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in the way you'd expect <g>. A couple weeks ago, Ohio had an extended "tax free weekend" during which Ohioans didn't pay sales tax on clothing up to $500, accessories, shoes, school supplies and--oddly enough--sit down meals in local restaurants. Chico's right now has, of course, a TON of beautiful clothing, including some items that are in the back room waiting to be sent to the outlets and/or back to the warehouse. I've discovered that the 65% off discount does not apply all the time--employees "earn" that discount at certain times and the rest of the time, it's a 50% off discount. On the last day of tax free weekend, which wound up being something like 10 days long, I bought a couple of the "fall transition" tops and was able to get my 65% off discount and didn't have to pay sales tax, making for a sweet deal.

Yesterday I worked with a woman I'd not yet worked with: "M". M has been at the store about 10 years and was off recovering from hand surgery when I was hired. That's part of why I've been able to get more hours than I was told I'd be getting. Anyways, M is an absolute pistol. 84 years young, she's there for the clothing discount <g>. She was absolutely beautifully put together in a top, pants and jewelry all from Chico's and was the very epitome of good advertising for the brand. I also found out she's a bit of a clothes horse and has bought a LOT of Chico's items. A. LOT. While I was working with her yesterday, M casually asked me what size top I wear at Chico's. I told her either a 1 or a 2, depending on the cut (and possibly a 2.5 in the no iron blouses). She then told me she'd brought in "a few" things she no longer wanted or could fit into (she lost weight after having two surgeries already this year, and she always buys her tops a bit big), and I, or any other employee, could have whatever we wanted. I wasn't quite sure if that was true, so I checked with our store manager; SM confirmed that this is indeed something M does from time to time and told me to take the bag home, try stuff on and bring back what I didn't want.

I got home...there were 10 shirts in the bag. I immediately liked 9 of them (the blue gingham wasn't really me). One didn't really flatter my figure. Another was a wild pattern even I wouldn't wear. One was a summer top that I absolutely loved but it was a bit short; if I lifted my arms above my head, an inch of my pale fish belly showed. And one was fine but very similar to something I already had.

That left me with 5 brand new Chico's shirts. They need washing; I asked SM today if M smoked, and she said no, but to my nose, the shirts smell like a combination of cigarettes, perfume and a Holiday Inn circa 1980. But all look brand new and I'm excited to wear them.