I stopped by a Nordstrom Rack on my way home today to see if Nordstrom is really serious about clearing its racks.
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| Going on in Nordstrom Rack stores now through Sep 5, 2011 |
After a just a few minutes in the store, I was holding 7 dresses, so I decided to head to a fitting room. While in the dressing room, I found myself paying more attention to the conversation of two women friends in the rooms next to mine than I was to trying on the dresses I had selected. Picture me sitting and eavesdropping.
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You see, these two women were very upset. They both expressed a great deal of anger, frustration, and disappointment about their shopping experiences that day. One of the women was shopping for dresses and had already envisioned herself splurging on all of the dresses she tried on because deciding among them would’ve been too difficult. None of the dresses worked out, though, and this result irritated her.
This fitting room experience today reminded me about an article, Most Women Suffer Changing Room Rage, I read a few months ago. According to a recent study, 75% of women suffer changing room rage, a condition that could sometimes result in a woman storming out of a store and even losing self confidence.
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This changing room rage certainly defies the notion of “retail therapy.”
By the way, none of the seven dresses I tried on worked either. I was okay with that outcome because the sale prices weren’t sufficiently low. You can view the dresses I tried on in the In the Field With Economy of Style album on Facebook.
How do you feel about changing room rage?
OMG…changing room rage??? I've never heard of such term! OK you can defy this by buying dresses/formalwear in advance. I once did a post on this, and basically if I see a cockatil dress that fits me and it is reasonable price, I'll just buy it and hold on to it. When you are searching for the perfect dress for the occasion, normally my experience is you find nothing…hmmm maybe it is related to changing room rage? muhahahahah!
I am forever between two different worlds in the changing rooms: either everything fits and looks amazing and I want it all or nothing looks good, makes me look fat or there just isn't anything there that I really want. I don't think it qualifies as rage but I always just chalk up those "bad days" to just that, a bad day. I know the next time I go to the store I will love everything so I take everything in stride.
Hmmm changing room rage. I can admit that I have had changing room rage when every tried on slack and they did not fit right or when something looks great on the mannequin, but not on me. Recently, my changing room rage have been that all my sizes have been sold out since I went from a size 12 to a size 4 or 6. But I understand the frustration of those ladies because I went to Nordstrom Rack today and the prices were not what I expected. However, I did score a cute dress for $23.90. I will play the waiting game such as last year to see if I score great items at a steal. However, Filenes Basement is having a great sale.
"Changing room rage" – unknown to me until I read this post;-)
Something fits I tske it home or it fits not and I leave it behind. So simple;-)
@Bravoe Runway: Good point. I agree that planning in advance for certain purchases could mitigate some of the pressures associated with shopping.
@Barsola: I like your approach. if we are prepared for both outcomes then we won't be surprised. I think these women were caught off guard because they were so certain that everything would work, hence when the outcomes didn't match their expectations, disappointment and then anger creeped in.
@Losing and Eating Healthy: I need to hang with you because you always find these dress deals in the Rack. So, Filene's has a sale too huh. I wish I was near to one. By the way, I also understand the frustrations. I am at the point now where all my wardrobe basics are covered. So, I shop for extra special things that move me, hence there is rarely ever any pressure to buy. I used to struggle to fit pants and didn't enjoy shopping for them because I experienced more fails than successes. These experiences may have shaped my love of dresses now and my targeted shopping trips (i.e. I don't look at pants in stores).
@All: This study did go deeper than many of the articles that covered it. A critical source of frustration noted by many of the women surveyed was poor quality dressing rooms. You know, those fitting rooms with the curtains that hardly close, poor lighting, no place to rest your handbag or sit-down, and filthy mirrors. Also, in some cities, like NYC, you can wait 45 minutes for a fitting room on a busy day. I must admit that many of the above conditions have irritated me at one time.
Many stores are beginning to take note. Over the past year, TJX stores, The Limited stores, and others have been renovating their fitting rooms. They have improved lighting, and they provide little padded stools (usually red) as seating in each room.
@Fashion, art, and other fancies: Great outlook! With that approach, you wouldn't experience CRR.
@ Economy of Style, next time your are in NYC let me know. We shop at the same stores. I found your blog from Daffy's facebook page lol lol and I am hooked. That's how I found out about the Rack sale. Yesterday, I did score some pants from TJMaxx $21 ( Ann Klien) with enough stretch for my West Indian frame lol and some cute skirts also. I am more a skirt person, but when its cold outside I need those pants. In a pervious blog you commented about handbags and I agreed. However I broke and bought a handbag. Its a Maurizio Taiuti calf hair leopard print bag (small). I have accumulated many designer handbags from my fav stores so I am just adding those prints and textures I do not have and similar with my wardrobe. Love the blog. As a fellow academic I love style and fashion. When I look fierce I can teach just as fierce. However, some or many of my of colleagues do not partake in fashion.
Every so often I have this. I'll have an armful of garments and none look right or fit correctly. Then I'm just ready to leave at that point.
I have to say I am susceptible to this rage! hahah
Shasie of Live Life in Style