Airs & Graces

I visited the shop on January 5 and was also served by Jane. I am also a size 12 and said I was interested in trying a fishtail dress. She look horrified by the suggestion. She even said to me I really don’t want to put you in a fishtail. It’s not going to work. I don’t consider a size 12 to be big and I wanted to show off my hour glass shape. I arrived 5mins early for my appointment and was sent upstairs to the sale rail and told they would they me know when they were ready for me. When I was eventually allowed downstairs I wasn’t allowed to look at any of the dresses myself. I was rushed into the dressing room while Jane and another woman (who I later realised was the owner) discussed which dresses THEY were going to try on me. I was handed A-​line after A-​line dress despite saying again and again I wanted something of a slimmer fit. Jane’s response was Your waist is your best feature and that’s what we need to draw attention to. In other words, they felt my body should be covered up. A man was lurking in the doorway between the main shop and the back room the entire time (I’m assuming he was associated with the owner). I didn’t want a man looking at me in the dresses and felt uncomfortable. He also offered the women working there a cup of tea while me, my mum and sister weren’t even offered a glass of water. We all felt very uncomfortable. We felt we weren’t ‘allowed’ to touch the dresses and, when I struggled, to walk in the dresses in the heels they provided, Jane BARKED at me HOLD IT UP AT THE FRONT!!.
I’ve since been into a couple of other shops where I was told the fishtail looked stunning on my curves and felt really beautiful and excited for my big day. If you’re bridal shopping in Berko, i’d recommend Brides of Berkhamsted down the road instead of Airs and Graces. They were lovely there and had a beautiful selection of dresses. I also Airs and Graces in tears.