How to get size 8 clothes (1970s size 8 that is)

moneyistooshorttomention

Thanks.

I have now persuaded Little Old Lady to go and have a look in Next and check them out. It hasn't been one of "her" shops previously. But...I've been telling her she needs to investigate other clothes shops and its a start.

moneyistooshorttomention

missbiggles1 wrote: »

A friend of mine has been buying Asian clothes online - they're very cheap and very small!

She'd need to be selective (they're a bit young in style) in her choices but she could look here.

http://www.sammydress.com/Wholesale-Black-Dresses-c-349.html

Mygawd that's cheap!!!!

Just had a quick glance and thought "She'd like that first dress - if she were younger". Back to have another look.

Evil_Olive

I can attest to the sizing thing. I was a teenager in the eighties and wore a size 12 which was usually labelled 'To fit: 34" bust, 26" waist and 36" hips'. I also have vintage '70s stuff that is labelled 'Size 14, 36" Bust'
I'm now 38-32-43 but wear a size 14 - only one size larger - go figure!
I've got a few vintage sewing patterns from the '50s/early '60s that are marked 'Size 14, Bust 32' !!!!! even smaller. So this expanding size thing isn't a new phenomena. When it really got going in the late eighties the marketing people called it 'Vanity Sizing'. The idea was that getting into a size smaller than she thought she was would make a woman feel good about herself and be more likely to buy the item :rollseyes:

pollyanna24

My mum is tiny (think 4' 10 and 6st 3lb), so I will ask her when I next see here where she shops.

jackyann

I would try La Redoute on line - they have a fantastic range BUT each line they do comes up slightly differently, so it can be a bit hit-and-miss.
However, they exchange at no cost and will collect, so as long as your friend is willing to send back what doesn't suit she may find them very good (they have a size converter as they sell all over Europe)

moneyistooshorttomention

pollyanna24 wrote: »

My mum is tiny (think 4' 10 and 6st 3lb), so I will ask her when I next see here where she shops.

Thanks - this is even tinier than Little Old Lady (as she is 5'3" and I think is 7.5 stone). So if your mum can get sorted - then this might well help.

kerri_gt

Sorry i can't help on the store front, but omg this thread has just depressed me :rotfl: Saying that, I prob used to buy Sz 10-12 as a teen, now can fluctuate between a sz 6 in some stores up to a 10 in good old non-standard primarni.

It is deff true that people are wider than in prev decades ( as a teen I couldn't fit into a pair of shorts my mum wore AFTER she had me :eek:) but then people are also taller, and diff shapes. I find Esprit a total nightmare, fits my friend beautifully but she can't stand Zara or Mango which I find fit me well.

Good luck to your friend finding some suitable new attire OP.

moneyistooshorttomention

There is some element of real changes in body shape we've had I think - though I don't know to what extent.

My bigger boobs, for instance, isn't fat (as they are still like that - even at my slimmest and not far off medically underweight). I suspect that might be years on the Pill and that that effect stayed even after I no longer had to use it?? Not that that would be regarded as an undesirable side-effect to many people..:cool:

Peoples' feet are often longer than they used to be - and that's obviously not fat. Little Old Lady has standard size feet for her generation (ie size 3), I have standard size for my generation (ie size 5). I gather its not uncommon for women to have feet up to size 8 these days. On the other hand - I think Clarks shoeshops are telling us porkies along vanity sizing lines when they say that "standard" shoe width is D width and that's what they make these days. So people like myself who really DO have "standard width" feet (ie C width) are left complaining to Clarks as to how we are supposed to regard them as our default shoeshop these days - when they are only making wide width shoes now. I don't tend to think peoples feet have got genuinely wider (ie because the bones etc in their feet have changed).

There are natural variations in body shape generally and I guess Zara, for instance, stocks more "European" body shape clothes (being Spanish)? Actually - that means I might be able to find clothes to suit my shape better - think I'll have a look there when I get the chance. I did read that Marks & Spencer (for instance) make their clothes for pear-shape women and realised that would probably explain why the hips are often too big around for me on their clothes. Darn it - as M & S tends to be my default main clothes shop.

zippychick

As this has dropped down OS, i've moved it to Health and Beauty to see if you get some more input over here

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Zip

aintshesweet

Zara and River Island carry smaller sizes, the clothes also tend to be cut for a straighter figure, so maybe try there? Gap is good for teeny tiny sizes (I used to be able to get 00 in there... which is 2-4?).

Avoid Next and M&S - they are some of the worst offenders for sizing up.

Is your lady short too?? Because actually H&M kids and Next kids (and some of the petite range - although the petite range is not particularly small) actually have good, classic basics at a good price. I've also got some okay clothes from China/Japan on ebay - it's a bit hit or miss but is also very cheap as well as tiny so for me, it's worth it if I only need to charity shop one or two items straight away...

The only smart designer brand I know with smaller measurements these days is Moschino - but that's only because I don't really shop designer, someone else might be able to help you with that!

In terms of skirts and trousers - trousers I've given up on the waist ever fitting me but I have a bigger problem (ahem) because I'm short, small, with a big booty, and small waist - but your lady might be able to get away with tailoring just enough to make regular shop trousers look much better. Skirts can also very easily be tailored at home - I've had no lessons on sewing but I still manage to tailor my own skirts at home so they hit the right part of the leg. Necklines of tops can also be adjusted fairly easily so they look more appropriate for a lady, rather than a child, especially if they're from the kids section!