Women's clothes sizes

Fireflyaway

Maybe I'm being trivial but I went shopping at the weekend and really struggled to find nice clothes. I'm a size 16-18 so yes I'm chubby but that's not uncommon these days.
I was really disappointed. What was meant to be a happy trip to get new things for my new job left me feeling even fatter and like some unwanted minority.
I don't remember Such tiny sizes growing up either. Maybe my memory is letting me down but i though size 10 used to be the smallest now I'm seeing 8 and even 6 as standard. Should I just accept I need to hit the gym?!

IAmWales

Your memory is letting you down, sizes are actually larger than they used to be, vanity sizing.

Maybe time to hit the gym.

Gingernutty

Sizes are getting larger as they are based on the average proportions of the national average.

As we are all getting bigger, the average size 14 is getting bigger as well.

I'm currently a modern size 14-16 and a fan of vintage clothing.

I found a size 16 pair of trousers from BHS in the 80s and they don't fit. They are far too small. I can't do the button on them, let alone the zip.

As the average size is getting (unhealthily) bigger, the old size 10 is now equivalent to an 8 or a 6 and the old size 12 is roughly equal to a 8 or a 10.

Pollycat

When I was late teens, a size 10 was a 22" waist.
Yes. Really. :eek:
And it wasn't rare that people were size 10 or 12.

But maybe the OP isn't talking about sizes of clothes but more the lack of choice of clothes she likes in her size.

nimbo

Im not a skinny Minnie and can sometimes struggle too.

Don't be too disheartened. Where did you look? Personally my work clothes budget is not huge. But I still manage at Asda and Tesco. As we as primarni.

I don't tend to like the same things as Many of my colleagues or things that are too fashionable so do often have to shop around. I also hate skinny jeans. Buying a suit jacket was traumatic a few weeks ago. My boobs are two sizes bigger than the rest of me. I recently bought a beautiful dress at Laura Ashley but that was definitely on the list of too exspensive for work usually.

But also Possibly time to hit the gym. Not in a mean way it's on the cards for me too.

hazyjo

Try Matalan and eBay. Fab choices! X

Fireflyaway

Thank you everyone. That's interesting to hear because I don't have any old clothes to compare. Having looked on some websites I found the largest size to be 18. If I get any bigger I won't be able to shop there end of. So I need to accept some action is needed here!

Hermia

IAmWales wrote: »

Your memory is letting you down, sizes are actually larger than they used to be, vanity sizing.

Vanity sizing is indeed out of control. I have quite a lot of old clothes that I bought in the 80s and 90s. Most are size 12 and 14 and are the same size as 8 and 10 now. When I was at school most girls were 10 and the smallest girl was an 8 and she was a tiny Asian girl. Now the teens I know are all 6 and 8, but they are no smaller than the girls in my school.

OP - I expect your weight has crept up without you realising or you have been wearing clothes that are stretched out or from a brand that uses vanity sizing. You could try measuring yourself and see if you can get an idea of what your actual size is. I did this and it was a shock!

elsien

It also varies a lot between shops - a size 16 in one shop will have different measurements in other shops. Rather than just look at the sizes, try to work out which brands have more generous sizing - for example I find M&S to be a little more spacious.
Have you seen this website? Put your actual measurements in and it tells you which size to go for in different brands. Not tried it, but seen it mentioned in the press.
http://sizes.darkgreener.com

moneyistooshorttomention

Fireflyaway wrote: »

I don't remember Such tiny sizes growing up either. Maybe my memory is letting me down but i though size 10 used to be the smallest now I'm seeing 8 and even 6 as standard. Should I just accept I need to hit the gym?!

Yes - you do need to lose weight.

The tiny size labelling is because:

1970s size 10 = is now re-labelled size 6
1970s size 12 = is now re-labelled size 8
1970s size 14 = is now re-labelled size 10
1970s size 16 = is now re-labelled size 12
1970s size 18 = size 14
1970s size 20 = size 16
1970s size 22 = size 18

Gloomendoom

Vanity sizing has spread to some men's clothes too. I have two pairs of shorts labelled 36" waist and they are. The most comfortable pair of shorts I own are labelled 34". They measure 37"