Personal Service at Ann Taylor

Over the last year I have lost weight, gained lean muscle and changed my whole body composition. Every few months I have to buy new clothes (yay!) as the current clothes become too baggy and my co-workers scold me to go shopping. I am the girl who hates shopping. I am not really into fashion although I like to look nice. I am not the girl who goes to the mall and just wanders around and buys random things. I go with purpose:  black boots, pants for work, dress for a wedding etc. and then I leave.  If I ever won the lottery I would hire a stylist and personal shopper.

I was looking for some new professional clothes for work so on a day off I ventured out to the St. Louis Galleria, a mall I haven’t been to in years, to go to Ann Taylor. I shop so infrequently I actually arrived at the mall before the stores were open and the mall was busy with mall walkers.  Luckily I only had to wait 10 minutes. It never dawned on me they wouldn’t be open!

Lindsey was the Ann Taylor representative who unlocked the door to let me in.  I felt ridiculous hovering like it was 1982 and Cardinals tickets were going on sale, but she didn’t seem phased at all.  She asked how she could help, I told her what I was looking for and she became my personal shopper and stylist! She toured me around the store highlighting the items I had requested and she explained the differences between the styles and fits.  She found my size, found blouses to match the pants and all I had to do was try it all on.  She was so nice and accommodating and kept bringing other items she thought I would like but not in a pushy, commissioned-sales-person manner, just very helpful.

There was one pair of pants they didn’t have in my size and she helped me order online with free shipping.  She also showed me the style of shoes online that would work with the pants. She made this whole experience so pleasant and positive.  I was out of there in 47 minutes and she had a nice big sale to start the day.

Some of my friends shop online for clothes but I have to try things on.  And I appreciate the opinion and advice of the sales people.  I will pay a little extra for that service.  Online may be crushing brick and mortar but I don’t know how you replace the personal assistance of a live human being looking at the fit of the clothes on your unique body type.  Lindsey listened to me and talked to me about the different styles.  For example, I hated the ruffles on one blouse but I liked the high neck. She found me the perfect blouse with a high neck and no ruffle and I never left the fitting room.

Like I said, I really hate shopping but Lindsey’s kind service really surprised me and I actually enjoyed those 47 minutes.  I will definitely be returning to Ann Taylor.

Broadway Inspiration

I am always trying to find inspiration for my creativity.  One, because it keeps life fun and interesting and two, because I work in marketing. We are constantly challenged to find creative, new solutions to communications and technology challenges.

Since I was a kid I have always been inspired by the soundtracks to Broadway shows. My first experience was in 1976 when my mom and I watched Chorus Line win the Tony Award for Best Musical.  The cast performed the iconic finale number to “One.” I was ten years old and taking dancing lessons so I was mesmerized by the number and wanted to know more about the show.  Every Saturday after gymnastics we would stop by the library.  I started checking out the soundtrack album (on vinyl) and listening to it in my room trying to learn the words and imagining the choreography.  I must have had it checked out for months! I am sure I put on my tap shoes and danced around the basement pretending I was in the show.

I finally got to see the show for my 11^th birthday and it has remained my favorite show ever since.  I should warn you that this is really not a show for 11 year olds: adult story, theme, language and situations. I am sure much went over my head but I have probably seen the show more than 10 times! Every time it give me chills, makes me cheer and cry. 

In college my roommate introduced me to two lesser known Broadway soundtracks “Big River” and “Chess.”  We would blast our three foot speakers and dance and sing around our apartment. It was many years after college before I had the chance to see either one live but I had imagined them so many times both were exhilarating. 

There is something about live musical theater that you cannot replicate with just a live concert or a play.  It’s hard to explain when I feel chills run down my arms or I am brought to tears during a happy song or the curtain call. I think it must trigger different parts of my brain that don’t get exercised as often. And visually the creativity on the stage through the set and lighting design, costumes and make-up can push the limits of your imagination.  The masks, head-pieces, costumes and puppets of Lion King take my breath away every time I see the show.  I love the scene when they make a giant blue textile slowly disappear to represent the drought.  You don’t even notice it at first. Super cool!  I aspire to have an ounce of Julie Taymor’s creativity to infuse into my marketing!

Julie originally had a different plot added to the script that varied from the movie.  Her ideas for the animals in this discarded storyline are what brought her to the mind-blowing puppet systems you see in the show today.  Sometimes you have to go down an odd path exploring a creative concept that ultimately doesn’t work but along the way you find the idea that does work. “Sometimes, she suggests, you have to let your imagination run truly wild to come up with a compelling piece of art. ‘That’s critical in the process,’ Taymor says.”¹

When time allows, I like to give my design team the freedom to explore the fringe ideas. Very often it is hard for management (or a client) to tell you what they want in a creative brief but it’s easier for them to tell you what they don’t want after seeing a few concepts. 

The show I am currently obsessed with is Hamilton.  I have been going online at random times searching for a single ticket for the show in New York to no avail. On the night of the Tony Awards I received a text alert from Ticket Master that new tickets were released! I immediately logged on and somehow found a single ticket to a Saturday in November. I honestly don’t remember the process or how I chose my date because I was so excited and a little freaked out!  I booked my flight, my hotel and ordered the soundtrack so I could start trying to learn the words.  I am self-diagnosed as ‘lyric deficient.’ I am one of those people who always end up singing the wrong words. Thank goodness the CD came with the words! Because seriously, some of these rap lyrics fly ridiculously fast, I have no chance!

I am addicted to the soundtrack. You can see me singing and rapping in my car in my long commute to and from work.  I’m sure the other cars think I am crazy with my wild hand motions and chair dancing but it’s better than a cup of coffee to get me going and firing different parts of my brain before work. I can’t pick a favorite song because they are all amazing, powerful, emotional and awesome!

I truly admire the creativity of Lin-Manuel Miranda to put a potentially boring story line from history to high energy hip-hop and rap lyrics with a color-blind cast. It gets even better when the show receives overwhelming acclaim and financial success. It’s another cool example of how extreme imagination and creative courage can resonant with millions of people, many of which I would guess don’t typically follow Broadway.  To senior management, business people and marketers, that means revenue! How many uber-creative ideas are never approved because some key decision maker didn’t have the creative courage? 

¹ http://time.com/4065287/julie-taymor-creative-process/