Changing rooms closed

[CountessFrog]

So I’ve been shopping at a large shopping centre twice in two weeks with separate kids.

Both wanted clothes but couldn’t try them on because the changing rooms are closed.

We live pretty far from the shopping centre; it’s not easy to return goods.

So we tried them on in the toilets and returned them. Is this really a better and more hygenic alternative than just opening changing rooms?

[afromom]

I think the point is that they don't want you to try them on. If you do they have to quarantine them, but if you try them on elsewhere and put them back on the rack you are increasing the risk of spreading the virus. If the changing rooms are closed I'd take that as not being allowed to try things on, not 'oh god now I'll have to try them on in the toilet!'

[SephrinaX]

If you've been twice in two weeks, couldn't you have returned the items on the second trip?

[JanewaysBun]

But how are you supposed to know what fits?

OP - I needed some new jeans so went to Zara, queued then made a purchase, went to the shopping centre loos, realised they didn't fit, queued to get in then queued to return......

I'm pretty sure everyone is doing this. ....

[afromom]

I guess the same way that you would if you bought them online? But your way works too, so long as you return them properly so that they can be quarantined afterwards.

[Alongcameacat]

I'm pretty sure everyone is doing this. ....

It wouldn't have crossed my mind to do this tbh.

I went to a shopping centre for the first time since March today. I wanted to buy cards for upcoming birthdays. So many shops seemed to have closed - Debenhams, Oasis etc and the others were either full of sale racks, no changing rooms and far too many people not wearing masks. It will be another four months before I go back there. I did most of my shopping online even before covid and from now on I will be doing all of it online. I think covid will be the end of the high street.

[CountessFrog]

The first trip, Everything fitted, nothing to return on the second trip.

Second trip, 2/3 items didn’t fit. Thankfully I found that out in the toilets rather than 35 miles away at home.

Toilets full of people trying clothes for the same reason.

In Clark’s I tried some sandals but they insisted I wear pop socks. The sandals were fine, but of course, I wasn’t going to wear them with pop socks in real life, so as soon as I was out, I had to try them in bare feet. They were wrong so I returned them.

There is no logic to any of this.

Also, alongcameacat why four months? That’s c specific.

[CountessFrog]

(And why on earth the pop socks? It’s a respiratory disease).

[BananaPop2020]

The changing room thing is ridiculous. In fact, so much of this whole situation is ridiculous and smacks of the Government making it up as they go along.

[Alongcameacat]

Lockdown started in March. I avoided unnecessary shopping until today.

I don't understand why you liked the sandals enough, even with popsocks, enough to buy them and didn't like them with bare feet.

Did popsocks make them look better?

[BlankTimes]

In Clark’s I tried some sandals but they insisted I wear pop socks

Haven't shoe shops always done this?
I've never been allowed to try shoes on in bare feet, surely it's to stop the spread of verrucas etc.

[bettsbattenburg]

@CountessFrog

(And why on earth the pop socks? It’s a respiratory disease).

That's standard shoe shop practice

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

How thick were the pop socks that they actually made a difference

You can see if trousers fit your waist by wrapping the waist band (buttons done up) around your neck. My DC never try trousers on in the shop anymore.

[Wildidle]

@TheFormerPorpentinaScamander

How thick were the pop socks that they actually made a difference

You can see if trousers fit your waist by wrapping the waist band (buttons done up) around your neck. My DC never try trousers on in the shop anymore.

What? How on earth does neck size directly correlate with waist size?

[TheFormerPorpentinaScamander]

@Wildidle I have no idea but it works. I guess when you gain or lose weight you gain or lose it from your neck as well as everywhere else.

[AllTheCakes]

Completely agree with you. I’ve bought quite a few things recently and had to make special trips to return them so I think I will end up trying outside the shop and taking back what doesn’t fit. As long as the changing rooms can adhere to social distancing and the clothes tried are quarantined, then I don’t see the problem.

[EasilyDelighted]

The pop socks thing has always been the case, you're never meant to try shoes on barefoot, that's just grim. I haven't been clothes shopping yet and agree that changing rooms shut is a nuisance but you can see why, lots of touch points, narrow entrances with no possibility of a one way system, confined spaces with limited ventilation.

[hampstead1234]

Can you not shop locally?

Given the closure of changing rooms which I understand (frees up a member of staff to check people into the store and keep to a maximum number, ensure face masks when they become compulsory), never mind hygiene, why could non-food shops not have opened earlier than mid June?

[CountessFrog]

Can I not shop locally? Well my local shopping centre doesn’t have the shops my kids want, so not really.

The sandals/pop socks issue was about the fit, not the aesthetics. Without pop socks they had harsh edges and I knew they would rub.

It may well be grim to try on shoes without pop socks, but there’s no way all shops provide them. Marks and Spencer sell loads of shoes and they don’t have an assistant on hand with pop socks. You are being a bit naive if you think people never do this.

[Ghostlyglow]

Take a tape measure.

[MarthasGinYard]

I always take pop socks with me when shoe shopping anyway or socks for the kids. Pretty grim trying on shoes barefoot.

I think the last thing shops need at the moment is families in changing rooms trying on loads of clothes. Although if we need the shops it's a quick nip, one of us. Many families having a good saunter around at the moment.

[Bagelsandbrie]

The changing rooms thing is ridiculous. Of course people are just going to use the toilets for changing rooms which makes the whole thing pointless and for those of us who need to use the toilet - some of us who don’t have disabilities as such but might struggle to wait / young kids etc - the queue for the toilets become even more unbearable than it already is with Covid. I think the whole world has gone insane. No one is thinking properly.

[JanewaysBun]

A tape measure is pretty useless when buying jeans. Weirdly I find jeans are a bit tight round my knees but the next size up is far too big everywhere else (maybe my knees are really knobbly??)

[EasilyDelighted]

Our M&S do have baskets of pop socks. I know people do try shoes barefoot, I'm not naive, but it's still grim.

I'm normally very much in the "support the high street rather than shop online" camp but right now I think order online, try at home and return is the best way if you live too far away to return things next time you go.

[Soontobe60]

@CountessFrog

(And why on earth the pop socks? It’s a respiratory disease).

I've always used pop socks in clarks! It's to prevent spread of fungal infections or verruccas, not covid 🤣

[tiredanddangerous]

My dd badly needs new bras and I'm dreading it for this reason! Last time we went she must have tried at least 10 bras on to find the right fit. I can't afford to buy 10 bras in one go so I can foresee having to go and buy 3, come home to try on, return when they don't fit (and repeat!) I don't understand how trying them on at home is ok but in the shop isn't