Since when are the opposite sex allowed in non co-ed fitting rooms?

[Mouse House Mama]

At the JC Penney's that we shop at most of the time there are no signs that say if it is a women's, men's, or children's dressing room. Yes the dressing rooms are all in those departments but they don't have any signs saying, "Women only! Men and children keep out!". My DH and my children wait outside of the dressing room entrance. Apparently for at least one person on this thread the fact that they even wait by the entrance is wrong. We shop together as a family most of the time, because it makes the most sense for us. Maybe some of you haven't noticed but gas is expensive. So when the kids need new clothes for spring or fall DH and I usually get anything we might need or want at the time. My DH and I like to shop together. In general we like doing most things together. DH will tell me truthfully if something looks good or not. He has never gone into the dressing room area but I have seen other men in the dressing room common area outside of the stalls and have never given it much thought. DH doesn't go in because he doesn't want to see too much of the other women. So all of you ladies worried about some strange man ogling you can breath easier. They REALLY don't want to see you!

I have however sat in the "men's" dressing room. In the suit area they have a large dressing room with several chairs that you can see from the entrance. When my kids were much smaller I was waiting outside of the dressing room for DH to come out. An older gentleman who worked in the dept. told me that their were chairs in the dressing room that I could sit in. I told him that I didn't feel right about doing that because it was the men's dressing room. He told me that it was the suit dept. dressing room not the men's and that anyone could use it. He also said that women sit in there all the time because many men want their wife's opinion on how the suit should look. The store put the chairs there because finding the right suit could take a lot of time and they wanted WOMEN to be more comfortable.

We shop together as a family too. I like my dh's opinion on stuff but just like your dh he waits outside the dressing rooms and I come out to show him.

 

[HoneyBee06]

There will always be things in life you don't agree with. There will always be things that make you uncomfortable. You just have to learn how to deal with it. Not everyone can be happy about everything ALL the time. I think it's a waste of time and energy to get worked up about every little thing that doesn't work the way YOU want it to work.

There will always be people that do things differently than you whether you like it or not. You can gripe to store managers all you want but that doesn't mean things will change. If they don't...then find somewhere else to shop. Even if there are signs posted that it's women only, that doesn't mean people will obey. They will always be people that think rules don't apply to them. Not just with fitting rooms, but with everything. It's probably better to just not get bothered by it. Quietly go elsewhere and be on your way. There's a very small chance that those types of people will ever change their ways.

 

[HoneyBee06]

That's fine for you, but not everyone feels like that.

Exactly. I was pointing out that not everyone feels the way you posted.

 

[Aisling]

[/B]

Well then I guess I am uptight that I don't want strange men in a room designated for Ladies where you have to get undressed. Whatever!

Include me in your list!

 

[HoneyBee06]

I wasn't saying a 7 year old boy shouldn't be in the dressing room with his Mom (no problem with that) I was referring to the bazillion threads on here that complain about young boys in a Ladies bathroom. People get all bent out of shape with that and you do not come out of your stall halfway through or asking for help there like you would in a dressing room. FTR- I don't have any problem with another sex using the stall next to me in a bathroom since when I am done with my business I will exit the stall and not before. However, in a dressing room often times a young girl or woman will step out and ask for help zipping etc. I just don't think a grown man belongs there.

ohhh...I have never seen threads about 7 year olds in the bathroom so I didn't get the reference. Thanks for explaining.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

There will always be things in life you don't agree with. There will always be things that make you uncomfortable. You just have to learn how to deal with it. Not everyone can be happy about everything ALL the time. I think it's a waste of time and energy to get worked up about every little thing that doesn't work the way YOU want it to work.

There will always be people that do things differently than you whether you like it or not. You can gripe to store managers all you want but that doesn't mean things will change. If they don't...then find somewhere else to shop. Even if there are signs posted that it's women only, that doesn't mean people will obey. They will always be people that think rules don't apply to them. Not just with fitting rooms, but with everything. It's probably better to just not get bothered by it. Quietly go elsewhere and be on your way. There's a very small chance that those types of people will ever change their ways.

You are 100% correct. I don't get worked up over it but truly it annoys me that people cannot follow rules (and that applies for everything). I think it is disgusting that so many people ( in general) think that they do not apply to them and that the world revolves around them.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Include me in your list!

Let's start a club!

 

[HoneyBee06]

You are 100% correct. I don't get worked up over it but truly it annoys me that people cannot follow rules (and that applies for everything). I think it is disgusting that so many people ( in general) think that they do not apply to them and that the world revolves around them.

My mother-in-law went in a "cast members only" door at Disneyland because she wanted to find a sink to wash her hands in. I kept telling her there was a bathroom nearby.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

My mother-in-law went in a "cast members only" only door at Disneyland because she wanted to find a sink to wash her hands in. I kept telling her there was a bathroom nearby.

 

[Castlebound]

You are 100% correct. I don't get worked up over it but truly it annoys me that people cannot follow rules (and that applies for everything). I think it is disgusting that so many people ( in general) think that they do not apply to them and that the world revolves around them.

But where are these rules? I have never seen it posted at the entrance to any dressing room. If the people who are breaking your rules shop mostly at store that allow the opposite sex in the dressing rooms or have co-ed dressing rooms they may not even know they are breaking any rules. As I said in my post the gentleman working in the suit dept. told me that I could sit in the dressing room area and that the store expected it. So then we come down to is it just your rule or the store rule? I have read on this thread that it should be common sense that the dressing rooms are for only one sex. It is not common sense for it to be only for one sex if one sex dressing rooms are not common for most people. Thus the need for the store to state who is allowed in the dressing room. More and more dressing rooms are going co-ed so your problem of being uncomfortable is only going to get worse.

 

[suzannen]

You are 100% correct. I don't get worked up over it but truly it annoys me that people cannot follow rules (and that applies for everything). I think it is disgusting that so many people ( in general) think that they do not apply to them and that the world revolves around them.

That's all well and good, but, I'm sorry, there are no set rules for dressings rooms unless it says "Women Only." My DH is another who will be waiting by the door to give his opinion when I shop. He has better and discerning taste than any woman I know and we do shop together constantly. The upper end stores are usually great because they do have sofas and chairs right outside the rooms for the husbands and partners to sit down. I instantly know if something is ill-fitting or revealing and simply will not walk outside in that one. If a man was in the room next to me, I wouldn't think twice. He's not there to stare at me. My teen DD feels the same way.

The only time I ever saw my DH get interested in a fellow shopper was last summer when a gorgeous, lithe and tanned model type stepped out of the dressing room and into the store wearing ONLY a red thong to try and find another size. Everyone in the store was mouths agape and then all started laughing with her as she waved and apologized "scusa" in Italian and ran back to the room with the item she wanted. My teen DD said "wow, now that's confidence!" I do think a lot of this has to do with American women having such body insecurity issues - too bad, really.

 

[sha_lyn]

Why do you need to leave the stall anyway? There are mirrors in there, so unless you are showing something to someone, it doesnt really matter.

There is usually only one narrow long mirror in the stalls. the corodor/hallyway/coomon area (what ever they call it) of the fitting room area often has floor to ceiling 3 way mirrors.

Oh and add me to uptight club, if I;'m considered up tight for not wanting strange men around when I am dressing and undressing.

 

[sha_lyn]

That's all well and good, but, I'm sorry, there are no set rules for dressings rooms unless it says "Women Only.

Women's dressing room implies women only, just like women's restroom implies women only.

 

[suzannen]

Women's dressing room implies women only, just like women's restroom implies women only.

But most stores just say "fitting room" - not "Women's Dressing Room." And some folks here don't even want men hanging anywhere near it.

 

[sha_lyn]

But most stores just say "fitting room" - not "Women's Dressing Room." And some folks here don't even want men hanging anywhere near it.

not in my experience

 

[suzannen]

not in my experience

Well, in all the stores in NYC, it is - and that's a lot of stores! If it says "Women's" - it's the ladies rest room.

 

[HoneyBee06]

There is usually only one narrow long mirror in the stalls. the corodor/hallyway/coomon area (what ever they call it) of the fitting room area often has floor to ceiling 3 way mirrors.

Oh and add me to uptight club, if I;'m considered up tight for not wanting strange men around when I am dressing and undressing.

It's not like they are in the stall with you while you're changing though.

 

[bicker]

That's all well and good, but, I'm sorry, there are no set rules for dressings rooms unless it says "Women Only." My DH is another who will be waiting by the door to give his opinion when I shop.

I don't think Mouse House Mama has been talking about waiting by the door; I think she was talking mostly about men going into the dressing rooms.

If I'm mistaken about her perspective, I agree with you. No -- I MORE than agree with you: There is no possible interpretation of even an explicit "Women Only" sign at the front of a dressing room that preclude men waiting by the door. None.

 

[HoneyBee06]

But most stores just say "fitting room" - not "Women's Dressing Room." And some folks here don't even want men hanging anywhere near it.

Exactly. At the places I shop, it never says "Women's" on the fitting rooms. I just shop at department stores mostly. Maybe high end stores say that but the places I go to don't.

 

[Mayl]

I do think a lot of this has to do with American women having such body insecurity issues - too bad, really.

I agree with you. We stress over some weird stuff here in the states.

The fact that we have 15+ pages on this topic is almost funny..