1950's sizes compared to 2010 sizes.

Alexnikov

Oh crumbs, I'm the same height as you and just la-la-la'd my way through those measurements. There's no way I'll ever be that tiny!!

I don't really bother looking at sizes in vintage clothing as they're so unlike modern ones. If it looks right then it gets bought but I still make some awful mistakes (like the gorgeous dress I bought at the weekend from a chazza shop and nearly got stuck in when I tried it on at home )

goanmad

Yes, there's a massive difference. I'm an 8 in contemporary sizing but most of my vintage dresses are a 12.
I'm currently wearing a 1970's cord maxi skirt with a waist measurement of 24inches and a label stating "14".

glowgirl_2

Errata wrote: »

The WW2 knitting womens knitting patterns are an eye opener ! Start at 30" bust, go up to 38", and if you were bigger than that you took your pick from the very few patterns for stout ladies.

:rotfl:at the word "stout", havnt heard that for years:D

luxor4t

Worse than 'stout': WXOS -women's extra outsize, or WXXOS which seems to measure up as an 18! :embarasse

Worst: 'matronly' ... the wartime picture shows a line drawing of a heavily corseted, stiff & upright woman with crimped hair & a nasty expression, wearing a dress that looks bullet-proof

Errata

luxor4t wrote: »

Worse than 'stout': WXOS -women's extra outsize, or WXXOS which seems to measure up as an 18! :embarasse

Worst: 'matronly' ... the wartime picture shows a line drawing of a heavily corseted, stiff & upright woman with crimped hair & a nasty expression, wearing a dress that looks bullet-proof

That was my granny, she wore Spirella and put her hair in Dinky curlers every night and her dresses were Hitler proof :rotfl::rotfl:

luxor4t

Errata wrote: »

That was my granny, she wore Spirella and put her hair in Dinky curlers every night and her dresses were Hitler proof :rotfl::rotfl:

And mine!
Dead-salmon pink ridgy fabric with tiny emboidered blobs, millions of hooks & eyes, lacing as well ...no wonder clothes lasted so long, I don't know how they managed to breathe let alone eat.

I remember something on 'Last of the Summer Wine' about taking off your corset being like going on holiday - thank goodness for modern underwear!

Angel_Jenny

Hi Bexta,

The book is called "The 1950's Look - Recreating the Fashions of the Fifties". If I had the confidence and the figure I would love to dress in the retro Fifties style.

I got my copy from Amazon and am finding it really interesting. I think there is a 1940's version too. There are sections on men, women, children and teenagers plus home dressmaking. There are also chapters on different accessories, hairstyles, the figure and make-up.

Angel Jenny :A

Angel_Jenny

It is strange that there is all this fuss over size 0 if the actual measurements of clothes have changed so much.

I wonder what modern clothes size those measurements would fit with.

I would love to fit into those measurements! I think my thigh is closer to the 1950's waist measurement than my actual waist! Scary stuff. Need to do more exercise :j.

I know that I am overweight but to reach those sizes I would need to lose 60 pounds and about the same in inches - highly unlikely that that is going to happen.

Restarting my diet soon - back on the celebrity slim!

Angel Jenny:A

lostinrates

Angel_Jenny wrote: »

It is strange that there is all this fuss over size 0 if the actual measurements of clothes have changed so much.

I think it might be worth pointing out we've got taller too, and that the average catwalk model is taller still than the average woman...so a size 0 (or british size six or whatever) at five foot 2 is substantially different from a size zero at almost six feet tall.

The important thing is to be healthy. For women I understand its very slightly healthier to be slightly over (not severely overweight or obese) than slightly underweight.Its also important we take in the nutrients we need from a healthy varied diet while limiting the ''rubbish''..more important than being the right ''historical'' shape.

Vaila

this thread is very interesting, i agree that shops are selling "vanity sizes" in order to make women feel good and buy there stock, and i also feel that the shape of women has dramatically changed since the 50s with the emphasis on a small waist, but for someone to have been the same weight 30 years ago but to have gone up 3 dress sizes is quite a shock! if anything i feel that if shops are seling larger sizes they should also sell smaller sizes, im sure i get just as frustrated as someone who is a size 30 to find clothes that fit well, but what a great idea it would be to make vintage clothing patterns from modern fabrics , best of both worlds