Yesterday, I took advantage of the fact that both of my kids are now in school full time by leisurely perusing the new fall/winter fashion at the mall.
And believe it or not, I even tried on clothes that I didn’t really need or wasn’t really looking for. I tried them on JUST FOR FUN. It was great.
But as the dressing room attendant at H&M showed me to my stall, we passed a young woman leaving her dressing room who the attendant had apparently been helping earlier.
“Do you need me to get something?” the attendant asked.
“No, I’m done.” the young woman answered.
“Oh,” the attendant replied, “Where are the clothes?”
“I left them in there.” The young woman said.
“You just left them in there?”
“yeah…” the young woman said and picking up on the attendant’s displeasure, quickly scooted out of the dressing room.
As we passed by the woman’s dressing room, I took a peek in and saw rumpled clothes strewn across the chair and lying on the floor.
Ouch, I thought to myself…that was awkward. But it got me thinking, what IS proper dressing room etiquette?
Me…I rarely bring clothes I’ve tried on back out with me (unless I was given a number, in which case I think you HAVE to exchange the clothes for your freedom), but I always hang them back up or fold and stack them on the chair if they didn’t come on hangers. I certainly wouldn’t be an ass and leave them in a pile on the floor…that’s just not cool.
On the other hand, I definitely don’t feel like I need to put them back on the racks. I mean, isn’t that what salesclerks and dressing room attendants are for? Even librarians don’t want you to reshelve your books yourself.
Am I wrong? Should Cool Broads go so far as to put the clothes they try on back where they got them? Do they leave them in the dressing room in an orderly fashion? Or is that part of the service that stores and boutiques provide - salesclerks who’ll grab extra sizes for you if you need them and put the clothes that you decide against neatly back on the floor?
What do you think?
~tcb
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12 responses so far ↓
1 socalgirl // Sep 4, 2008 at 10:07 am
honestly, if the dressing room has an attendant I usually take the clothes back out to her. If not, I leave them in and depending on how big of a rush I’m in will determine whether I hang them up or not. I try not to leave them in a pile on the floor, tho.
My pet peeve is when stores fold and stack a bunch of things up but you have to dig thru to find your size. I feel bad about messing up the pile and try not to if I can help it but why display clothes like that? If they want people to try on clothes they should make it easy.
2 Monkeytoemomma // Sep 4, 2008 at 12:39 pm
As someone who worked clothing retail, I ALWAYS bring my stuff out neatly on hangers, folded as best I can manage without a folding board, then put it away myself. But. As someone who worked retail, I NEVER made the customer feel badly for leaving the stuff in the room. I just picked it up, hanging and folding and putting away the merchandise accordingly. Just like I do with my children at home.
3 Philly // Sep 4, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I always put them back. That has to be the worst job every, restocking all that crap.
#1
4 Stacy // Sep 5, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I always bring clothes back out with me, folded or hung on a hanger, buttoned, zipped, etc. I give them to the attendant.
WORDPRESS! I AM FILLING THE REQUIRED FIELDS!! LET ME COMMENT!
5 Carmina // Sep 6, 2008 at 9:34 pm
It’s rude to leave the clothes in a pile on the floor. I won’t take clothes back out to put back on each individual rack( by the time I’m done trying on clothes I don’t remember where I got them from) but you should at least hang back up and leave for the attendant. People who leave in a pile, i think must be spoiled brats.
6 Bea // Sep 7, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Oh I’m ashamed to admit this, but when I was 21, I was in Germany and in that exact predicament…I had tried on a TON of clothes, and I thought I could sneak out and leave them there, but the German sales girl HUNTED me down and dragged me back there, pointing at the pile and screaming in German. It was all the more awkward at that point, so I just kept telling her “I don’t speak German, sorry”. Oh what an ass I was at 21! I did felt horrible about it, and actually ever since then I make a point to either take my stuff back out to the rack (not where they all came from, but there is usually a rack for putting the unwanted items) or like you I put them back on the hanger neatly or fold them and leave them in the room…but NEVER a pile.
7 Stacy // Sep 10, 2008 at 11:32 am
This is what Dear Abby said today (I think she reads you)
DEAR ABBY: I have been reading your column since I was in high school. Many of the topics you discuss have been very helpful. Now I have a question and thought you could give me some advice.
When a lady tries on clothes in the dressing room, but does not wish to buy them, should she leave them in the dressing room or put them back on the rack? — MELANIE FROM OKLAHOMA
DEAR MELANIE: The garments should be left in the dressing room, replaced neatly on the hangers on which they were displayed. Sadly, sometimes customers leave the clothing in a messy pile on the floor, which means the salesperson must then hang them up so they can be displayed again. Such thoughtlessness is tacky.
8 Jenshi // Sep 14, 2008 at 1:25 am
Actually the only sales clerks that have ever asked me to bring back from fittings are the girls from H&M. Seriously, like you said, I won’t leave the clothes on the floor but if that’s what ur being paid for don’t give me attitude for not helping you do ur job. I was a in retail before and I certainly wouldn’t expect customers to bring me back the clothes, that’s a part of our service. That’s just as absurd as waitresses chasing customers for not giving enough tips.
9 krrobi | Houston // Sep 23, 2008 at 11:47 am
I always take the clothes back out from the dressing room! I would be completely embarrassed if I did not…and people that leave them all sprawed out on the floor are very naughty girls. I’ve worked in a clothing store, so I know! It is quite annoying, and why would they expect somebody else to pick them up anyhow??
10 Lizzybee // Sep 25, 2008 at 8:56 am
I used to work in retail when I was in college, so leaving clothes in a pile is a pet peeve of mine as well.
As I try things on, I put them back on hangers as I go. Then ALMOST ALL places, if they don’t have an attendant, they have a rack you can hang the rejects on.
11 Randi/Wernersville // Oct 3, 2008 at 8:39 pm
It depends on the store. Some fitting room attendants ask you to bring the clothes back to them, like The Gap, Old Navy, H&M and some stores dont’ mind if you to leave them in the fitting room. It would be rude to leave them there if they asked you to return them.
12 beanball // Oct 9, 2008 at 4:31 pm
I guess I’m in the minority here. I’d never leave the clothes in a ball on the floor, but I’m not getting paid to put merch. back on the floor in an orderly fashion, the salesclerks are.
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