Shopping centres are banning changing room mirrors in a bid to boost body confidence

Sorry, what?

We were left scratching our heads this morning when a press release about covering up changing room mirrors in shopping centers to create ‘a more comfortable place for women to shop’ landed in our inboxes. Huh?

The release reports that a number shopping centers around the UK are banning mirrors in a bid to encourage body confidence. The trial, launching at Birmingham Bullring, Bristol Cabot Circus and Croydon Centrale, appears to be targeted solely at women. *sighs*

A study inspired by ‘bikini season’ revealed ‘shocking new insights’ that almost three quarters of British women (that’s 71 per cent) don't feel confident buying a new outfit after they've checked it in the changing room mirror. Further findings revealed that over a fifth (22 per cent) of women prefer to consult friends and family on a potential ensemble, rather than their reflection.

‘We want to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and confident when trying on clothes, so that's why we're trialing banning the mirrors,’ said Alex Thomas, Regional Marketing Manager of Hammerson (the property development and investment company behind the complying centres). ‘We hope that women in particular will try something on and feel gorgeous and glamorous. Hopefully, this will be a success and we can roll it out across our shopping centres for the summer.’

Yes, the fluorescent lighting can be unflattering, the close-proximity of the mirrors can feel awkward and we all just want to try it on at home for a proper look. But doesn’t banning mirrors altogether seem a slightly misguided way of promoting body confidence, which could, potentially, reinforce any feeling of self-conciousness?

Have your say by tweeting your opinion on the mirror ban to: @marieclaireuk