Fitting rooms in Dubai malls are closed: 4 shopping tips for when you can't try clothes on

Stick to these fashion rules to avoid being lumped with an expensive mistake

Roomy is usually safe: Plisse dress by Magda Butrym, at Net A Porter. Courtesy Net A Porter

It's a familiar dilemma: we see something we like on the rails, but when we try it on we learn the armholes are too tight, the legs are too short or, worse still, the zip won’t do up. Either the cut is all wrong for us, or we just have to go up, or down, a couple of sizes.

Fast forward to today, and things have changed. Shops may be starting to reopen across Dubai's malls, but it's key to note that fitting rooms are closed.

Also, sales and promotions in stores are prohibited in order to stop crowds of customers and encourage physical distancing. And in Abu Dhabi, refunds and exchanges within shopping centres will be banned when malls reopen to stop returns of potentially contaminated goods.

So the way we shop in person will have to change, at least for the short term. But, the cuts of the clothes haven’t changed magically, so how exactly do we shop for pieces that we cannot try on first, or return if they don’t fit?

This is a tricky one. Many are craving a sense of the familiar, which for some means shopping. In times of stress – which these undoubtedly are – a new item of clothing may help boost our mood. But, if that new item doesn’t fit, we can be stuck with an expensive mistake. So what is the best solution?

Here are four tips on how to shop, if you feel the need to, when you can't try things on (but remember, it's still currently the best idea to stay home and shop online) ... 

1. Dull though this may sound, look for classic pieces. Always wanted the perfect crisp white shirt but never got around to doing the donkey work of finding it? Here is your chance.

Classic pieces are called that because the cut rarely changes, and the variations available are self explanatory. A classic cut shirt is fitted through the shoulders and then hangs straight to the hips, while a fitted shirt will have the same cut through the shoulders before gently tapering in around the waist.

Likewise, classic cut jeans or trousers are lightly fitted at the waist and hips and then hang straight to the ankle. If you don't know your boyfriend cut from your high-waisted skinny, then classic is a safe bet at the moment.

2. Opt for roomier pieces. Unable to try anything on, it's best to steer clear of pieces that require a precise fit. Veer on the side of caution and head for softer, more forgiving shapes. Shirts can be loose cut, while dresses can be either straight cut (to skim over the waist) or A-line to forgo the waist altogether.

With the prairie cut such a fashion mainstay at the moment, let this flowing, flattering shape take the strain out of shopping.

The only area that needs to fit is around the shoulders, which makes it a far more likely success story.

If it's too tent-like everywhere else, just sling a belt on. As we are in Ramadan, why not really embrace the special collections and choose a kaftan? These are incredibly feminine and elegant, and again if it feels too big, add a belt.

3. Stick with stores where the sizes are already familiar to you. Me? I always go to Zara, not because I especially love their clothes, but because I know exactly how they fit me. As a result, I have been able to get my fashion fix online, safe in the knowledge it will all fit when it arrives.

Every shop has a different cut, and although the label may say the same number, we all know a Topshop size 10 is a very different animal to a Marks and Spencer size 10.

So stick with brands that you already know well and reduce the element of sizing surprise.

4. Many online sites have measuring guides. Use them. These are extensively researched, and powered by clever algorithms that calculate why certain pieces are always returned, based on the dress sizes of the customers who returned them. They will offer a best-fit suggestion.

Companies invest a lot of money in these guides and they are getting more and more sophisticated, so lean on them. That’s what they are there for.