A Wren Says

Alright, here is some unsolicited advice. I highly recommend that you try things on when you go clothes shopping. Stores have fitting rooms for a reason. Yes, one is that you are more likely to make a purchase if you try it on (but that could just be correlation, not causation). The other is that you can tell the very same day whether the item will work for you and walk out with it then and there. It also means you don’t have a pile of clothes sitting in your home that you were meaning to return but never get around doing so.

Now, on to my real advice. These are some things I’ve noted as both a shopper and a retail employee. Perhaps you already know these things, but if not take these tops to enhance your experience. Perhaps, and the employees will appreciate you even more.

1. Shower/bathe ahead of time

Yep, we are starting here.  I have heard multiple people say that they don’t want to try anything on because they just came from the gym or are sweaty. This means they don’t get the opportunity to try the item on before purchasing. It also means they miss out on feedback from staff who have been trained to talk about the different pieces and make additional suggestions which would better suit their needs. If you are going clothes shopping, come clean. This is not just so that you don’t distribute your personal funk onto the clothing but so that you feel comfortable trying clothes on.

2. Rethink your makeup

This is the time to let your natural beauty shine. I know your foundation says that it is transfer proof, but those three white sweaters you just tried on say otherwise. Please be considerate of this when you are trying on tops, dresses, and hats. When you get makeup on the items, they either can’t be sold to anyone (including you) or have to be extensively and carefully cleaned. If you feel you must wear makeup, consider trying on a darker color for fit and simply holding the lighter color item against your skin to make sure it works with your tones. Yes, that does mean you won’t be able to see if the white shirt is see-through, but you can likely tell that by placing your hand in there or noticing if you can read the tags through the garment. Of course, if you are trying on bottoms or shoes, go shopping in full drag makeup if you like.

3. Leave items you don’t want with the employee or in the designated area

(Notice, I did not say, “Leave all of your items in the dressing room for the workers to clean out for you.”) I know you want to be helpful by putting things back yourself. If employees specifically say they will take the item or ask you to leave it in a certain place, please do so. It is very admirable of you to want to do so, but bear in mind that most stores have protocols on how they display their items. Leave it to the employees who have been trained to fold, hang, and put away items in a particular manner. In addition, I know that I have been guilty of not remembering where exactly I got the item from and putting in the wrong area. On the other side as a retail employee, I have had to sort through collections of white shirts which can look the same to guests but really need to go in completely different locations around the store. That takes away valuable time that could be spent attending to guests and their needs. Even though it doesn’t look like it, leaving your items actually makes it easier for me to do my job. Now, if employees are nowhere to be found or don’t care, feel free to put items back yourself.

4. Don’t tell the attendant you think you look [fat/ugly/negative adjective].

Personally as an attendant, I’m going to be heartbroken that you feel that way. Then, I’m going to disagree and start a pep talk. To get more out of your shopping trip, focus instead on what you would feel more comfortable in. Would you prefer a darker color? Would you rather have a looser fit? Would you feel more at ease in your bed at home, where no one can see you, eating ice cream and watching reruns of White Collar? I can make some recommendations for the first two for sure, and I will gladly offer suggestions for cozier items and ice cream flavors.

These are just a few tips for now. Let me know if you have any other tips that may help others.