"Along the way, legions of retail grads have spent countless hours neatly folding T-shirts and jeans and stacking them on tables and shelves. Now, their peculiar idea of perfection is straining marriages and leading to bizarre behavior ranging from buying clothes based on an item's foldability to straightening up sloppy displays while shopping." - Jennifer Saranow, on the problem of post-Gap chronic folding, in The Wall Street Journal.
Jul 09, 2008 @ 10:48am
posted by rachael
Jul 09, 2008 11:12AM
As a veteran of both the Gap and Banana Republic I can honestly admit I have a folding problem. I don't know if its because of my borderline child-labor experience at the Gap or just my natural obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Either way....I have to re-fold anything of mine anyone else has folded. And I can tell whenever one of my roomates has touched my stuff...they never get just right. I never thought of this as being that weird until now. So ya I guess I kind of have a problem.
posted by etoilee8
Jul 09, 2008 11:18AM
I just hate when I'm standing next to another shopper and they're wrecking the entire store, just throwing stuff around. I know that the SAs are suppose to fold and keep things tidy, but it's not your job as a shopper to throw sh*t everywhere. Some people are just have no manners.
posted by guest
Jul 09, 2008 11:30AM
haha i always tidy up stores. i'll straighten all the shoes and refold stuff.
posted by guest
Jul 09, 2008 11:32AM
while i agree you should not throw stuff everywhere, i DO hate being given the evil eye/glare/stern talking to by teenagers working in retail shops if i happen to mess up a display a little.
sorry but if you have a stack of 50 pairs of jeans stuffed into a shelf, and i need one that's almost at the bottom, i HAVE to remove them all to get my pair out!!
(in case you can't tell, that just happened to me a few days ago!)
posted by guest
Jul 09, 2008 12:13PM
I know I shouldn't be admitting to ever having worked here, but Abercrombie & Fitch has made me the most compulsive folder ever. Even my own mother has commented on how much neater I became after having that job.
....which, I know, seems counterintuitive because the store is still always such a mess. Sorry, but it's IMPOSSIBLE to keep up with all those pre-teen shoppers!
posted by mpw
Jul 09, 2008 12:30PM
I agree with you, Etoilee8. It really bugs me when other shoppers leave their dressing rooms looking like a shitstorm. If you're too lazy to bother putting clothes back on their hangers, the least you can do is not leave them all over the floor. And you don't have to fold every item on display perfectly, but you can at least leave things looking neat enough so the salesperson doesn't have to rush over and refold it right away. It's just good manners.
posted by evita
Jul 09, 2008 12:41PM
I to still fold my clothes with "Gap" neatness, but I've stopped tidying up stores when I shop, cause they don't pay me. Although I do pick up clothes off the floor when I see other customers fling them around, and I do put stuff back on the hangers when it's falling off, and somtimes I re-fold t-shirts after I look at them, and...ugh...I am a chornic folder :(
posted by FashionIntelligentsia
Jul 09, 2008 1:27PM
One time I even made my own board at home to show my boyfriend how great a perfectly folded shirt could look!
posted by Mango
Jul 09, 2008 1:46PM
I love this article! I sent it to a bunch of fellow Banana Republic veterans of mine, and we've all been e-giggling for an hour now. It's all too true for words.
posted by guest
Jul 09, 2008 2:17PM
The worst 'folding' job ever is Victoria's Secret. Those tables and tables of panties spread out were horrible to keep straight! Thankfully they don't do it in many of their stores anymore. I loved this story- and yes, I do still fold everything after my boyfriend does it.
posted by guest
Jul 09, 2008 3:24PM
working at nordstroms for 3 years in college i saw the worst customers EVERRRRR. nordstroms makes their sa do EVERYTHING..get the customer a drink... the worst messes in the dressings rooms ever. customers that pee, blow their nose on clothing, and the worst, throw up on the floor on clothing in the fitting rooms. nasty. but i'm a great colorizer + folder after that experience ended.
posted by Jac
Jul 09, 2008 4:56PM
ive done two retail jobs and i still dont feel guilty about messing up displays/leaving the dressing rooms a little messy. it's something we all have to experience--it's an easy job, i wouldn't complain about having to do these tasks.
posted by guest
Jul 09, 2008 8:38PM
ditto jac - especially since, you know, that's your JOB. if you work at a restaurant, can you complain that people keep coming in an ordering food?
posted by guest
Jul 10, 2008 10:56PM
What an amazing world this would be if we all took Jac and Guest 8:38 's attitude. . .
posted by dumbbrunette5
Jul 13, 2008 6:24AM
ive never worked in retail (yet) but i totally go around straightening things up when there are messes in stores. but im just a neatfreak like that. i actually would like to work in retail when im in college because it seems like it wouldnt be so bad (and less greasy than flipping burgers at mcdonalds)
posted by BIBA
Jul 09, 2008 10:57AM
haha. i guess i'm more of a 'compulsive hanger and color-coder"