* this is not for any specific store, just general knowledge *
some may seem obvious, please remember there are baby lifters, too.
always check for cameras. use your selfie camera, use mirrors, glance while window shopping to count.
conceal closer to the floor while pretending to look through racks and shelves. if you can, kneel to “look” while concealing. look like you’re on a mission to find something (but don’t overdo it, just try to pretend like you’re browsing with something specific in mind).
if you feel like you’re being watched, you probably are. pretend to try on sunglasses and use your selfie camera or the mirror to observe your surroundings. try on dark sunglasses so you can shift your eyes without being too noticeable. remember to pose and check your angles as if you’re actually interested in the glasses. drop and leave if you see someone who is doing something weird like just standing there texting/talking into a walkie and glancing towards your direction (or even if they seem focused on another person) or peeking through shelves and racks.
if there are no glasses, but there are camera monitors, glance at the monitors discretely. the easiest way is to use a mirror, but if you have to, steal a glance when you are out of sight of anyone who might take notice of that. alternatively, check the mirrors on the ceiling.
if you insist on borrowing at a store like $€ph0r@, go to a k0hl$. they rely more on k0hl$ lp from what i observe - no camera directly over $€ph sections and usually only one or two SA managing the area, typically distracted and/or dealing with other customers. lots of shelves to hide from cameras. the one camera in the section had a cone blind spot and was in the corner at the store i was at. a casually friendly “hi, i’m just browsing/i’ll let you know if i need help” is usually enough to ward them off. if they insist on coming over repeatedly, you’re being sussed. drop and go. i’m specific about kh0l$ because department store makeup counters in the malls are much more heavily monitored.
in terms of lp, my preference is outlet malls & freestanding stores. they’re usually low volume stores with only a handful of staff on the floor, sometimes just 1 or 2. they also usually have less, if any cameras at all. they’re quiet but if you take advantage of the limited employees and make friendly conversation with whoever is working (because they are usually bored), you are much more likely to get off scot free. don’t be sus in convo, talk about things you know about or can ask them questions about - like something on their shirt, an item in the store. as a former retail employee, i sometimes strike up convos with people my age about the joys of working retail. you have 7 seconds to make a positive first impression on the SA if you’re approached by them, give them less reasons to want to disturb your shopping experience. always wear a face mask.
if you’re not a wig person like me, plain hats work really well. even in the summer, just work them into your aesthetic. i’m a little emo, so i toss on a beanie and a long dark cardigan (thin one) but pair it with a crop long enough to cover my tats and pair it with overly distressed jeans that have enough fabric to cover my other tats but enough rips and holes to look like they’d be good for summer/spring fashion. i also have reynauds (thermoregulation disorder) but anyone with reynauds or anemia or a disorder with thermal sensitivity as a symptom could use it as an excuse for wearing long sleeves in the summer. i’m cold constantly, but it’s a cardigan so if i want to take it off and tie it around my waist i can do so easily 🤷🏻♀️ even if i’m not actively experiencing an episode, they usually don’t know enough to ask more or don’t care. or it’s just enough of a reason. plus, it would probably discourage them from wanting to be accused of discriminating against someone with a disability. sunglasses are also great during the summer. even lightly tinted ones are enough to disguise your eye color, unless they’re brown. if you’re brown eyed, wear dark glasses. if you don’t think you can pull off wearing sunglasses inside without looking sus (you totally can if you work them into a very hot, but neutral and modest - for identity protection, not because i’m a prude - girl boss outfit. think, all black but with a pair of heels and some nice, simple jewelry.) wear slightly tinted blue light glasses (tinted barely enough to look like actually glasses - i got mine of etsy, supported a small business, & get tons of compliments on mine from people who are none the wiser!) with a pair of heavy false lashes. there are short volume sets that should allow the glasses to sit comfortably but have enough volume to shade your eyes and make your eye color hard to discern. if they don’t look like caterpillars (sexy, fluffy, wispy caterpillars), they’re not thick enough.i know as far as the disguise advice goes, it seems heavily directed at women or feminine people. but if you’re comfortable and confident enough in your sexuality (speaking primarily to cis men, but it applies to all), and you have the resources to pull together an outfit that matches the aesthetic, you can pull it off. sometimes lifting is about creating a character, while still seeming real and down to earth to the SA. i highly recommend experimenting with different aesthetics.
some people say you should always buy something to not seem sus. i say “fuck them corporations” in every situation you think you can get away with just walking out. today i only bought myself lunch & a pair of shorts at kohls i found for $1.00. if you’re packing but don’t wanna buy something, simply tell any attentive employees you were looking for a specific present for someone but you’ve forgotten the color/size etc and the person you were getting info from isn’t answering texts. “sorry 🤷🏻♀️ i’ll have to come back and touch base later! if you don’t have it in stock, i’ll be down to order it online from you guys.”
in terms of dropping - dropping when you feel like you’re being sussed is always great advice, especially if you’re new here. it’s definitely bible. live by it. but in some cases, if you feel confidently that the employee may sus you but has no reason to stop you, just go for it. for example, an SA i saw today had just come back from lunch and gotten on the floor. i had already picked up everything but she approached me as i was getting ready to leave and asked if i needed help. i asked her to point me in the direction of an item, went and browsed the item then came back a minute later. i should have browsed longer, because i definitely made her sus when i came back so fast. but i played it off with the above tip 👆🏻 and said i was looking for a color they don’t have in stock and my mom said my sister was suddenly being indecisive about what she wanted for her birthday anyway over text so i’d have to come back when they gave me more info. she definitely still sussed me, she watched me all the way to the door. but she never watched me conceal, as she had literally been in the store from her lunch all of 10 mins & i didn’t beep so she had no reason to stop me.
Hope y’all find these helpful! Happy foraging 🧚🏻♂️
amandla
theartofmadeline
gamechangershow
yousharknotpass
izzy806
