Opinion: Treasure Valley Clothing Stores Should Open Dressing Rooms

There are so many crap things about pandemic life and over a year later things are still not back to normal. I've gotten so used to masks that I'm hardly bothered except for the occasional rub off of lipstick. The inconvenience that makes no sense at this point is fitting rooms being closed at clothing stores. I just want to see if the clothes with fit before I go home and am disappointed in my bathroom mirror, forcing me to return them.

As of right now I only know one store in the Treasure Valley whose fitting rooms are open and that’s AEO & Aerie inside The Village At Meridian. That hasn't been my style since I pretended it suit me back in high school. But I might switch up my whole wardrobe based solely on the ability to try on the clothes.

I completely understand being Covid safe. I'm just confused as to why we can touch all of the clothes in the store and return clothes that’s been in our homes, but putting it on in the store is where the line is drawn. It all seems on the same level of safe (or unsafe, depending on how you view it). I’m perfectly willing to wear a mask while I try on the clothes; sanitize my hands before entering the fitting room; choose a room that’s far away from someone else’s. Just let me try it on!

Of course I will never go Karen on any retail worker, demanding I be allowed in a dressing room. That’s not my style. But it’s a frustration I can’t be alone in having.  I was told Kohl's and Old Navy opened theirs, but an in person visit to Kohl's on Ustick and Old Navy on Fairview proved unsuccessful. Please, if there are any stores that are allowing customers to try on clothes, let me know. I’m over here struggling every week buying a shirt only to return it the following week.