Complaint Rating:

Company information:
Kohl's
United States
Phone: 615-826-2048

My wife and I go to Kohl's weekly to shop for clothes for her. She has spent thousands of dollars in this particular store in Hendersonville, TN. Today we went in as usual browsing clothes, and when she had picked out enough we made our way to the fitting room. We are nearly 30 and have been married for 3 years. She has always taken me in with her to comment on how the clothes fit and if she should buy or not. We have never had a problem doing this before, and there are NO signs posted stating that a man is not allowed to go in to the dressing room with his wife to give her opinions on her clothes. The main reason she takes me in is because she wants to save herself the embarrassment of having to walk out and show me in front of everybody if the clothes don't flatter her.

Well today like any other time, we go into the fitting room and she starts to try on the clothes. The only signs that I see on the wall say "5 items or less in the fitting room at one time", and a sign to the effect that the dressing rooms are monitored, so don't try to steal anything. NOTHING about men not being allowed inside the rooms.

Suddenly a terrible bang comes from outside and a woman starts yelling, yes YELLING about how I am NOT allowed in the rooms, that they are for woman only and I need to get out immediately, and how I should be ashamed of myself. I stated I was not aware of that policy and left the room, having to traverse the eyes of the bystanders that heard her outburst, and now think that I've done some 'lude' act in the dressing room with a girl. On top of this, my wife then has to go through the embarrassment of bringing every outfit out to show me, instead of being able to show me in the 'privacy' of the dressing room.

As I stood outside the dressing room, I started to become angry because I realized that NOWHERE did it state that I couldn't go in. It was as if I should magically have had this innate sense of etiquette that tells me that a man is not allowed to accompany his wife anywhere there are other women locked in rooms, whom I can't see trying on clothes. RIDICULOUS.

As the woman walked by I read her nametag. Kathleen. I was very polite to her. I said "Ma'am, I don't understand why I was asked to leave the dressing room?"

She began to make points that didn't add up.

1 - She stated that this fitting area was in the woman's clothing area and was therefore naturally intended for woman ONLY.

My problem with this. the sign says "For your convenience - FITTING ROOM". NOTHING about 'Female only' fitting room, 'Non-Male' fitting room...

I stated that we were a married couple for 3 years and were grown adults of 30 years. We had no intentions of any wrong-doing, and that I thought that she had been extremely rude and obnoxiously loud when we had done nothing wrong.

2 - She stated that it was a store policy and that all customers were required to follow it.

My response...WHERE IS IT WRITTEN? Where is it so that I know that? I would have no problem following a store policy if I know it exists.

Her response was that if I am a grown 30 yr old, I should know better! hmmpf.

So I asked to speak to her manager.

She gets on the phone and no doubt tells the manager her side of the story which I'm sure was twisted in her favor.

The manager comes over (not wearing a nametag; AMAZING) and proceeded to be as rude if not more rude than Kathleen. Stating that I should KNOW that I am not allowed in those dressing rooms.

I told her I wanted to see it in writing. If it is a store policy, than it must be in writing SOMEWHERE.

Her response - I don't have time to show you.

My response - well, we don't have time to buy these $300 worth of clothes.

Her response - I don't really care.

So there you have it...I would say this incident qualifies as discrimination when I am not allowed someplace when there are no signs posted saying I can't enter, especially when I am with my wife.

I will also be sending this to Kohl's headquarters in hopes they will at least take action to make sure this kind of incident doesn't happen again by posting signs and hopefully taking action against the parties involved that were extremely rude and hurtful to me and my wife.