Stover+CLUE+Step+2b

Sarah Stover CLUE Step 2b Exclusively You Dress Shop vs. The Salvation Army



Everything looked very expensive. There were all types of formal dresses, including long, short, and wedding. One section was a men's section which is where the suits were. There were also many shelves of accessories and shoes. The lighting was soft, and everthing was neat and organized. I went in with a friend, and almost immediately we were asked by a salewoman if we needed any help. We just said we were looking, and I noticed the salewoman looked a little confused as to why we were there. Both of us felt very awkward and out of place in our jeans and backpacks. There was only one other girl in the store (she looked about college-age) and she was looking at the short dresses.
 * Observations**



There were a lot more people in the Salvation Army - at least 15 to 20 people. The shop has harsh fluorescent lighting, and it was as organized and proper as the Dress shop. The atmosphere, however, was a lot more relaxed. No salesperson tried to convince you to buy anything - it was just help yourself. I overheard a side conversation where the woman was saying how she lost many of her things in the flood. She might have came to Salvation Army to replace some things because it has a little bit of everything (clothes, toys, decorations, and other odds and ends) for a relatively cheap price. Another observation was that all types of people were at the store, including an elderly man, two college guys, two college girls, a woman and her baby, another woman and her kids, and a few other middle-age men and women.
 * Observations**

I thought it was extrememly interesting how I felt more comfortable in the Salvation Army than the dress shop, which I couldn't wait to get out of. Most people would think that a store that was clean and organized with nice lighting would have a more welcoming atmosphere. But what I noticed was that I felt much less pressure to buy anything in the Salvation Army, which in turn made me more comfortable. There were a lot more people, too in Salvation Army, which suggests there aren't many people who are needing a dress and more who need casual clothing or things for a cheaper price. Most of the people looked like locals, so maybe they were there to replace some things they lost in the recent flooding.
 * Question: What does the data you collect suggest to you about the literacy practices of that community?**