Our Encounter With an Alternate Universe

{I didn't feel like smiling, so this is my other pose.}

While in Texas, we (Angel, his two brothers, and I) had the opportunity to wander around downtown Dallas on a chilly December day. We're getting colder the longer we walk, and we spot this store ahead of us called Neiman Marcus. 

Nestor says, "Oh, I've heard of that store, I think it's like a more expensive version of Dillard's."

We're cold so we decide to go in, expecting to wander around the expensive Dillard's for a few minutes to warm up.

What we don't expect is the cross-cultural experience that we're about to encounter.

Upon entering the doors of the store, spying signs proclaiming Chanel, Gucci, and Clearance Scarves: $250, it's immediately apparent to me that this is unlike any department store I've ever entered. I think it may have taken the guys just a few minutes longer to realize the differences.

There's a security guard with a gun leaning up against the wall next to the jewelry department, and I decide to give the jewelry department a wide berth. We take the escalator upstairs to the dress department, and Angel and I, who both have an eye for a pretty dress, try to check pricetags as sneakily as possible on dresses that we think are pretty: $1,375, $2,500, $3,450. 

I may have imagined it, but it seemed like I could feel the eyes of many a sales consultant staring at me. I felt as if I had accidentally entered a world where I really, really didn't belong.

Angel told me that at any minute he thought an employee would walk up to us and say, "Excuse me, but it's obvious that you aren't going to buy anything, so you need to leave the store immediately."

For reference, this is what we looked like when entering the store:

Such tourists.

Angel and Manny had holes in their jeans, the guys are wearing hoodies. I looked very much like myself with patterned leggings, a multicolored purse, Hot Topic jacket and well-worn boots. Somehow I can't imagine that's what Neiman Marcus customers look like

I spent nearly the entire time in the store imagining possible scenarios that might occur. Would the store personnel recognize us for the outsiders we were and escort us to the door? Would they try to sell me a dress priced higher than my car?

I was trying to decide between two different strategies of handling the situation: Avoid all employees and try to escape from the store without attracting too much notice. OR...Act like I'm the kind of person who does shop at Neiman Marcus, and that I felt perfectly at home and in my element. Turns out, I'm not much of an actor. We escaped quickly after our momentary venture into a very different world.

It was fun. If you ever have the chance to silently glide through a really expensive store and check random pricetags just for the shock factor...do it! As is probably obvious by now, this is my first venture into a "designer" store. (Actually, I have no idea if those clothes are considered "designer" clothes...so go ahead and let me know the correct terminology if I'm wrong.) It was a strange and surreal adventure. I'm not sure I'll ever go back, though I must admit that they had some pretty dresses! (Still--I think my car is more useful)

Have you been to Neiman Marcus or a similar (or more luxurious!) boutique?