I don't do retail jobs for the simple fact that I have no patience with people. I have always had a lot of contact with the public in my field, but the contact is much different as they are coming to me for help because they are in trouble with the law. Therefore, they don't generally act as arrogant as I feel a lot of customers in line at grocery stores or department stores. (By the way, I worked as a cashier for three years, a hostess in a restaurant for two and half years and manager of a convenience store for one year before switching from retail, so I have seen the difference first hand)

Anyway, I have always felt that clerks, cashiers, etc should have the mindset of treating their customers as they would like to be treated themselves. in otherwords: smile, cheerful, pleasant, helpful. If I am in, for example, Wal-Mart and I approach the cashier and she looks at me with a frown and/or generally looks like she doesn't want to be there, then I don't feel welcome or like I want her to be my cashier. If I am pleasant and smiling to her and she doesn't reciprocate that attitude, I don't just not want to go back to her cash register the next time I am there, I don't want to go back to that store.

I would hope that hiring managers for retail would look for the same things. So, do you project a pleasant attitude? Do you smile? Do you make the hiring manager feel that you are a "people person" who will make the customers want to return? These are qualities that can be assesed in just a few minutes. The way you answer these questions, also. Are you monotone? Are you cheerful? Do your eyes smile? (I know, stupid, but you can be smiling while your eyes are saying boring)

I don't understand the clothing comment because most of the retail establishments I have been to have uniforms. Or, if not actual uniforms, a policy on what to wear and what not to wear. Some places have smocks that cover your shirt anyway. For a retail interview, I would think you would be fine in a nice dark colored skirt and cheerful blouse with a pair of sensibly heeled pumps. No sandals, no halter tops, no skirts that barely go lower than your buttt. (I actually saw this on a clerk at which point I complained immediately). If you are going to work in a clothing store, you may even be given a clothing allowance which you probably have to spend at the store itself.