Our Old Navy isn’t too bad…but it has been a while since I’ve been in one. D says it’s pretty organized except in the sale section
I have been enjoying how much easier it is to find things at online stores (at least the ones with well organized websites). Alas, it is always a gamble on sizing … so I miss going into real stores, even the messy ones.
In the last few years pre-covid, I visited thrift stores a lot (mostly for running clothes). I was more tolerant of messes though, though the nearby ARC store I like is fairly well organized… it’s a Treasure Hunt, with me not really in need of a specific item/size.
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I am CDO (like OCD, but in alphabetical order, as it should be). 
I can’t stand mess ANYwhere. I can’t do Costco because of all those clothes piled on tables in the front of the store. Just can’t go there.
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I love the CDO!
I think some stores need Marie Kondo, especially Macy’s!
Never been in Jordan Marsh. I have heard of it though and I remember seeing it when I was New England.
I remember going to Sears right when it when out of business and it was very eerie! Piles of stuff everywhere and all the racks looked picked over…
One store that I love and think is very organized is DSW shoes. That place is perfect! Nothing on the floor or out of place! They must pay their employees well…I’d love to know their secret! On the other hand our local Payless shoes was horrible. My god, more shoes on the floor then on the shelves…but we liked it because it was cheap!
Stein Mart was organized, but very cramped. The clothing racks were so close together, so it could be a real tight squeeze if the store was crowded. All the racks and tables and shelves were crammed with stuff. I never found much I liked at Stein Mart, nothing they sold was really my style, but I did find a couple of sweaters and some shoes at their going out of business sale.
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I am OCD about dressing rooms in stores. I don’t understand how customers can throw items on the floor after they tried them on. How hard is it to return to the rack usually near the dressing room entrance? Is that how their home/room looks? My DDs like me to shop with them, but they know I will check every room and clear out merchandise. Customers at Kohls and Macys can be some of the worst.
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I’m not at all OCD, but find it hard to shop in stores that are messy or where the racks are full and unorganized. i am not a big Marshalls shopper for that reason. The Macys near me are all reasonably well organized and clean, except for the Last Chance or whatever they call it racks. In some of the stores the dressing rooms really need to be improved. Not sure if it is overuse or neglect.
Since Covid I haven’t really shopped in person at all. I’m pretty sure I haven’t been in a dressing room. I know that the dressing rooms at my local TJ Maxx is closed.
The only time I’m in an actual store is to return items that I ordered on line. In and out quickly. I don’t know if I’ll go back to shopping in stores after this is over. So easy to order and try on at home
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I’m confused. What is this thing you’re all talking about? Stores where one goes to buy clothes? I think I have memories of such places…
We’re among those who haven’t really bought clothes since Covid - and rarely before then too. I have clothes from 20 years ago that I still wear, and probably some that are older that I inherited from my mom. I have three bags FIL just gave me too - from MIL. I might wear some of them eventually. Time will tell. Right now I don’t need them.
Since Covid I had to buy some socks and underwear for everyone - ordered them online from Kohls or Walmart buying the exact same thing they were replacing (well, had to choose different socks). Then I’ve ordered jeans for the 4 of us - again - replacing exactly what wore out and ordered online from Kohls.
H will be getting new sneakers soon - ordered online from Super Shoes buying the exact same pair, except new, if they still have it.
H and I always bought something new for our Anniversary - a summer outfit usually shorts and a shirt of some sort. This year we didn’t go out to buy anything, but we had donated blood and received a free t-shirt each, so that’s what we wore in our picture kayaking.
Everything else remains the same. If it doesn’t wear out, we don’t replace it. Stains and small holes are ok around the house and farm. The animals and people here don’t mind. We haven’t gone out enough to need new “go out” clothes.
Messy stores? Don’t recall seeing any TBH. Some displays might have had unfolded shirts, but nothing like y’all are reporting. I’m gathering I don’t shop enough to have that experience. The worst store I was in - briefly - was a Dollar Tree in VA. It was so messy (shelves in disarray, floors with stuff on them) that I left quickly and have never entered another one so I guess if I saw it in other stores it would turn me off.
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I wondered if dressing rooms are open - are they in department stores like Macy’s etc.???
In CT, dressing rooms are not open at most retail places.
I will say, in terms of neat dressing rooms, they were much better when there was an attendant who handed out a number for the items you were taking into the rooms, and you were expected to come out with the same number if items!
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In VA dressing rooms are open. Upset DD who manages a store that they don’t really have staff to manage it.
We have been mostly avoiding stores during Covid, but we did go into REI when my husband wanted hiking poles. I took the opportunity to try on some running tights (finding the right style.size via mailorder/return was getting tedious). The nearby fitting room was closed, but they redirected me to another that I assume was having close monitoring and cleaning.
This summer I did visit a local ladies clothing store, owned by wife of an old coworker. She has switched her business model to appointment-only (1 customer at at time). She’s masked and disinfects a lot and keeps clothing aside after try-on instead of returning to racks. I bought 2 dresses and a jacket that I didn’t really need, but they were on a good sale (she does not get many sized small shoppers). It helped fuel dreams of our eventual travel while also supporting a business that I hope is able to survive pandemic.
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I wish I had clothes from 20 years ago, but only if that meant they’d still fit. Oh well.
My clothes shopping has been from Amazon, Old Navy, Kohls, Target and Walmart, all online for years so 2020 was no different except that I made fewer purchases. Even my MoB clothes were bought online several years ago thanks to Nordstrom (big splurge.) Decades ago, I spent a fair amount on good quality skirted suits for work and a small fortune on pantyhose (that gives you some idea of how ancient I am.) Now I’m content with much cheaper but more comfortable clothing.
Shoes are almost always from Amazon due to the easy returns and odd pricing on certain size/color combinations. I learned last year that I could save quite a bit by ordering “big kid” size sneakers. At home I don’t really care about the color so if the aqua or pink ones are 1/3 the price of other colors then I’ll be happy with the lower price.
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I haven’t been in a store since last March and won’t go to one until I’m fully vaccinated. Ironic because son who lives with us works full time at Target, which, he tells us, is way understaffed. I was looking forward to trying on jeans when vaccinated but now you’re telling me the dressing rooms are closed.
I’ve not been in a store since March either. Had NO idea dressing rooms were closed. Is this pretty much true across states and stores? (I’m in Florida.)
Dressing rooms in my area of PA are hit or miss. Stores like LOFT and Old Navy have them open, but Kohls and Target are closed.
I am pretty cautious but I have been to those stores . . they are usually not that crowded and with everyone masked, I think the risk is very minimal. My parents needed new clothing (elastic waist pants and easy to put on tops, now that they are getting more frail) and I splurged on a few more cozy tops since I am WFH for the foreseeable future.
Pre COVID, when I would get out periodically, I hated how unkempt Macys had become and in fact I don’t really shop there. Our local Lord and Taylor was still pretty nice, as is the Nordstrom, but i haven’t been in the mall for over a year.
Kohls and Old Navy can be messy, especially if you go on a weekend, but i figure they are a more discounted price point so you get what you pay for.
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Where my D lives some stores have open fitting rooms but they are limiting the number of people who can be in them…and they only have every other cubicle open.
In my area most of them are closed or they’re really limiting who can go in…
@surfcity Yes, the Macy’s closest to me is quite messy and they don’t have enough employees either. Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales are all perfectly neat and clean, but considering the prices at these places, I think you’d expect a certain level of neatness. My co workers daughter has worked at both Nordstrom and Bloomingdales and they pay pretty well. But I haven’t been to the mall or department stores in a while…
I had to go to Kohl’s today to return an Amazon package. Thought I’d take advantage and shop as I need new jeans. I picked out several pairs in different sizes only to find out that there are no try on rooms. It’s a store policy, not state requirement because I was a Nordstrom Rack on Saturday and I could try things on. So I left.
I know Macy’s and other mall stores allow you to try on things, and honestly their prices are lower (for the sales). Or I can go to the thrift store and guess at what size I wear for $5/pr.
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Some stores have had their dressing rooms closed for months (Kohl’s, Target, Belk) while some of the smaller stores like American Eagle and Maurice’s have them open.
At the larger stores it’s probably harder to monitor how many people who are in the fitting rooms…so that’s probably why they’re closed. Whereas at smaller stores its much easier to keep on top of that.