'I visited River Island and was left amazed by 'magic' AI changing rooms'

13 October 2023 , 12:03

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The Red Chiffon Tie Front Swing Midi Dress costs £55 from River Island

It’s not often I go shopping in physical stores these days - post-pandemic I find most retail experiences a little overwhelming and as I continue to save for a mortgage, my spending habits have changed and I‘m a lot more considerate of my purchases.

In the past, I’ve found stores to be overly busy, rails rummaged through and untidy making it difficult to browse, and don’t get me started on changing rooms. But I recently took a trip to my local River Island store in Staffordshire and it’s completely changed my views on in-store shopping.

I headed in store to scout out the latest trends and top fashion picks, and immediately as I stepped into the shop I was pleasantly surprised. It didn’t have the harsh white lights and clinical appearance of H&M, nor the loud and chaotic atmosphere of Primark - instead, it had warm ambient lighting and sections which seemed to flow organically into one another as you moved from trend to trend, womenswear to menswear. It was really inviting and really put me at ease as I took a look around the store.

The mannequins were beautifully and thoughtfully styled, with tables displaying a range of outfits alongside carefully considered homewear pieces to match. It all felt really cohesive and part of a shopping journey, encouraging me to relax and spend more time perusing the rails rather than being in and out after a quick perimeter check.

This £60 boucle bomber jacket is giving some serious designer vibes

Some of the standout trends for the AW23 season for me were statement jackets, and those lovely boucle-effect Massimo Dutti-esque quiet luxury numbers are still very much in, with this rivalling .

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I feel like River Island are great at ‘marmite’ pieces that people will either love or hate, and for me, I was actually quite a fan of this - though I know it’s bound to divide opinion. At £78, it blends two of the biggest wardrobe staples and as the Spice Girls would say, it sees two become one. I’m all for it.

This denim jacket-trench combo is going to divide opinion among fashion fans

Unsurprisingly, the colour of the season appears to be red and River Island are seriously getting in the festive spirit with this I love these kinds of combos because you can wear all three together for a statement monochrome look, or wear the waistcoat and trousers, blazer and trousers, or each piece as separates with other items in your wardrobe. The would look gorgeous with a , while the could be dressed down with jeans and a pair of trainers.

Red is such a great colour not just for Christmas but for year-round too

Heading over to the shoe section there are a lot of boots, which won’t come as a shock seeing as Autumn is quite literally boots season. But one thing that did catch my eye were these , which cost £35 and look strikingly similar to the

These faux fur boots are a deadringer for the UGG Ultra Minis

Chunky scarves a-la-Acne Studios are also big in 2023, having been spotted in and in recent weeks. River Island also has their . I think the pink is probably my favourite.

I picked out a further four pieces to try on in the store changing rooms and as I reached the customer assistant I was expected to be handed one of those little plastic hangers that indicate how many items you’re taking in with you, but the woman smiled and said “nope, you don’t need one of those - just choose a free room and it’s like magic when you get in there.”

The first thing I really liked about the changing rooms in River Island was the fact they have actual doors rather than curtains. I'm always worried that someone may not realise that the cubicle is occupied and I'll be caught in my undercrackers attempting to get a dress that's half a size too small over my head. I felt safe and secure, and therefore a lot less anxious about my try on spree. Secondly, the rooms themselves are gorgeous, with a tropical inspired wallpaper, flattering lighting and space to actually move around, have a little walk and get a feel for the garments properly instead of inches away from the mirror.

I placed my four picks onto the rail and noticed an electronic screen next to it and to my absolute bewliderment, it was like magic, just as the store assistant had said. The AI in the changing rooms instincively knew which pieces of clothing from the store I had placed on the rail, and showed me images of each one from the River Island website. Scrolling through you can view each item you're trying on, and even request another size or an alternative style be brought to the changing room, which I considered to be a really thoughtful addition that felt 'above and beyond' for customer service.

The digital screen inside River Island changing rooms that automatically knows what you're trying on

The first item I tried on was this grey oversized bomber jacket as seen on Loose Women star Frankie Bridge. After sharing a snap in the £50 jacket on her Instagram stories, she said: "Bombers are back this season and with good reason! In my opinion they always give an outfit a cooler edge and I love how you can just throw it on with pretty much anything. Minimal effort, maximum style."

And I agree, while I initially thought the jacket looked a bit like the material that felt storage baskets are often made from, it looks far better on than it does on the hanger. I tried on a size medium and would probably have preferred a small due to its naturally oversized fit. I styled it with a black midi skirt like Frankie - though hers was leather - as well as black boots, my black Uniqlo bag and a black headband.

The oversized grey bomber jacket from River Island is already a celeb fave

I loved the colour of this chocolate brown satin midaxi skirt from River Island and think these rich neutral and earthy tones that Rochelle Humes is known for wearing will see a huge rise this coming season. I wasn't keen on how thin the waistband is on this and still stand by the fact I think New Look has the best midaxi skirts on the high street. This skirt is from Louise Roe's edit and comes in 15 different colourways, including a cream and khaki, and at £30 it's a reasonable price for how hardworking it will be in your wardrobe.

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River Island's £30 chocolate midaxi skirt

I haven't worn a mini skirt in a long time but something drew me to this Black Faux Leather Buckle Wrap Mini Skirt and I;ve immediately added it to my letter to Santa. The £35 skirt features a wrap detail and gold buckle hardware with a zip fastening at the side. The material is incredibly soft and a really great leather alternative - I could have been fooled into thinking it was real leather until I saw the £35 price tag. I think I'd have prefered it to be a skort purely for comfort reasons, but I loved how it looked and felt on and could definitely see myself wearing this year round with boots and tights in winter, and sandals and a tee in summer.

The Faux Leather Buckle Wrap Mini Skirt also comes in three other colours

An absolute showstopper for me was this Red Chiffon Tie Front Swing Midi Dress, which comes in at £55. Leaning into the red trend, this flattering, floaty number is the ultimate festive number, date night dress for Valentine's, or for days when you just want to feel really confident. The tie detail can be worn more like a scarf and just hang in a laidback way, or tied into a pussybow to give it a more 70s feel.

The Red Chiffon Tie Front Swing Midi Dress costs £55 from River Island

A message on the River Island website reads: "Black Friday is one of our biggest sales in the year so you can expect some great deals that’ll make your mouth drop! Expect discounts on a range of products like coats, jackets, dresses, knitwear, tops, shoes and boots."

You can shop the current offers at River Island here, or any of my top picks above.

Bethan Shufflebotham