The women's shoe department of Bloomingdale's is representative of the growing market for endless new styles. Surprisingly, I see much of this demand in the workplace. In fact, many of our Monday staff meetings begin with a short conversation about the "Sunday Styles" section of the New York Times. New Yorkers love fashion, and this seems to be the year for shoes.
Aside from this year's fashionably cluttered displays of mostly sharply-pointed shoes and boots, Bloomingdale's has something else to offer: a unique group of employees who are as modern as the shoes they sell. The sales people are mostly men, which I always find strange considering that they have never even walked in a pair of heels. However, they are incredibly helpful and friendly and seem to know quite a bit about the newest women's shoe fashions and designers. I find myself wondering who these men are, why they want to work in a women's shoe department, and how do they stay so motivated? The other day, the man helping me was excited about his upcoming appearance on the Dave Chapelle Show. Thus, aspiring actors are among the surprisingly talented who sell shoes to women. The female salespeople are just as upbeat. Once I told a saleswoman that I liked her shoes and she leaned over to me and whispered, "Payless." In an upscale department store, it is a relief to be helped by salespeople that let their true personalities shine.
