Dreading the Dressing Room? Try These Tips for Feeling Your Best!

We’ve all been there: You find a stack of cute clothes on the rack, sling them over your arm, and head to the dressing room. You’re excited to try them on! Until...

You pull the curtain, wiggle into the piece you’re most excited about, aaand… you hate it! What?! You loved it until you got to the dressing room. What happened?

The Dressing Room Dread

Here’s what happened: Fluorescent lights. The reality is dressing rooms don’t do anyone any favors. Close quarters… Unforgiving lighting… They accentuate every crease and shadow, every imperfection, and every bad angle.

Even when clothing stores work hard to create better lighting or more space, dressing rooms won’t ever accurately represent how you look in natural light. 

What’s meant to be a spotlight for the clothing ends up being: “I wish I wasn’t bloated after that big lunch” or “I should have worn more makeup.” But your body is not the problem! And you’re not the only one who has these thoughts in dressing rooms. 

Here’s a few easy tips for making trips to the dressing room a little more pleasant…

It Starts with Mindset

Reinforce the way you think about yourself before you step into that dressing room. Know that you are not defined by your size or shape or any other aspect of your appearance.

Go into your try-on session knowing that the dressing room is not always friendly. This pre-shopping reminder can spare you a lot of negative feelings (and an unsuccessful shopping experience). Try this mantra during your next try-on: 

Clothes are meant to fit me, I am not meant to fit the clothes.

Take a Little Extra In

Another shopping hiccup that most people have experienced is that different brands fit differently, even if the tags have the same number. If you’re unfamiliar with how certain brands fit your body, try taking in a size above and below your usual size so you have options without having to get re-dressed to go snag a different size. 

Say the Right Things

Positive self-talk is powerful and can rewire your brain to think less negatively about yourself. Try eliminating the word “too” from your vocabulary while in the dressing room. You’re not “too” curvy or thin or square or short or tall or pale or dark or whatever else your mind comes up with to vocalize dissatisfaction with an item of clothing. 

Instead, replace that language with one of these (or something similar):

“I don’t think this particular blouse is flattering on me and that’s okay.”

“That other style accentuates my waistline more than this one does. I’ll buy that one instead.” 

“This color doesn’t go as well with my skin tone as other colors. I’m going to look around more.”

Noticing your negative thoughts and restructuring them to treat yourself kindly will make shopping trips so much more fun!

Ask a Friend

Shopping is always more fun with a friend! Plus, having another person’s perspective about how something looks on you is a great way to beat the dressing room blues. When in doubt, let your friend have an opinion. Bonus points if you tag us in your shopping spree pics!

Go with the ‘Fit That Fits

So we’ve established that dressing rooms aren’t always our favorite place to look in the mirror. But focus on the clothes you’re trying on. Do they feel good? Are they comfortable? Can you imagine wearing it in your daily life? 

Don’t buy clothes that you “hope to wear eventually.” Don’t pass on something because you feel like you’ll “deserve to buy this when…” 

Choose styles and sizes that make you feel good and fit the body you have right now. If you have to squeeze into something, or if something is too loose and you’re hoping it’ll shrink in the wash, chances are you won’t wear it. You have to love it in the store or you won’t love it later! 

Shopping is supposed to be fun! Don’t let dressing rooms get you down. Try these tips and let us know what you think! What do you do to feel fearless under fluorescent lights? Head over to our social media to get connected and share your tips!

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