To wonder how clothing retail is ever going to recover....

[Loveden]

.... while the changing rooms are all closed?

So today I visited a large shopping mall with my teenage DD. While it wasn't the main purpose of the trip, neither of us have had any new clothes since lockdown so we also looked in a lot of the fashion stores, and saw loads of things we quite liked - BUT all the changing rooms were closed so we couldn't try anything on.
Given that the shopping mall is around an hour from home and we're unlikely to be back any time soon, returning any unwanted items would be a round trip of c.80miles - so despite money in our pockets to be spent, we didn't buy a thing.
(The only alternative would have been to buy the items, try them in on the mall's public toilets and then return them there and then if they were no good. But that wouldn't be very hygienic either!)

AIBU to think the policy of closed changing rooms is going to do more harm than good?

[PS Can anyone actually explain why they're still closed? If I wear a mask and gel my hands when I enter the store, what is going to happen if I try something on, that won't happen if it pick it off the rails, finger the fabric and hold it up against me? Is another just another one of these Covid "rules" which make no sense in the real world?]

@GladAllOver

Too many people buy too many clothes, often to be worn only once or twice. It's a disgraceful waste and environmental harm. I'm getting out clothes that I wore last autumn and previous years. If they are in good condition and still fit I refuse to go out and buy more.

Probably some people do buy too many clothes. I rarely buy clothes and pre covid would buy second hand from facebook, or go to charity shops, as well as the occassional new thing. I haven't changed size in about 10 years so many of my clothes are several years old. However I have 2 children who have the unfortunate habit of growing and they do need clothes, including bras for the teenager. Also even if you don't buy too many clothes, eventually things will wear out or you will need an item of clothing you don't own. Its not like we can all collectively decide that we will never buy any clothes again! btw I bought 2 tshirts and some socks in primark yesterday, to replace stuff that has worn out!

@ShesMadeATwatOfMePam

It'll do the planet a lot of good if it doesn't revive. The fashion industry is the second biggest polluter after the oil industry.

This.

I'm getting out clothes that I wore last autumn and previous years
Yeah well my taste changes so I shop and buy stuff I like. I spent enough of my life just wearing what fits, or sorta fits but hating the style or colour. Now I buy what I like, that's my biggest consideration in clothing, price is next

Best tip for shopping online, measure yourself, tape measure style. Then only shop with sites who provide that. Since I started doing that I've had very very few issues. Annoying and tedious but less so than returning shit

Clothing retail is dead. It’s never going back to how it was. Not sure what the shop workers will do.

Best tip for shopping online, measure yourself, tape measure style. Then only shop with sites who provide that. Since I started doing that I've had very very few issues. Annoying and tedious but less so than returning shit

Uniqlo are good for this.

Or measure the clothes that already fit well, and take a tape measure shopping with you, or said garment and use either as a measure against something you are looking at.

My problem will be jeans. I find I havve to try on several pairs before I find a pair that fits and feels comfortable.

@MrsFezziwig

Because their Risk Assessment for staff will include encouraging customers to pay by contactless methods and accept an emailed receipt, to limit exposure for staff in the event of returns

I’m lol-ing at the thought of me taking a paper receipt home and managing to load it up with enough coronavirus to infect a member of staff if I bring it back for a return.

You’re talking absolutely nonsense. Emailed receipts came in well before lockdown and are used so the shop has your details for marketing purposes and spam.

Yes I know emailed receipts have been around for years, and how they are used by stores.

I also know that their use has been ramped up during the pandemic to keep physical contact between staff and customers to a minimum.

@GladAllOver

Too many people buy too many clothes, often to be worn only once or twice. It's a disgraceful waste and environmental harm. I'm getting out clothes that I wore last autumn and previous years. If they are in good condition and still fit I refuse to go out and buy more.

ok.. good for you?

We are not in North Korea, no one can tell me what constitutes "too many clothes" so I shop as I please and frankly that's none of your business.

If no-one was buying new clothes, there wouldn't be any second hand stock available anyway

@mayandjuniper has it right. Anything to help fast fashion, made by modern day slaves out of plastic, falling apart within weeks and being dumped to degrade centuries later is a good thing. Yes it will have economic consequences-but it’s no use having money to spend in a poisoned world unable to sustain life.

I’ve found smaller indie clothes shops DO let you try on. No idea if they then quarantine the clothes.

It’s not very consistent is it? The larger ones prob can quarantine clothes - they could easily say ‘only 2 items’ and it would help cut down too much random trying on

High street clothing retailing in the Uk is a shame, almost a national disgrace. People like Philip Green and Mike Ashley being in business is something we should be ashamed of.

As mentioned earlier, fast fashion is one of the biggest causes of climate change and pollution.

I just wish the cheap and nasty ones were those we lose.

I just wish the cheap and nasty ones were those we lose.
do you?

With a recession coming to bite us all in the ass, is it likely that the "cheap and nasty" ones will disappear when they are all people can afford?

Or do you suggest people keep their kids in the same clothes for years on end, even when they end up 5 sizes too small?

So if just touching something makes it deadly why are people who wash their shopping or quarantine their post being ridiculed?

If I pick something up while shopping for food and put it down and somebody else comes along and picks it up after me within the 72 hours which is apparently how long something stays infectious for isn't that just as dangerous?

Either handling stuff is dangerous or it isn't.

Have other countries closed their changing rooms too does anyone know?

Personally I can't see any point in shops being open if you can't try things on and can't touch things.

I'm usually excited to buy some new autumn gear but not this year, I think I will make do with what I already have.

I buy nearly all my clothes from ebay now. Saving clothes from landfill and wearing them longer than you planned to both make quite an environmental impact. And it's cheaper of course.

I've now moved entirely online for buying clothes. I was mostly online purchasing before lockdown, but shielding put paid to high street shopping. Mind you, now that we're mostly online, I only need to worry about the top half!

I suspect I'm not alone.

Bravissimo has changing rooms open and is doing fittings. If they can choose to do it, why can’t other places? Part of the ‘can’t do’ attitude which is so prevalent now.

I don’t like online shopping as I don’t like The hassle of returning things. However, now I have to buy multiple sizes and return things which don’t fit (with the added discomfort of wearing a bloody mask) in high street stores anyway, I might as well shop online.

Finger crossed we move on from the stupid "sizes" system we currently have to actual measurements. It'll make the lack of changing rooms a lot easier to deal with.

I work in retail. The fitting rooms being closed are a PITA. Customers are shouting at me that it doesn't encourage them to buy. Like it's my rules, my fault.
Customers are coming up to me all the time, far too close, with their masks pulled down under the nose. Happens all day long.

Retail is shite right now.

@CarlaH

So if just touching something makes it deadly why are people who wash their shopping or quarantine their post being ridiculed?

If I pick something up while shopping for food and put it down and somebody else comes along and picks it up after me within the 72 hours which is apparently how long something stays infectious for isn't that just as dangerous?

Either handling stuff is dangerous or it isn't.

It's about managing the risk and minimising the points of infection.

You are unlikely to become infected from delivered shopping that has been touched by one or two people, now that the number of infections in society have fallen.

But a shop assistant handling many different items, from many different people and households, could consider themselves at an unacceptable level of risk.

Stores, protecting their staff and not wanting to be seen as contributing unnecessarily to any localised rise in cases, are putting steps in place.

Regarding the fitting rooms - they would need to be cleaned between each customer and many staff remain furloughed.

@modgepodge

Bravissimo has changing rooms open and is doing fittings. If they can choose to do it, why can’t other places? Part of the ‘can’t do’ attitude which is so prevalent now.

I don’t like online shopping as I don’t like The hassle of returning things. However, now I have to buy multiple sizes and return things which don’t fit (with the added discomfort of wearing a bloody mask) in high street stores anyway, I might as well shop online.

Bravissimo have fewer fitting rooms open, fewer people allowed in the waiting area, cleaning between each customer, face masks at all times, contactless bra fitting and are quarantining anything tried on but not purchased.

I guess they have fewer customers than, say, primary or new look, which might account for how they can do this.

I only buy online usually from Seasalt which is free returns through the post office but their stuff usually fits me anyway, Next Directory which I pay £20 a year for unlimited deliveries, M&S, I just return anything when I go food shopping there and JL which I use Waitrose for returns also. All easier than going in the shops

Full disclosure: clinical NHS with a child who was shielding.

I think the risk of transmission from staff and customers touching clothing is low. It comes down to handwashing and not touching your face. I can understand why a lack of staff to clean changing rooms etc is an issue although wiping hard surfaces in a changing cubicle doesn't take long. As someone pointed out it's a vicious cycle in terms of low sales if you can't try on.

I'm a bit surprised by how many retail staff aren't wearing masks (prevent them transmitting) and visors (protect them.) Personally I think all customers should be wearing masks. There aren't many people who are physically fit to walk around a shop who would be unable to breathe in one. I've been surprised by the reasons given to me when patients aren't wearing them.

@katemonster , I tried frames in a Vision Express shop last week and was encouraged to take my mask off so I could see myself properly.

I do not buy clothes online, unless it's something like sportswear with good flexibility of fit. I'm short and an awkward shape. I have to try clothes on to check things like being able to move my arms because they don't match my chest size, and making sure that once trousers have cleared my thighs and backside, they don't keep going and have a spare 4 inches of waist gaping at the back to expose my pants to the world. I am not wasting money on buying stuff with a poor chance of fitting then pissing about at returning it.

I'm currently a dead loss to the High St. Masks have brought me beyond my coping threshold in the supermarket, so I'm not volunteering to wear them for anything non-essential or prolonged, particularly as most clothes shops in town are in a large, indoor centre so there is no respite between shops. I can not try clothes on. I have no need for clothes as there are no occasions and I'm not going anywhere sociable. If there is no need, no joy in browsing anf no chance to check fit, I keep my money.

I want the High Street to survive, but I'm not prepared to attempt to tolerate the current conditions.

I braved Cardiff today. Apple store was the only place I went that was taking temperatures and insisting on masks. Think Disney shop was also asking for masks but only saw that in passing. No one else appeared to care, except for reminders to use specific doors for entering/leaving shops. No social distancing in shopping centre at all - place was heaving by mid morning. No changing rooms open but tbh that feels a bit like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. Lots of shop assistants not wearing masks as well as shoppers.
It was nice to see the shops busy but it felt like lots of individual businesses or people doing scrappy little things to make ourselves feel better, with no true consistency of approach or meaningful action. I like that in England, people have to wear masks - everyone knows where they stand. Wales feels all over the place now.