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...

I’d want to complain - but probably couldn’t be bothered in the end.

I was told my style was “vintage eclectic”. Old fashioned and non-matching?

That sales assistant will have a fit when she sees the latest Loewe campaign...

https://www.thecut.com/2023/10/maggie-smith-stars-in-loewes-latest-campaign.html

This reminds me of the time my new hairdresser told me that my current style aged me and I should try something different. I wasn’t offended, I followed his advice. Is this that much different? You were paying a lot for the coat, sounds like she wanted to make sure it suited you.

I learned oodles of tact when working in a London department store, always up or down a size suggestions when I was frequently asked my opinion in the changing room but never did I say anything about the choice of style

I did used to really love the genuine Burberry colours.
The soft Fawn, with black , like the colour of a Whippet.

Also lovely quality.
It was the knockoffs that spoiled it.
Much like Louis Vuitton- or Mulberry- the real thing is spoiled when there are fakes made (I’m not into designer name brands though)

If you really love the coat, buy it.

I thought that coat was a Labradoodle by the woman’s arm- it’s the arms of her coat!

Probably the shop assistant.

How are you missing the put down in the bit you have bolded, @SiousieSoo?

It's right there, in bold.

The assistant could not have been more rude.

She was rude and out of order, but nobody ever thinks they look their age even though they really do 😂

It's against the law to suggest a style is too young for someone??

The difference is that "it ages you" means you would look younger or just right for your age if you changed the style, whereas someone saying you could wear a particular item 20 years ago but not now is implicitly saying "your better days are behind you/ you havent noticed your spare tyre/ you're delusional".

YANBU. Unless theyve been asked for their advice and opinion then no one gets to decide what people should or shouldn't buy even if it looks hideous on them. She's a Shop Assistant not a Fashion consultant.

I wouldn’t take it that way at all.

@oakleaffy Oh yes, a Labradoodle biting her hand.

What happened to "the customer is always right"??

Awful attitude from the shop assistant. And insulting customers is hardly the way to get more sales. Glad your husband complained. Tell us if he gets an answer!

Did you try on the other coats that were suggested? In some shops staff are trained to offer alternative items that they think - using their experience and knowledge of the brand with regard to sizing and cut - would be a better fit. Sometimes our ideas about what suits us needs tweaking. Maybe the assistant could have chosen a more appropriate turn of phrase, but I think you might have cut off your nose to spite your face here!

How incredibly rude! I'm glad your husband complained!

Against what law??

Sorry she was so rude to you OP.

Good alternatives here: https://www.modernfellows.com/affordable-alternatives-to-burberry-trench-coats/

I think you should follow up your DH's letter if you don't get a response. Sales assistant needs be told how rude she was.

They aren't all like that. I tiptoed nervously into Gucci in the summer to buy something fairly modest (by Gucci standards) for DD 18th birthday. They were bloody lovely to me - brought me tea/sat me on velvet sofa/rushed about after me. They were super friendly and basically told me that with a few (Knightsbridge type) exceptions, there are two kinds of Gucci shoppers - Obscenely wealthy International shoppers who think nothing of spending several thousand in one visit, and people like me - stretching their budget - looking for one really special thing to give as a gift or keep for a lifetime. They said they MUCH prefer serving the latter and they told me to never be embarrassed or apologetic for walking into a designer shop and expecting perfect service.

The sales assistant took my phone number to let me know when the item arrived into the store (had to order in store and return) and then after I'd gone back and collected it, she TEXTED AGAIN on DD's birthday on the Saturday to say she really hoped DD had loved her gift (she did).

Completely changed how I feel about Gucci as a brand.

Sorry you had such an upsetting experience, and I hope you find your perfect coat.

One thing which stood out in your post was the turn of phrase used by the assistant - was English perhaps not their first language?

You should have confronted it at the time instead of stewing so much you had to post on here

Pointless wasting energy on it now.

Also I'd be concerned your dh didn't have the balls to speak up on your behalf at the time either.

FWIW I had a Burberry trench and am a size 14. It strains across the chest because (I think) it's not really cut for a woman who has breasts.

I gave it to my very thin aunt in the end. It looks great on her but she is a taller size 8.

The word order does sound a bit Eastern European, doesn’t it? Rudeness, however, is rude whatever the nationality. And if as a shop assistant myself I had been heard making a comment like that, I would quite rightly have been reprimanded by my supervisor.

Burberry, by the way, is now just a name. The coats it sells are no different in style and quality to any other mid market high street brand. And, as you’ve found out, the fit isn’t right for you. Go elsewhere.

Designer stuff also comes up small.