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?

High street can all f off as far as I am concerned. I'm not shopping if I am made to feel like I live in some kind of dysfunctional communist state where you just get whatever is available and show gratitude. Whether it fits or not? Shrug, who cares
Nope, no thank you

@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.

But whether the trousers fit my waist isn't the only factor in my decision to buy them,is it anyone's?

It's to prevent spread of fungal infections or verruccas, not covid

But they don't really. Pop socks are far too thin and flimsy to be an effective barrier in reality..!

This is the problem, there is no common sense to some of these decisions Such as closing changing rooms.
The government And some shops seem to make knee jerk decisions without thinking them through in a common sense and logical way.

I am also intrigued how you can see if trousers fit you by wrapping the waist band around your neck.

I don't think it's the trying on that's the problem, it's the changing rooms, possibly also having to quarantine anything that's been tried on for three days or whatever. Online means no changing rooms and it has quarantined itself by the time it arrives back at the warehouse.

DH needed a cap, had to buy, leave the store, try on then return.

I noticed returns are being quarantined then returned to the shop floor after a period of time.

M&S asked I place a returned bra in a basket of clothes by the till. It is annoying but shops can’t allow people in and out of the changing rooms or cope with the amount of clothes people try on in store.

The big question with trousers is do they fit my waist and my butt and my thighs, and not have 6 soare inches off the end. It's a tough combination and most of that can't be judged by holding up.

A lot of the time, by the time I get my thighs and butt in, they sit very, very open at the back, but there isn't sufficient depth of crotch to use a belt to pull the spare inches in to my waist. There's a difference in getting my body in, and finding them comfortable.

I do not buy clothes without trying on (other than stretchy sportswear)

Sadly I think this will be the end of many physical stores. What do they now offer that is an advantage over buying online?

With changing rooms people will take loads of clothes in with them, try them all on and then they have to be quarantined. They are also small enclosed spaces with no ventilation. I could try 10 things on, say I’m buying them all and then dump them anywhere in the shop so they can’t be quarantined. At least this way there is a way to control what is quarantined and for how long, with changing rooms open it becomes a free for all.

The pop socks thing... do they use brand new ones every time? Do they wash them? I haven’t been offered a pop sock since I was a young teenager in a shoe shop. Mind you I think I always wear socks now so it’s not an issue. I hate the idea of using a random nylon sock that I don’t know if it’s been washed / used etc etc.

So many silly rules though.

The shopping centre (it was the Trafford Centre) has a two level food court. You can access it downstairs, but they had closed the shutter. So we had to go upstairs and filter through one of the (much narrower) entrances to the first floor.

There are two entrances upstairs, I thought perhaps they would use one for entry and one for exit...but no, just inconveniencing everyone by making them go upstairs and through a narrow gap to enter the food court, much closer to others, then walk in a huge one way circle to reach the escalator taking them downstairs. No idea whether they are cleaning the escalator regularly - would hope so, and no obvious reason for closing the main entrance (nobody counting numbers).

In Boots you can’t spray perfume, but you can put sunglasses on your face.

I think they do use new pop socks, she said I could take them home because ‘we only throw them away anyway,’ however they didn’t look or feel new, they were pulled and bobbly🤷🏻‍♀️

I agree it will be the end of some high street shops. Online is fine if you don’t mind reams of packaging, charges to return items etc. I ordered something from Toast last week, I chose the size based on their measuring tools, however when it arrived it was too small. I’ve had to pay £6 return postage.

I’ve always wondered if the pop socks get washed too.

I wonder whether the virus can actually survive on a piece of clothing, and if so, how long for.

@weepingwillow22

Sadly I think this will be the end of many physical stores. What do they now offer that is an advantage over buying online?

For me the ability to pop out, see the clothes, try them on (I'm sure this will come back), go to different shops and be home with clothes I know will fit within a couple hours. No waiting, no repacking, no going to the post office, no waiting for a refund, no doing it all again until I get the right clothes - I don't see how that's easy at all.

I agree with some things, I went shopping with dd and she was umming and ahhing over weather she wanted the bigger size in a hoody, it wasnt until after shed tried the first one on that it hit me she probably shouldn't but it was a hoody so we wouldn't of used the changing rooms for it anyway.

I wonder whether the virus can actually survive on a piece of clothing, and if so, how long for

I'm going to stick my neck out and say that there's no proven case of this ,does anyone know differently?

@lifesalongsong I am glad that you and I hope many others feel that way. I would love our high streets to survive but I personally find it so much easier to order clothes online now. I don't even need to take them to the post office to return them, a courier collects them for free. It is so hard for me to go anywhere now where there are other people as I have an autistic son who has no concept of social distancing.

For me the ability to pop out, see the clothes, try them on (I'm sure this will come back), go to different shops and be home with clothes I know will fit within a couple hours. No waiting, no repacking, no going to the post office, no waiting for a refund, no doing it all again until I get the right clothes - I don't see how that's easy at all. this is me too, but not being able to try on tips the balance more towards online. I drive and only live 8 miles from a major shopping centre which tips the balance back in favour of real shops though, even without trying I'd rather see before I buy. So I'm sticking with going to the shops but I can see that if you live far away, have to use public transport, take young DCs with you then online becomes more appealing.

It probably depends on your body shape too.

If you are a standard size and everything fits and looks good, you’re lucky.

But if like me you find clothes are big in one area, small in others, and standard lengths don’t fit, then it’s a pain

Wonder if more shops will move to the Next model - allowing customers credit, so you can order a ton of stuff for next day delivery and try it on at home, then return what you don't want, without having to fork out for 10 bras when you only want 1. Amazon prime wardrobe is similar too but without the credit - try on and you get charged for what you keep after a certain time. I hate shopping so I've been ahead of the curve and using these for ages

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.

This is quite the thing on Mumsnet these days - having to apologise for using the toilet. Sometimes people who don't have small children, disabilities, bowel issues, still need to use the toilet. Sometimes in a hurry, if they've had a long journey or been in the 45 minute primark queue. There's no need to apologise!

If you've been in a 45 minutes Primark queue, it's not whether you need to use a toilet that is a concern, it's that you have queued for such tat.

The current closure of changing rooms is a pain in the arse but trying clothes on in a public toilet and then returning them is pretty grim tbh.

weepingwillow22

Sadly I think this will be the end of many physical stores. What do they now offer that is an advantage over buying online?

or me the ability to pop out, see the clothes, try them on (I'm sure this will come back), go to different shops and be home with clothes I know will fit within a couple hours. No waiting, no repacking, no going to the post office, no waiting for a refund, no doing it all again

I'm with you on this ^^ @lifesalongsong
At least you can try shoes on in a shop. The popsock thing has been around for many years. Obviously it can't be policed in places like M and S, but shops that only sell shoes have always asked people not to try shoes on in bare feet.

I need to see and feel clothes, and hold them up against me if I can't try them on.

Things like shoes, bras and jeans have to be tried on IMO. I'm not a standard shape either, so what fits on the waist will be too small on the hips and thighs.

And how does neck size correlate with wasit size? My neck is 12.5 inches and my waist is 29 inches.

@soloula

Wonder if more shops will move to the Next model - allowing customers credit, so you can order a ton of stuff for next day delivery and try it on at home, then return what you don't want, without having to fork out for 10 bras when you only want 1. Amazon prime wardrobe is similar too but without the credit - try on and you get charged for what you keep after a certain time. I hate shopping so I've been ahead of the curve and using these for ages

I hate next's model. The only time I've used it to order online, they credit checked me and gave me an account I didn't want. I've not bothered with them since.

I want to go into a shop and browse for things I never knew I wanted or needed. Where I can feel the quality of the clothes.
Browsing online is tedious.