Man forced to return £300 coat after wearing it turned him into ‘a laughing stock’

A student splashed out £300 on a North Face coat only for people to mistake him for a Primark worker due to its blue and black colours – leaving him so embarrassed he returned it.

Red-faced Connor Cundale returned the coat three weeks after snapping it up as he felt like a ‘laughing stock’ around campus.

After uploading videos to TikTok poking fun at his predicament, the 20-year-old advertising student opted to get a jacket that wouldn’t make him look like a ‘walking Primark advertisement’.

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Some Primark employees commented on the likeness to their uniform, while other TikTok users branded Connor ‘stupid’ and said the ‘joke was on him’ for paying so much for his fashion faux pas.

The video, which has received more than two million views, shows Connor wearing his coat on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol as the caption reads: ‘You think you can hurt me? I spent £300 on a coat just to look like a Primark employee.’

Connor, from Buckhurst Hill, Essex, said: “On the day I bought it, I went out with my friends that evening.

“One of them made a comment like ‘oh, he’s wearing a Primark coat.’

After uploading videos to TikTok poking fun at his predicament, the 20-year-old advertising student opted to get a jacket that wouldn't make him look like a 'walking Primark advertisement'
After uploading videos to TikTok poking fun at his predicament, the 20-year-old advertising student opted to get a jacket that wouldn’t make him look like a ‘walking Primark advertisement’
(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

“I didn’t think anything of it, but that evening, it clicked in my head that I was a walking Primark advertisement. The colours were spot on.

“I was in Primark one day, and this lady tapped me on the shoulder.

“She asked ‘do you work here?’, I just turned around and laughed. I said, ‘No, I’m just repping the colours.’

“After that, I noticed loads of people staring at me.

“I don’t know if I was being paranoid, but I was wondering whether people were going to come up to me to ask for help.

“It put me off wearing the coat in Primark, it put me off wearing the coat point blank.

“I had someone I didn’t know at university make a comment to me, saying I looked like I worked in Primark.

Red-faced Connor Cundale returned the coat three weeks after snapping it up as he felt like a 'laughing stock'
Red-faced Connor Cundale returned the coat three weeks after snapping it up as he felt like a ‘laughing stock’
(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

“It became well known in student halls that I was the guy with the North Face Primark employee coat.

“I was embarrassed. I felt like such a laughing stock for spending that much money on something now being related to a Primark employee.

“Nothing is wrong with working in Primark of course, but you just wouldn’t want your coat looking like a brand’s uniform.

“I actually ended up returning the coat in the end. I had it for three weeks overall.”

Connor decided to take his blunder and turn it into a self-deprecating TikTok, where it received a mixed response.

Connor said: “When I made the connection, I thought it’d be funny to make a video on TikTok poking fun at myself.

“It went viral and I got so many comments from Primark employees saying how much I looked like one of them. I just thought ‘I can’t deal with this, I really can’t. I’ve got to return it.’

“I filmed the video on Clifton Suspension bridge in Bristol. I did get some comments from people saying I’m an idiot and that I should jump off the bridge.

“I just had to laugh it off though.”

Fortunately for Connor, North Face were able to refund him on his purchase, allowing him to switch up the colour palette
Fortunately for Connor, North Face were able to refund him on his purchase, allowing him to switch up the colour palette
(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Fortunately for Connor, North Face were able to refund him on his purchase, allowing him to switch up the colour palette.

Connor said: “I didn’t like the idea of having spent so much money on it and then people making a joke out of it. It was a nice coat, it was a nice colour, it was just the connection.

“I only recently got into design stuff. North Face is a really good brand with high quality stuff, so I made an investment into it.

“I managed to return the coat, even though I’d removed the labels. Their policy says that they don’t accept returns if that’s been done.

“But I got in touch with them and just explained that I really didn’t like the coat, and the customer service was really nice. They said I could send it back.

“I got a replacement coat in a balsam green colour. I made sure there were no resemblances to any supermarkets or any other big brands.

“I have the coat I want now, and I’m really happy with it.”

Other users were more critical of Connor's shopping choices
Other users were more critical of Connor’s shopping choices.
(Image: Kennedy News and Media)

Several people saw the humour in Connor’s situation, as they agreed with the comparison.

One user commented: “I’m crying, I do work at Primark and you genuinely look like you could be my co-worker.”

Another user joked: “Employee of the month boyo, now get behind them tills.”

Other users were more critical of Connor’s shopping choices.

One wrote: “Oh, I’m sorry you make s**t decisions,” whilst another said: “Bro, you spent £300 on a coat…the joke’s on you.”

Another commenter said: “If you paid £300 for that North Face coat I’d jump off that bridge, mate.”

Primark and The North Face have been contacted for comment.

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