Is It Me Or Are You Ready For Dressing Rooms To Reopen?

I walked into Kohl's this past weekend to get some pants. Adulting achievement unlocked. I have been there a couple of times since the pandemic and the reopening. They are nice, lovely, polite. They greet you at the door as soon as you walk in. And right after a "Howdy, welcome to Kohl's", it's followed up by the words...

Just a reminder, our fitting rooms are STILL CLOSED.

Uggggh!

This part I hate.

I have no problems at all with the mask mandate. None. Zip, zero, zilch.

But I like to shop. I like to buy clothes. I am currently adulting and buying real pants for the fall and winter and I will not be wearing jogging/athletic pants all year. Yeah, we've been home for a minute and quarantine and such. But I ain't staying in casual mode forever. And the idea of going out in public in pajamas and giving up on my appearance is no bueno.

I don't shop online because I can't try on the clothes. And I hate waiting to get said clothes and then sending them back because they didn't fit right. Shirts I guess I can deal with but not pants. I'm a brother with butt, hip, and thigh issues.

Don't you dare judge me.

Why is it we're still not opening the dressing rooms?

Even though it is a hassle to purchase items without trying on – you have gotten the wrong size or it's unflattering – some shoppers may be hesitant to try on clothes during the pandemic.

According to a First Insight consumer survey of more than 1,000 people, which was conducted in late April, 65% of women and 54% of men say they will not feel safe trying on clothes in dressing rooms. (USA Today)

Is it the surfaces in the dressing rooms? Because some stores are cleaning them in between uses. But not all are staffed for that. Sounds like a great place to create jobs don't ya think?

Are we worried about the clothes that have been tried on?

Items tried on and not purchased will be kept off the floor for at least 24 hours, depending on the retailer. (USA Today)

You're not washing them or sanitizing them are you? Just keeping them off the floor for 24 hours?

Look, when I go shopping and they won't let me use the dressing room, this is what I do. And I've done this at Costco. I will buy the clothes. Then go to your public restroom on the property, change (in a stall) and try on the clothes I just bought, and if they don't fit I return them right away. I have no time to buy, leave, go home, try them on, get depressed it doesn't fit for whatever reason, drive back and repeat. Or get my money back.

And trust me, it would just be better to let me try it on there. Because you don't know what's going on at my house or anyone else's. And if I'm trying them on in your store's public restroom...that floor? That stall?

Just saying.

And let's be honest, if we weren't afraid of using the dressing rooms pre-pandemic and we didn't catch anything.

Seriously. How many times have you walked in there and been faced with a pile of clothes that people have tried on and left there.

NOW we're afraid to use the fitting room.

Please open the fitting rooms.

And get out of the way Karen. I need to see if these jeans make my butt look too big. Or is it that mirror?

Stupid dressing room mirror.