Friday, July 19, 2013

It's My Party


You guys I am so excited to complain at you today!

First of all, today is my birthday! (No that is not what I am complaining about) but it means that the phrase "It's my party and I'll cry if I want to" rings true. Now, keep in mind that I am writing this post on the 18th, so that's not entirely fair. I'm planning on going out to eat with my family, maybe making a cake, and opening lots of presents! Since it's my 21st, I'm going to go out drinking (PARTAY) next weekend with the bros.



Okay so now I will complain.

You may remember I wore this dress 2 months ago. It's from American Apparel, and I mentioned that it was too small for me. Well, I returned it. And the dress that came back to me was a size Large, but that was about the only thing right about it. It was in the wrong color, had a thread loose, and still had the anti-theft sensor on it! You know, those things you can't remove? I was peeved, obvi. AmApp charges $70 for their dresses (mine was on sale and my Mom pitched in), and this is the kinda customer service I get? It gets worse. I sent them an angry message, and got NO reply for 2 weeks. Then the tracking info on my package disappeared. I sent a second message, and they replied to this one to say "Yeah we don't know where your package is," but at least I got the apology I wanted. They eventually found it and the lady who helped me got me the right dress and sent it. So here it is.

It's just such an expensive store, and one that I'm supposed to feel good about purchasing from (all American made, hello!), but they really handled the whole thing poorly. I don't know if I'll be shopping there again.


At least it is a really pretty dress and the whole ordeal is over with. Look how over it I am:



Next order of business:

Today a girl emailed me asking me to lower my prices on custom portraits. She had bought one at $15 before I increased the price to $25, and was asking for a discount code. Maybe she didn't intend to be rude, but man. I was deeply offended by this! She was basically saying to me, "I don't think your art is worth what you are charging." Which, I mean, that's fine, you don't gotta like my art, but it's the difference between not liking someone's outfit and going up and telling someone they dress ugly.

I realize most people don't do art, and art is valued weirdly, but to get my point, think about this: If I spend 2 hours on a portrait for $15, that's $7.50 an hour. That is like, minimum wage, and I'm not even including supplies! Like, gurl, you are equating my art that I work really hard on with bagging groceries at Bi Lo. It was just Dis. Re. Spect.



BTW this dress needs to be taken in lol. I am between a medium and a large there, apparently.



Okay I am really glad I got all that off my chest. Now I am totes ready to go have a beautiful birthday, full of Japanese food and cupcakes.

I'll leave you with this: Today I went to get my license renewed. The only reason I didn't mail it in was because of the way dated picture... I was 15 and in the worst of my awkward teenager days. So here is the new one, guys.


It's like they try to make you look unattractive.


15 comments:

  1. Happy birthday!! That dress is so cute - so annoying about the returns and everything but at least you got it in the end :) And that's so rude asking you to lower your prices on your art!! I think $25 is actually really low for that, so asking for less?!
    xx

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    Replies
    1. I know, $25 is still way below the average asking price! But I don't have bills to pay as of yet haha, I know I'l have to raise prices again when I graduate.

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  2. Happy birthday, lovely!

    American Apparel is actually not that great a company. Its American workers get paid decently, but its foreign ones do not, and the CEO is known for sexual harassment of female employees. Not shopping there again is probably a good call. :/

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    Replies
    1. Oh yeah, I heard about that! Geez it's so hard to be a socially conscious consumer.

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  3. happy birthday! despite all the fuss, at least the dress is pretty! I guess it were better if you could shop in-store instead of online... I never got anything from AmApp, because it's super expensive, so I can understand your frustration... Anyway, hope you have a fun 21st!

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  4. Happy birthday!! Yeah, American Apparel is not my favorite company, but the dress looks cute! And your portraits are definitely worth $25 and then some...I love your art!

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  5. Happy Birthday deary! Yikes about your AA ordeal, but yeah that dress is super cute on you. Love those shoes to BITS, too! :)

    <3 Meg
    http://kiddotv.blogspot.com

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  6. Happy birthday, girl!! I always try to thrift AA stuff since it's so expensive. I totally support buying USA made things but it's honestly REALLY HARD. And pretty impossible if you're living on a budget.

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  7. Happy Birthday! I've been reading your blog for a while but never commented. I really like your hand-made dresses, you've really inspired me to learn to sew as i love dresses with unusual patterns! Also i just found your art tumblr and its great!
    Jodie

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  8. Awww Happy Birthday! That stinks that she wanted you to lower your prices. Whenever people ask me if I want to take photos for free, I start to get that weird eye twitch action and might start foaming at the mouth. "Oh but it's great exposure!" *twitch twitch*

    All I can say is, stay strong and twitch on. You rock.

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  9. Yayyy Birthday Girl! Loving this dress on you, and the little bee brooch! But ughhh I am with you on American Apparel. That store is mega-expensive, and I feel like an awful human being, but I am a poor artist and when push comes to shove, I'll buy 3 cheap things at Forever 21 over buying one expensive top from American Apparel. This is the sad world in which we live. But I make just over minimum wage at a part-time job and work low-paying gigs as an actor. I've had less than stellar experiences with AA (my boyfriend likes the store more than I do - I find their sizing to be weird as well). On the creative front... that girl is clearly not an artist in any way. I'm appalled that she asked for a lower price! I would NEVER even DREAM of doing something like that. Artists' rates are what they are for a reason, and 9 times out of 10, their rates are actually too low because most people aren't willing to pay enough. Ridiculous.

    xox Sammi
    www.thesoubrettebrunette.blogspot.com

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  10. Happy Birthday!

    I'm sorry that all this crap happened to you. As for that customer...well, think of it as a learning expeirnce for her and you. I guess the silver lining of that girl asking that, is she is a second time customer, so she must like your stuff a bit at least?

    Glad you upped the price; that is still quite reasonable for a custom portrait.

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  11. Thanks for your sweet comment!
    Happy Birthay to you!!
    Too bad American Apparel screwed that right up, I would have been furious, too! The dress looks very pretty though!

    Have a wonderful day,
    -Kati

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  12. Happiest of birthdays! Also, never, ever shop at American Apparel, especially if you consider yourself anything of a feminist. I have a lot of American Apparel clothes because I used to work there, and I'm not getting rid of free clothes lol but yeah they're a butt company and you can find better handmade on Etsy. :) Also, boo to people devaluing artwork, people are misers.

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