“I haven’t seen anyone come out sobbing, but some were definitely devastated.” So says Jennifer Althouse, the buyer at American Rag, a store in Los Angeles, which has just installed an “ass cam”. A dressing room camera offering a rear view.
Look, obviously, when we try on jeans, we want to know: “How does my butt look?” But something about a lens focused directly on the derriere seems icky. Invasive. Closed-circuit TV screens are devices used in horror movies. Not to mention: Doesn’t the camera add 5kg?
American Rag is not the first retailer to appeal to a customer’s desire to be bootylicious. Aussie chain Jeanswest had butt cams installed in 2009, and Old Navy tried an online Booty Reader app in 2010.
The reporter in the piece from KTLA notes that since Americans are used to enduring TSA pat downs and full body scans at airports, we’re more likely to be into seeing close-up shots of our badonkadonks. Yeah… no. Security checks are awkward experiences, as would be seeing my arse on a flatscreen in the dressing room. And shopping in a buttocks-centric atmosphere sounds paranoia-inducing. For some people, trying on clothing can be stressful and studded with emotional landmines – they don’t have your size, your size doesn’t fit, the lights make your skin look sallow, etc. It’s good business to keep customers happy and coming back; anyone walking out “devastated” after seeing their tush on TV probably won’t return. Personally, I think life is about the forest, not the trees. But if you must know if your arse looks awesome or awful, why not just ask a friend?
Boutique Has ‘Booty Cam’ In Fitting Rooms; Some Shoppers Love Better View Other Are ‘Devastated’ [NYDN]
Local Store Installs “Booty Camera” in Fitting Rooms [KTLA]
Republished from Jezebel