Would you want a butt cam in your dressing room?
It's called A** Cam. The name was trademarked by clothing store American Rag, but we've added the asterisks. It's a closed-circuit video camera in the dressing room
of the Newport Beach and Los Angeles locations of American Rag's World Denim Bar that allows a shopper to see her backside on a monitor imbedded in a mirror, so she can decide if the jeans she's trying on look as good from behind as they do in the front. (You can see it in the photo below.)
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Before you label this camera system as just another retail gimmick - hear us out. Here at Prevention, we've interviewed lots of stylists and fashion experts, and whenever we ask them how to dress so you look great for your age, they always say finding, or tailoring, clothes to fit perfectly is the most important thing. But it's hard to tell if your jeans-or any clothes-truly do fit when you're twisting and turning to look over your shoulder in a dressing room. (And don't say that there are three-way mirrors for that-no one wants to look at herself in a three-way mirror.)
That's why we think this Cam thing is really going to take off. But until it does, here are six ways to make the trying-on process less, well, trying:
1. Shop in the morning for clothes, the afternoon for shoes.
Stores are less crowded, and salespeople are more helpful right when the doors open-and you'll feel less pressure to rush the decision-making process since there won't be a long line of customers waiting for your dressing room. The only exception to this rule: shoes. Since feet swell as they day goes on, you're better off trying on shoes in the afternoon when your feet are at their biggest.
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2. Dress to undress.
Wear your favorite, most flattering bra and underwear and clothes that are easy to remove, such as a top, skirt, and slip-on shoes. (Don't wear a dress or you'll be forced to try on tops without bottoms, and vice versa.)
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3. Prep like it's a date.
Shave, put on makeup, and do your hair. It's impossible to feel good about yourself or the clothes you're wearing if you notice shin stubble, frizzy hair, and under-eye circles every time you look in the mirror.
4. Apply invisible antiperspirant-twice.
With hot dressing room lights in a confined space, you can get as sweaty trying on clothes as you do at the gym. Apply invisible antiperspirant (not deodorant, which simply masks odor but doesn't stop sweat) the night before your shopping trip and right before you leave in the morning; the double dose makes it more effective, and the clear formula won't rub off on fabric.
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5. Step outside the dressing room.
Use the larger mirror in the dressing room's main area or on the selling floor to assess how you look as you walk, sit, squat, and move around in a garment. This also helps you decide how comfortable you feel in an outfit; if you don't have the confidence to leave the privacy of your stall and let others see you wearing something, you shouldn't even consider buying it.
6. Bring an impartial judge.
For an objective assessment of the clothes, bring along a good-and honest-friend. Or, better yet, snap two photos of yourself with your smartphone or a digital camera, one from the front and one over the shoulder for a view from behind. Review the pictures only after you leave the store; if you still like what you see, go back and buy it.
Tell us:What do you like least about shopping for clothes?
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