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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bad experience in M&S fitting rooms

321 replies

TwinTantrums · 12/07/2025 14:00

I’ve recently lost a lot of weight and so need a lot of new summer and holiday clothes.

I came over to M&S this morning and had a trolley full of clothes and other such items, walking up to the fitting rooms and the woman looks me up and down and then asks how much I have, as “8 items is the maximum, to stop some types” from stealing. I offer to split it up and she rolls her eyes and says “I suppose you can”

I go in, try on my eight items, split them into what I do and don’t want and come back out, she then huffs and asks if I really need to go again? I said yes, as I’ve lost a lot of weight and don’t know what size I am. She looked me up and down and then asked how big I had been before if this is the after!! I just took the number from her and went back in.

AIBU or was she totally out of line?

OP posts:
EveryKneeShallBow · 12/07/2025 14:02

She was exceptionally rude. But it’s very hot and it’s a thankless job in retail. Cut her some slack. Congratulations on your weight loss success.

Evenstar · 12/07/2025 14:02

I think you should make a complaint to the store manager, that was extremely rude and such an unhelpful attitude when you were about to spend a great deal of money.

Original poster
TwinTantrums · 12/07/2025 14:03

EveryKneeShallBow · 12/07/2025 14:02

She was exceptionally rude. But it’s very hot and it’s a thankless job in retail. Cut her some slack. Congratulations on your weight loss success.

I’m just as moody - it’s 30 degrees, none of my clothes fit and I came on my period last night! I apologised to her for having so much stuff but I don’t think being warm justified it

OP posts:
Loubylie · 12/07/2025 14:04

Unbelievably rude. And unhelpful.
What on earth was she thinking.

blacklabradorsandchilledrose · 12/07/2025 14:05

EveryKneeShallBow · 12/07/2025 14:02

She was exceptionally rude. But it’s very hot and it’s a thankless job in retail. Cut her some slack. Congratulations on your weight loss success.

I dont disagree it’s a thankless task and everyone is hot and tetchy.

but that last comment was completely unacceptable and there are no excuses for that.

Plus, many M&S are air conditioned so that’s not necessarily an excuse anyway

anyzee · 12/07/2025 14:06

You could have said to her that she came across very rude when you were there. I know it's hot out and people are a bit bothered now and then, but honestly I think you are fab to have lost all the weight and I'd just get on with my day and go back on a cooler day to try on some more!

Original poster
TwinTantrums · 12/07/2025 14:06

Loubylie · 12/07/2025 14:04

Unbelievably rude. And unhelpful.
What on earth was she thinking.

I’m glad I’m not being sensitive! I’m really touchy about my weight and body, so I can never tell if I’m just perceiving things as rude

OP posts:
Original poster
TwinTantrums · 12/07/2025 14:07

Evenstar · 12/07/2025 14:02

I think you should make a complaint to the store manager, that was extremely rude and such an unhelpful attitude when you were about to spend a great deal of money.

Can I find out who the store manager is now I’ve left? I just wanted to get out of there

OP posts:
CrowMate · 12/07/2025 14:08

She’s paid to provide customer service. Thanks not needed (even if nice).

I would complain.

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/07/2025 14:09

She was a bit rude but it’s a pretty thankless job, and must be utterly miserable in this heat - and with all the recent issues M&S have had.

You were a bit silly taking so many items in with you. In what world did you think you were living that any changing room would let you in with so much stuff? Apart from the waiting time for any poor person coming after you who also wants to use the changing rooms. You were a bit silly / thoughtless, she was a bit rude. I think it probably evens out. Congratulations on your weight loss and enjoy your new wardrobe.

NightPuffins · 12/07/2025 14:09

That’s incredibly rude and unprofessional! You should make a complaint to the store manager.

Well done on your weight loss! It’s hard losing weight and you've made a real achievement. Trying on clothes for a needed new wardrobe should be a rewarding experience, you shouldn’t be made to feel like that.

LookingAtMyBhunas · 12/07/2025 14:09

Omg why and how didn't you say anything at the time?? This is absolutely awful.

@EveryKneeShallBow Good to know being hot in a fully air conned shop is an excuse to be repeatedly rude, I've finally got an excuse when I'm on shift as a police officer in 2 stone kit standing on scene guard for 4 hours with no toilet or water breaks. What a thrilling new development.

LookingAtMyBhunas · 12/07/2025 14:10

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/07/2025 14:09

She was a bit rude but it’s a pretty thankless job, and must be utterly miserable in this heat - and with all the recent issues M&S have had.

You were a bit silly taking so many items in with you. In what world did you think you were living that any changing room would let you in with so much stuff? Apart from the waiting time for any poor person coming after you who also wants to use the changing rooms. You were a bit silly / thoughtless, she was a bit rude. I think it probably evens out. Congratulations on your weight loss and enjoy your new wardrobe.

Jesus christ 😂

Original poster
TwinTantrums · 12/07/2025 14:10

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/07/2025 14:09

She was a bit rude but it’s a pretty thankless job, and must be utterly miserable in this heat - and with all the recent issues M&S have had.

You were a bit silly taking so many items in with you. In what world did you think you were living that any changing room would let you in with so much stuff? Apart from the waiting time for any poor person coming after you who also wants to use the changing rooms. You were a bit silly / thoughtless, she was a bit rude. I think it probably evens out. Congratulations on your weight loss and enjoy your new wardrobe.

The store was quiet. At least ten rooms free. I had a trolley and as soon as she said there were too many items, I offered to split them up. As soon as I knew my size (e.g. in trousers) I took the other trousers out of the “to try on” pile. Nobody was delayed by me.

OP posts:
Original poster
TwinTantrums · 12/07/2025 14:11

LookingAtMyBhunas · 12/07/2025 14:09

Omg why and how didn't you say anything at the time?? This is absolutely awful.

@EveryKneeShallBow Good to know being hot in a fully air conned shop is an excuse to be repeatedly rude, I've finally got an excuse when I'm on shift as a police officer in 2 stone kit standing on scene guard for 4 hours with no toilet or water breaks. What a thrilling new development.

Because I just wanted to get out of there. I’m under no impression that I’m tiny now, but I’ve gone from a size 28 to 16/18. I felt like an idiot for thinking I could shop in M&S now

OP posts:
londongirl12 · 12/07/2025 14:11

Massively rude!! I would email customer services. Whether you’re having a bad day or not, you don’t speak to people like that.

Pessismistic · 12/07/2025 14:12

Ring the shop ask for manager of clothing ladies department or email customer service tell them which store describe her. That is totally out of order no matter what.

Empress13 · 12/07/2025 14:12

Maybe She was having a bad day and took out her frustration on you either way she was exceptionally rude

minnienono · 12/07/2025 14:12

It’s a bit rude but there’s always been a maximum, and she’s right in that some people do steal via fitting rooms. When on occasion I’ve got more than the limit (used to be 4 items) there is a rail to swop them over from but it all depends how many items in total and whether there was a long queue for the first rooms too I suppose

Britneyfan · 12/07/2025 14:13

Wow, as a fellow ?overweight person (sadly haven’t been as successful at weight loss as you!) this is so unbelievably rude of her. Completely unacceptable and I personally would definitely complain. She actually deserves to lose her job for that in my opinion. Society really thinks picking on fat people is ok to this extent and it’s not ok. I’d have let the huffing and puffing and eye rolling and explaining about stealing all go as her maybe having a bad day but the comment about your weight went way too far over the line of acceptability.

londongirl12 · 12/07/2025 14:14

HundredMilesAnHour · 12/07/2025 14:09

She was a bit rude but it’s a pretty thankless job, and must be utterly miserable in this heat - and with all the recent issues M&S have had.

You were a bit silly taking so many items in with you. In what world did you think you were living that any changing room would let you in with so much stuff? Apart from the waiting time for any poor person coming after you who also wants to use the changing rooms. You were a bit silly / thoughtless, she was a bit rude. I think it probably evens out. Congratulations on your weight loss and enjoy your new wardrobe.

Oh come on, don’t be so ridiculous!!!! Loads of people take an armful in, and know they’ll be expected to only be allowed a certain amount in and leave the rest to swap out. It’s been like that forever!! So what should Op have done, gone to the changing room first to see how many she’s allowed. Gone and found that many items and tried them on. And then gone round the store for additional things to try on? No one does that.

alexalisten · 12/07/2025 14:15

The last comment was not ok but surely you can grasp what size you are from trying a few things on. I can understand her being internally annoyed as taking a significant amount of clothes and then leaving half of them is just creating more work unnecessarily but she should of smiled and kept her gob shut

londongirl12 · 12/07/2025 14:15

minnienono · 12/07/2025 14:12

It’s a bit rude but there’s always been a maximum, and she’s right in that some people do steal via fitting rooms. When on occasion I’ve got more than the limit (used to be 4 items) there is a rail to swop them over from but it all depends how many items in total and whether there was a long queue for the first rooms too I suppose

That’s not what the op is complaining about. I’m sure it’s about the person saying how big was she before if this is the after! Exceptionally rude.

anyzee · 12/07/2025 14:16

The assistant will be sanctioned and may lose her job. Is that what you really want?

Just don't shop there anymore. There are plenty of other places, hit them in their pocket.

Letstheriveranswer · 12/07/2025 14:16

She was exceptionally rude. I would complain.