It's all too easy to pick up the wrong size in a busy Primark store, but 25-year-old Bryony Martel made an even bigger blunder while on the hunt for a sun-friendly outfit for a prestigious day at the polo.
After a story emerged about a woman proudly wearing a Primark nightie to a wedding this week, Bryony soon realised she'd plumped for the same outfit - without realising the £20 silky slip was part of the store's Bridgerton sleep range.
London-based Bryony told The Mirror that she chose the garment for a day at Chestertons Polo as it looked lightweight, and had the letter 'B' embossed all over it - a nice touch, given her first name.
"I literally realised it was nightwear yesterday when I read the Mirror article", Bryony shared. "I don't normally shop in Primark and I was just going to pick up some insoles for my shoes for the polo, but the dress I was originally going to wear was quite thick and lined, and when I went upstairs I saw some silk dresses hanging up.
"I went up to them and thought 'oh that's actually really pretty' and I saw it was from the Bridgerton collection, and because my name is Bryony, it had the letter B all over it so I thought it won't look too odd if I've got a dress with some B's on.
"I didn't even try it on, just got went and out because I was in a rush, and it was the next day we were going. So I tried it on in the morning and I asked my friend whether it was too see-through and she said no so I wore it for the day.
"Then next day I was looking at my phone and the article popped up and I thought 'I swear that's the same dress', and I clicked on it and was like 'oh my god I was wearing that all day yesterday, and didn't realise it was a nightie' because nowhere on the label does it say."
Bryony admitted that she "assumed" the Bridgerton collection items were all daywear styles when she visited the store. There were corsets nearby, but as these are often worn as outerwear now, she didn't think any of it was nightwear.
The fashion conscious woman also said there were lots of women wearing silky slip dresses at the polo, so she wasn't concerned that she stood out as wearing a nightie, especially as the top section of the dress is actually lined.
"The only giveaway is maybe the straps as they're similar to a bra, but other than that, it's just a normal satin dress", Bryony said. "I just thought it was a little design addition."
She said she'd looked at so many different dresses, describing it as the perfect opportunity to "dress up and look nice", as "people make quite a bit of an effort".
For Bryony, the budget Primark number "shone" as it's "elegant, lightweight and flowy" and perfect for the 31-degree weather.
"If Primark keeps coming up with nice satin, long slip dresses with flowers, I'd definitely shop there again", she said. "And you can't complain about the price either when we're in a cost of living crisis."
She did admit that shopping at Primark leaves her "conflicted" as she did her dissertation at university on circular fashion, and she's a "big believer in keeping hold of what she already has."
"I hardly ever buy new clothing - this was my first purchase in four months or something because it's only if I've got an occasion where I don't have anything suitable that I go out and get something new", Bryony said.
"I definitely think if you don't have lots of money to throw around for a big occasion, Primark is a very good option.
"I was also really pleased that this item is part of their more eco range, I think 50% of the materials are recycled, so it did make me feel a little bit better that I wasn't just buying something that I wouldn't get much wear out of in the future.
"I think people are much more open-minded these days, so if you want to wear something, I say just go for it."
Have you made a similar mistake? Email: danielle.wroe@reachplc.com
