to never buy anything from this store again?

[Cupcakemum79]

Last weekend my husband, daughter and I went shopping for winter coats. I was really looking for a nice trenchcoat or ideally a woollen winter coat.
We walked past a luxury brand store that is known for really nice coats. Husband knows I love their coats and suggested we went inside. Normally I wouldn't even consider buying such an expensive clothing item, but husband insisted that I try on the coat I liked. He wanted to treat me if I ended up loving it, as he said it was a timeless item and he wanted to buy a nice Christmas/birthday gift that he knew I'd enjoy for years.

We asked the shop assistant for a size up in the coat I liked. It just didn't fit very nicely. Shop assistant then suggested I try on a couple of other (much more expensive[ coats. Those were really straight fitting coats though and I told her I preferred the other coat because it had a waist belt and didn't look so baggy.
She then told me "that coat maybe it was for you 20 years ago, now it's not for you".

My husband and I found this incredibly rude, but were too shocked to say anything. It ruined the shopping for me though, so we left immediately and husband told her that we didn't want a coat anymore. He was really angry. I am now 44 years old and tried the size 14, which fitted but pulled across the chest. Surely that's not incredibly old or fat to deserve a remark like that? Also what's with the '20 years ago' I really don't even look that old!

AIBU that I found this incredibly offensive and also I think that had I looked really rich she would never have said anything like that? Also I really don't want a coat from that store anymore...

Okay, but who gets to make the decision on what you wear? Who decides what is age appropriate? Surely it's all down to personal choice?

The sales assistant wasn't asked her opinion but she gave it nevertheless. It wasn't asked for nor was it wanted. OP felt good and ultimately, that's what clothes should enable to wearer to feel.

It definitely is! I wouldn't go there. Period. Not to mention after a comment like this.

Hilarious pics... 🙄 I really cannot help if you are unable to understand the concept of age appropriate clothing or if you are unable to accept that some styles suit younger women more. As they say, ignorance is bliss...

I’m usually pretty quick with a retort in these situations….I’d probably have said ‘yes pet….but 20 years ago I was working as a shop girl like you. Now I’m older I can afford to buy from this established and not have to work in it’
Rude, but no worse than she gave you!

We went into a well known jewellery store (let's just say there's a colour strongly associated with it and a song and a movie about a meal there....) thinking we might buy our wedding rings there and they were so rude and dismissive that neither DH nor I will shop there again. Shame for them, as DH likes to give expensive jewellery presents and that's a lot of milestone birthdays and anniversaries they have missed as a result of their own crappy service.

If you want to dress like what YOU think an old woman should dress, go for it 😂. It does make you look older, but each to their own.

What you are spectacularly missing out is that there is NO such thing as age appropriate clothing. Just because you can't pull off something doesn't mean the rest of us are the same 😂

So by this reckoning the style of clothing my 20 year old neice (similar figure and height) adopts could be worn by me as a 50 year old woman? Okaayyy Thinking belly tops with nike tracksuits bottoms etc. She looks great, but for me, ugh no thanks I would look and feel ridiculous. My opinion and I am allowed to express it.

If the OP wanted to wear a ra ra skirt and a crop top it would be fine.
I'm 66 and a size 8, I'm not going to wear crimplene skirts and a headscarf.
My dgm was 48 when she died,she looked older than I do now.
If the assistant had a genuine concern she could have steered op to a different style without being rude. It's called selling.

I am NOT spectacularly missing out on anything. Clothing that suits my 20 year old niece does NOT suit me and the only variable that differs is our age. OK?

You can name brands without rhyming. Burberry for op and Tiffany’s for @readingmakesmehappy . Mumsnet won’t explode.

This reminds me of when I was a student and worked in a shopping centre, the staff at (watch me age myself) vestry, Jane Norman, Morgan, Kookai, thought they were a cut above those who worked at Woolworths, Tammy, the sweater shop. They were especially rude and condescending to me and my colleagues who worked in the adjacent bars and restaurants, really behaved like they were a cut above with their monthly uniform allowance, clocking fingers and rolling eyes when ordering etc, although if they'd stopped and thought about it they would've realised that including tips we earned considerably more than they did 🤷‍♀️.

Well yes they physically can be worn by you as a 50 year old woman. There isn't anything stopping you. It's not illegal, you're not prohibited, you won't be shunned. People dress how they feel comfortable dressing.

I assume you also wear clothes that you like? We all have our own personal criteria. You have a boundary in your mind for age appropriateness and think wearing things outside of this don't look nice on you. Well other people have different boundaries.

Besides, OP is talking about a trench coat. The reason they are timeless and a wardrobe staple is because they suit people of all shapes, sizes and ages.

OMG I did not say it was prohibited, I said she expressed an opintion with reference to age and clothing. Shock horror some styles of clothes look better on younger people!! Who knew this was so controversial?

I'm surprised by this - I'm fifty, I've shopped at Burberry a good few times and as recently as the last six months, and everyone I've encountered has always been charming. The assistant here sounds like a twat, even if she meant well (and was obviously trying to get you into a more expensive coat).

To those claiming their clothes are poor quality, I'm not sure what you're buying there but mine are classic, beautifully made and I expect to wear them for years. Most of them I already have.

fuck me, their styling is horrible, shudder
https://uk.burberry.com/long-reversible-bradford-car-coat-p80767111

we don't disagree here, some things might not suit YOU.

It doesn't mean they don't suit someone else who is way past their 20s.

some styles of clothes look better on younger people!
said who? apart from you? I agree that some styles look better on some body shapes, a Marilyn doesn't necessarily dress the same as an Audrey, but age has nothing to do with anything.

Let's be honest, work out enough, and you can have an amazing body at pretty much any age...

So you are now referring to body type rather than age? I said that my neice and I have very similar figures, we are both size 10. She looks amazing in nike joggers and cropped tops showing her midrif. I do look ridiculous. The only variable here is age.

There are ways and ways of saying it though! 'Why not try this style and see how it suits you?' for example, or 'have you considered trying something longer/shorter/single-breasted/double/breasted/with raglan sleeves' the list is endless.

It can't possibly be news to you... it was literally the iconic brand that symbolized chav style.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/nov/01/marketingandpr

YABVU because it’s not the shop’s fault. They obviously stocked this beautiful coat!

You SHOULD have reported her to the manager.

Ah dont waste time arguing with her... if she is donning the 'age appropriate' wear for 'oldies' of a purple rinsed perm, wheely bag and pinny at 44 then great for her but she clearly has zero concept or originality, expression, individuality or basic manners.

She some how has made it to this point in life without learning the basic social skill no one give a fuck about her unwarranted opinions of their style and therefore saying it is blatantly rude.

Bless I think its past your nap time. You're getting grumpy.

I think the word would bored 😴

I think the word would be bored 😴