STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

have you ever been mugged?

Collette · Chanel

That must have been scary I'm glad nothing happened to you though!

I was mugged once. Well not sure if it was mugged. One time as I was pumping gas some guy got into my car stole my purse, cell phone and dog tags our of my car. All while 3 men in business suits sat and watched.

The other time was in my "bad girl"' days and I was sleeping under a bridge ( yes I lived under a bridge for a while) and this guy came up and stuck a knife to my throat and took my stuff. Which consisted of like nothing but maybe $10 and some clothes. I think he thought I had drugs on me which is what I think he was actually after.

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Thanks, Collette.

What happened to you sounds really scary. I don't know what I would do if someone had a knife to my throat like that. How crappy that those three businessmen didn't do anything to stop the guy from taking those things from your car!

Ally S · Kate Spade

I have never had anything like that happen to me, although I have had my purse ripped off before and that was a big deal. I am just glad you are ok and nothing happened to you and you are safe.

boobaby · Kate Spade

I have never been mugged, but recently in my neighborhood in Chicago, there has been a string of muggings in which the victims are hit over the head with a brick. Very creepy.

Dizzy · Marc Jacobs

Scarlett honey, I am so glad you're ok - it really does sound like he was going to mug you. Good catch with the hood and his body language. Good thing you were being aware - and that the old woman came right when she did. As for me, I recently reported my purse stolen, then found it on my kitchen countertop - does that count?

Lilykind · Hermes

scarlett, thank goodness nothing terrible happend. Smells like a classic mugging.

This isn't a mugging per se....but I was on the corner of Wilshire and La Brea in Los Angeles at 11 PM after a late day. It's not a particularly bad neighborhood...it's actually right near Campanille, a popular restaurant/celeb spot. I'm usually very aware of my surroundings, but I was looking at the ticker that said the bus wasn't supposed to come for 15 minutes and didn't notice the bum that was coming towards me on my right side. He slipped his hand under my skirt (it was my pleated denim skirt that hits above the knee) and touched my butt. By the time I came to my senses, he'd already run across La Brea and there was no way I could catch him.

Also, there have been several reports of sexual harrassment near my apartment, close to UCLA where the guy comes up behind a single female, gives her a giant bear hug and makes sure to grab her chest. I have been super-careful since those reportings.

tara t · Marc Jacobs

that sounds really scary.

now, i have never been mugged, but my dad has 3 times ! once at gunpoint. now, he keeps a 100$ bill in his coat pocket every single day. his theory is if he is about to get mugged, he can just hand the guy the $ and be on with it.

NCshopper · Hermes

tara t wrote:

now, he keeps a 100$ bill in his coat pocket every single day. his theory is if he is about to get mugged, he can just hand the guy the $ and be on with it.

That's not a bad idea at all, actually. I've never been mugged either, but my brother was once. He was living in Berkeley and this guy came up to him and told him to give him his keys and wallet, and instead of just giving it to him, my brother put up a fight and ended up in the hospital. So, moral of the story is, just give them whatever it is they're asking for.

Your story is totally freaky, scarlett. I definitely think that guy was about to mug you. There is no other logical explanation for his behavior. And props to you for seeing the body language and the weird clothing--those are definite clues that something isn't right and that's awesome you were able to recognize that in the short amount of time that it was all happening.

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

Thanks for your concern, ladies, it's really made me feel better...I probably should have turned around and run away as soon as I saw him crossing the street but I didn't, so even though nothing happened I have been a little mad at myself. I wish I could just be like Jennifer Garner on Alias and beat someone up if they messed with me!

It saddens me that so many people, especially women, have had experiences like this (and worse). One thing I like about my BF is he appreciates that it is different to walk down a street alone as a woman, as opposed to a guy doing the same thing. Lilykind, I hope the guy who touched you and that other bear hug guy around UCLA both get hit by a bus. And Tara T your dad's idea is really good. I hope he never gets mugged again.

Hedvig · Coach

I've never been mugged but last winter, when we still lived in Boston, there were several muggings, some of them at gunpoint, in our neighborhood (Beacon Hill, which I had always thought of as a safe area). One of the muggings occurred just a couple of blocks from our building, which made me very anxious, and I started avoiding going outside alone at night.

And then last summer, while we were away looking for an apartment in NYC, someone actually intruded into the apartment right below ours in Boston. It happened in the middle of the night. The man apparently entered the bedroom through an open window, and the girl who lived in the apartment woke up and started screaming. I was happy to move out after that.

Scarlett, your story sounds really scary. I'm glad you're ok!

NCshopper · Hermes

scarlett wrote:

Thanks for your concern, ladies, it's really made me feel better...I probably should have turned around and run away as soon as I saw him crossing the street but I didn't, so even though nothing happened I have been a little mad at myself. I wish I could just be like Jennifer Garner on Alias and beat someone up if they messed with me!

Have you ever taken a self defense class? I took one in college and I highly recommend it to you and everyone else on this board. If nothing else, it at least teaches you how to avoid situations where you're more likely to jeopardize your safety and if something does happen, how to be the one that comes out on top. Although in a mugging situation, to be honest, I think you're just better off giving them your purse or whatever if that's what they're after.

theotherjess · Chanel

NCshopper wrote:

scarlett wrote: Thanks for your concern, ladies, it's really made me feel better...I probably should have turned around and run away as soon as I saw him crossing the street but I didn't, so even though nothing happened I have been a little mad at myself. I wish I could just be like Jennifer Garner on Alias and beat someone up if they messed with me! Have you ever taken a self defense class? I took one in college and I highly recommend it to you and everyone else on this board. If nothing else, it at least teaches you how to avoid situations where you're more likely to jeopardize your safety and if something does happen, how to be the one that comes out on top. Although in a mugging situation, to be honest, I think you're just better off giving them your purse or whatever if that's what they're after.

Yeah, I've heard to just throw your purse/wallet away from you and run like hell. Chances are they will go after the money and not you.

Luckily, I've never been in this position but it must be scary as hell.

scarlett · Marc Jacobs

NCShopper, I took a self defense class in college, but it was over six years ago and was only for one afternoon. You've reminded me that it's definitely time for an update. And yeah, if I am ever in a position where someone does ask for my purse, I will hand it over and then run like hell. There's no way I really could fight someone off -- I'm just not that buff or that big -- and it's not worth the risk of being seriously hurt or worse.