How the Boston Store is dealing with wardrobing

Don't Even Think About Returning That Dress.  (Bloomberg, 9/26/2013)

Many merchants have long lived by the mantra that the customer is always right, adopting liberal return policies in hopes of winning the loyalty of free-spending shoppers. But with a recent increase in the wearing and subsequent return of expensive clothes—a practice merchants call wardrobing—many retailers are taking a stronger stand against the industry’s $8.8 billion-a-year return fraud problem.

And why would I even care about this or go to the bother of taking these photographs? you mght be wondering.

Well, as I explained it in a letter to my brother and sister-in-law.

[My wife] and I spent an hour at the West Towne Mall Boston Store yesterday evening, although it seemed longer than that. The purpose of this shopping trip was for her to buy a dress for the wedding we are attending tomorrow in Oak Park, Illinois.  She tried on more than a dozen -- probably closer to 20. In the process, we must have at least eyeballed every single dress in the store's substantial inventory. Flowery patterns seem to be the predominate style for the summer of 2016. 

While she tried on the dresses, I stood near the entrance to the fitting rooms, ready to offer a requested critique. A few times, I didn't have to say a word, as a grimace of disapproval immediately registered on my face. At one point, I thought we might have to leave the store empty-handed and repeat the process at Macy's Hilldale. It was shaping up to be a brutal night.

Fortunately, a Calvin Klein number came to the rescue.