As much as I want to like online shopping, I'm just not a big fan. I like the atmosphere of stores, I like sharing the experience with friends, and most of all, I like trying clothes on before I buy them.
When stores in my hometown started reopening, I was so excited. I naively expected shopping to be the same as it was before the virus. WRONG. Very few stores have dressing rooms accessible and I was unprepared for this new kind of shopping.
Here are a few tips for shopping in person without being able to try clothes on.
1. Try on your own clothes at home
Figure out what pieces you feel the most comfortable in and try them on again (just to make sure they still fit correctly). Check the sizes and write them down. When you're in the store, you'll have a list of sizes in various brands you already know will work on you.
2. Know what you're looking for
You can wing it if you want, but it's much harder when you can't try anything on. I suggest thinking through ahead of time what you actually want. See if you have any pieces that don't go with the rest of your clothes. Figure out what season you have the most clothes for. Scroll through your Pinterest boards and see what style you've been pinning lately. Buying what you need/actually want means you'll be more likely to like it once you try it on at home.
3. Check the store's website
If you follow a store's Instagram, you might start seeing posts about reopening. Check their website before you go, though. Many stores have lists of which locations are and are not open. Even if your state is loosening restrictions, some stores still might not open with everything else.
The store's website should also have instructions/safety measures explained. For example, aerie stores are starting to reopen, but there are new rules and limits on how to shop and everyone is required to wear a mask (they will provide one if you forget yours).
4. Make sure everything is returnable
Triple check this. Twice now, I've bought something in what should have been the right size and brand and somehow it still wasn't right when I got home. Always make sure you have a way out of a purchase.
5. Bring a friend
Not only is shopping with someone else more fun, it also provides a different opinion. Your buddy might notice something you don't or talk you out of a bad impulse buy. Bring someone that hypes you up but is also brutally honest when need be.
6. Don't get your hopes up too much
This is hard for me. I'll spend forever deciding what to get, finally fall in love with it, then break my own heart when it doesn't end up looking how I want. Realize that you might have to return everything you buy.
I hope these tips will help you feel comfortable shopping in stores again. Who knows when or if things will fully get back to normal, but for now, it's important to safely adapt and try our best to make wise decisions. (And don't forget to keep supporting local businesses!)
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