Can anyone explain to me why two major department stores will allow me to accompany my husband into the fitting rooms in their men's departments, but will not allow him into the fitting rooms with me in the women's departments? It seems that any of their concerns, whether it be shoplifting or illicit activity, would be just as easily accomplished in the men's department as the women's.
Elie and I went down to the mall today to pick up a couple new brassieres (it's okay, the girly things are incidental). We went to two stores--to protect their identities, I'll refer to them as Dillard's and J.C. Penney's--in search of the perfect garment. At Penney's, the sales associate was nowhere in sight when we walked into the fitting room together with the first round of picks, but she said nothing when we walked out. We picked out a few more and tried to go back to the fitting room. This time, the sales associate politely but firmly informed my husband "you're not allowed back there." In all my shopping at Penney's, no sales associate has said I could not accompany him into the men's fitting room when we are shopping for him. In fact, when I was a sales associate for Penney's a few years ago, the men's suit associate actually encouraged me to go into the fitting room with him when we were purchasing men's suits.
The sales associate was polite about it, but we were so disgusted with the double standard that we put the four garments back and left for Dillards. It's a shame, too. The ones we had picked out were quite comfortable.
At Dillards, we found a few more articles and again headed for the fitting room. Again, one of the sales associates firmly told my husband that he was not allowed in the fitting room with me. If I hadn't needed a brassiere before tomorrow, we would have just left. As it was, we purchased what I had in my hand, fully intending to make the store go through the trouble of taking a return on any that did not strike my fancy.
On the way out of Dillard's, we found a sale on men's slacks. Elie decided to try a pair on, since he needs new slacks anyway. The sales associate in the men's department had no problem with me accompanying him into the fitting room in the men's department.
The double standard has so disgusted me that I fully intend to spend a little more to shop at another, smaller, store that allows men into the fitting rooms with their wives.
If anyone has any insights as to why this double standard exists, please email the address at the right.
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