In Class: First paragraph

     Gold piping lines the shinny glass intriguing the potential new customers to come inside.  The cream colored square stones shoot high up into the sky as black, bold sign that reads, "NORDSTROM" sits boldly at the top.  Walking inside the heavy glass doors swing open with a simple push of a button and welcome you into a sophisticated shopping experience unlike many other stores.  Umbrella bags are placed perfectly by the front doors, assisting those who are axcious to shop on a rainy day.  They are also there to protect that expensive merchandise sitting freely just inside the second set of class doors. Once inside the final set of doors, the scent of tidiness and perfume mingle together to form a pleasant yet distinct smell.  The ceiling lights shine bright above the neatly folded clothing for men, women and children.  The shoes are lined-up perfectly with their toes in a straight line.  They sit on rich-colored wood that is cover in glass.

In Class: In class Peer-Review Workshops

I dont like in class peer-reviews that much.  It's nice just to have someone read over your paper to look for little errors that you might have missed, but overall, im not a fan.  I feel like sometimes they dont actually read your paper that carefully and just give you responses and questions about your paper that seem like they came out of left field. I have found that people sometimes suggest changes that I totally disagree with and then it makes me second guess my work.

In Class: Refelction of notes

New ideas!

 -Look at ethnicity/ gender of the workers. does this say something about the status?

 -Did the space seem too perfect, almost unwelcoming?

 -Pathos: skinny models wearing clothes all over store... making people want to be like them. giving the idea that the way they look is the way you need to look in order to fit into the society.:

-Logos: the way the clothes were hung up. Was there a ton of room to walk around?

-Did the fact that most employees were white has anything to do with who the store is trying to appeal to?

-Any plus size sections?

-Pay more attention to the outside of the store..  What did it look like?

building materials, 

doors,

colors, 

color of walls inside, 

more about lighting,

what is covering the walls.

-Womens' fancier attire being slower -perhaps because of the economy?

In Class: Observation Process

I hated it.  It's weird enough to just sit around for awhile in a public space but its even weirder to be sitting there/ walking around with a pen in my hand taking notes. Walking around  I would have just been seen as a normal person looking around the store but the paper I was carrying around quickly busted my cover.  I felt eyes staring at me when consumers and also employees saw what I was up to.  I could tell they were all wondering what I was doing but no one actually asked me.  I tried to get a feeling of the building from the outside and also the inside.  However from the notes I took, I see that i really need to focus on the outside of the building more.  I need to get a feel for what the outside stands for much like we did during class time with The Bank of America building. From what I remember from just pulling up and parking by the building, there is a ton of parking and bushes and trees.  Also a big NORDSTROM sign in black (if i remember correctly) was up high on the building.  Clearly I need to be more observant and take more notes on the outside.  After all that is the first impression people get of that store and might get ideas and make assumptions of what the store might be like inside.

Nordstroms

For my public space analysis I chose to write about Nordstroms.  While I spent some time there I noticed how there were many ethical, emotional, and logical appeals all over the store!  Listed below are the main appeals I noticed during my first trip to Nordstroms. Nordsrtoms has a lot of emotional appeal.  It makes consumers strive to want to fit into the popular culture Nordstroms is trying to show is “in” and fashionable.  I feel that this can make the consumers feel like they might not be good enough and stress them out.  I see this in the store because the prices are high and many people may walk in thinking they will never be able to afford the “Nordstorms’ lifestyle". Nordstroms is a very logical store.  I'm sure they have done a ton of research about their consumers and what they are looking for and interested in.  They have a logical set-up on the floor that flows for what certain consumers are looking for.  They have clothing sections for women separate from men and children.  They have all their purses and jewelry in one area, close to, but still separate from the make-up section. Regarding ethical appeal I feel that Nordstroms is seen as a high-class, well-regarded store with many positive features.  From my personal experience, they always have many knowledgeable employes who are willing to help you find whatever it may be you are looking for.

In Class: Logos Artifact

For my logos artifact I brought in my watch.  I believe it represents logos because it shows a lot about me by just looking at it.  It is logical for someone who like to be on time to wear a watch because it keeps them in check.  That might just seem like common sense, which it is, but common sense has to do with logos so I think it works out perfectly! My watch also has the date, a timer and military time on the face on it.  I feel like these are all logical things to have a watch and is very useful for someone who like to always keep up with thing.  It is a precise piece of jewelry that has a purpose to it rather than just wore for looks which makes it even more logical to keep on you!

Essay One Proposal

It took me quite awhile to decide on a location to write about for this first essay on analyzing a public space.  I brain-stormed a lot both in and out of class and was finally able to come up with the perfect place!  

After much deliberation, I decided to write about Nordstrom.  Nordstrom is a nation-wide shopping center full of nice clothing, accessories, make-up, and shoes.  I feel that this space is appealing to write about because I have shopped at Nordstrom for many years and as I have grown up, I feel that my experiences there have changed.  When I was younger I just remember being excited to get a balloon with the word, “NORDSTROM” written on it after I picked out a new pair of tennis shoes.  However, now that I am older, I sometimes find myself feeling temped to leave when just entering the building.  I have noticed that walking into Nordstroms with sweat pants on and your hair in a messy bun will often be greeted by a confused look.  A look from the cashiers and the clerks wondering why someone like you would be shopping at such a high-end store. As pathetic as that sounds, I have often found that to be true. However, though this assignment, I’m excited to see if I can find any positive yet unexpected changes while I am just sitting there taking notes. 

I am expecting to find a clean and tidy store filled with nicely dressed sales-people and the majority of the shoppers looking exactly the same.  From what I remember, I am expecting to find neatly folded clothes and perfectly lined-up shoes on shinny glass tables.

I feel like these pre-conceived ideas I have about Nordstrom may some-what influence my observations because I may unconsciously focus on what I’m already aware of.  However, I will try extra hard to over-look my pre-conceived notions while I spend time at the store.