have Paris Hilton levels of savoir faire, or carry a really gloriously expensive handbag. Preferably both.

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