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AIBU?

To be hugely pissed off that Superdry apparently do not make clothes larger than a size 10?

114 replies

GetOrfMoiLand · 24/12/2010 09:44

Well this is a bit of mumsnet karma, after me saying on a thread this week that I didn't think size 12 was that small...

I went to Superdry yesterday with dd to buy her a coat for christmas. If you don't know it it is a chain of shops which cater mainly for teens and young trendies.

Bloody coats cost £120 but I won't moan about that now.

DD is 15, is the same height and size as me (8-10, just shy of 6 foot), although she is broader of shoulder than me. She tried on a size L and it just about fit - would be a bit tight if you had a jumper on (dd just had a long sleeved thin t shirt type top on yesterday).

I asked the shop assistant if they had a XL (being a mum I want a coat with a bit of 'give'). They don't. I was a bit Hmm at this and said to the assistant 'so if you are larger than a size 10 you cannot fit into any of the coats in here?'. She said that a lot of 'larger' girls bought mens coats as they didn't fit into the girls. I said that I wouldn't in a month of sundays consider a size 12 'large'.

She also said that the sizes come up small as 'it is a Japanese brand'. I said that I knew that the brand started on a market stall in hereford and all the clothes were designed up the road in Cheltenham, and Superdry was about as Japanese as i was.

At this point dd was melting into the ground in embarassment. I bought the bloody coat against my better judgement.

i am so pissed off at this. How irresponsible? This is a brand whose market is pretty much teenagers. I can't imagine how it must feel as a teenager to try one of their coats on and not be able to fit in it.

Should I write a stinking letter?

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Tootlesmummy · 24/12/2010 09:47

I can understand why you might be a little cross but I wouldn't bother, to me it isn't any worse than when I go into the vast majority of high street shops and can't get things to fit me being a size 6 and not 5' 5" tall! (unless I like old ladies clothes).

I would just write this shop off as one which your daughter can shop in for coats and go elsewhere.

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panettoinydog · 24/12/2010 09:48

Hm.

I'd perhaps write a polite request sorta letter, asking they consider increasing their size range.

They don't have to provide a wide range of sizes and they don't even have to provide clothes that fit anyone. Obv it makes good business sense to do so.

So I wouldn't be shirty because I think a calm polite approach has a much higher chance of having some effect.

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MadreInglese · 24/12/2010 09:50

Shock I can't believe you bought it!

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Bonsoir · 24/12/2010 09:50

I'm surprised, to be honest. I have a couple of shirts from Superdry in a medium/size 12 and they fit me very comfortably indeed - I am normally a 10/12 everywhere.

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GetOrfMoiLand · 24/12/2010 09:53

Hmm, well yes I have got a superdry jumper (don't know what size it is) and that fits me well.

DP has also got a load of T shirts in M and they fit fine.



Can't imagine it must just be the sizing for coats. They are tight fitting. Perhaps I am just a bit pissed off at myself for spending £120 on an ANORAK which she will not be able to fit a hoody underneath.

Don't suppose it is much different from girls who are size 18 not being able to fit into anything from River Island.

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panettoinydog · 24/12/2010 09:58

You really shouldn't have bought it at that price. But I think you know that and that is why you are so cross Wink

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clam · 24/12/2010 09:59

Superdry? Isn't that a pharmacy? Or a laundrette?

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panettoinydog · 24/12/2010 09:59

get with teh beat, clam

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superv1xen · 24/12/2010 10:00

i would be soooooo Angry at the shop assistant implying your DD was a "larger" girl!!! bloody snotty trendy twats who work in pretentious clothes shops PISS ME RIGHT OFF.

especially superdry, one of the most pretentious shops ever known! and PMSL at "its a japanese brand" Hmm

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GetOrfMoiLand · 24/12/2010 10:01

Hmm.

I think perhaps you are right.

I was getting up quite a steam of self-righteous glory there and you stopped me in my tracks.

Think it was a bit of a cheek saying it is Jaopanese hence designed for smaller girls, when it is a west country UK firm. Poncey farts.

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pinguwings · 24/12/2010 10:02

Completely agree! That bloody Hollister store which has just opened near me is exactly the same. They can't seem to understand the damage it can do to a teenager to have to buy a Large or worse still not be able to wear the clothes, because they're a size 12+

My friend's DD(14) is severely underweight and has been semi-anorexic for the last 3 years. She has to get a Medium in super dry. Scary at who they think could wear their small!

This really needs looking at. Definitely write a letter.

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JenaiMarrsTartanFoxCube · 24/12/2010 10:02

I guess the style is meant to be skinny. Not that I know about these things. I'm very much hoping ds becomes a goth type like his mother. Far easier on the wallet Xmas Wink

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pinguwings · 24/12/2010 10:05

Don't suppose it is much different from girls who are size 18 not being able to fit into anything from River Island.

It is different. Size 12 is healthy. Size 18 generally isn't.

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JenaiMarrsTartanFoxCube · 24/12/2010 10:05

When I say skinny, I mean tight fighting btw, not that it's only to be worn by beanpoles.

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GetOrfMoiLand · 24/12/2010 10:09

It must be designed for tiny short people.

DD is slim for her height. There is no way on god's earth that she, or any of her friends, would be able to fit into a small. It must be size 2 or something.

That said dd has a load of Hollister stuff, don't think the sizing is as bad there. Mind you it is all joggers and hoodies, no tight fitting stuff like this coat.

It must be designed to fit very tightly. Not helfpul if you are shopping with a body obsessed teenage girl - can you imagine how crushing that would feel.

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TakeYourFunWhereYouFindIt · 24/12/2010 10:13

The tops in Superdry are really really small fitting - I'm a size 10-12 top, size 8 bottom and no problem getting sweatpants to fit, but tops are always a squeeze.

Hollister is the other way around - their tops are more generous, but their bottoms are miniscule - bought an XS recently by mistake, and couldn't even get them over my thighs (and I have legs like twigs, seriously).

Agree that it's really not good for young girl's self-image - I take my nearly 12 year old goddaughter occasionally, and I cringe every time because one of these days the stuff just won't fit her - and she's FAR from fat.

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Bathsheba · 24/12/2010 10:15

I always think it sounds like a range of feminine hygeine products...

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superv1xen · 24/12/2010 10:17

LOL bathsheba - i think it sounds like nappies :)

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JenaiMarrsTartanFoxCube · 24/12/2010 10:18

I guess they'll argue that there's no market for normal sized clothers or somesuch bollocks. Which would be fair enough if they were talking about size 18s - but 10/12s? Confused

I do think you should complain, GOML. It sounds hideous.

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FredFredGeorge · 24/12/2010 10:28

pinguwings, a teenager should not be getting damaged at having to buy a large and shops simply changing their sizing to xxxs,xxs,xs,s,m just to avoid the term large to hurt their fragile egos is silly and will just move the negative connotations to M or S. The more descriptive terms are the right ones for a shop to use.

OP - YANBU for expecting a shop to stock clothes in an appropriate size, however YABU to complain about it after you decided that the smaller size was appropriate and bought it all that's done is confirmed to the shop that they made the right decision. No sale lost and saved on having to stock more sizes.

Take it back, because it doesn't fit.

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southeastastra · 24/12/2010 10:30

are superdry japanese? wondering as they're normally alot smaller than us europeans

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southeastastra · 24/12/2010 10:31

oh sorry they're not, just pretend to be

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gallicgirl · 24/12/2010 10:37

In a similar vein, I went to H&M yesterday to buy maternity clothes. I'm usually a size 10 pre-pregnancy but I know their clothes come up small and I'd have to get a 12. However, I have found their medium a good fit in the maternity range.

So, I've grown out of my last pair of maternity trousers so I pick up a size 12 and a size 14. The size 12 barely came over my knees and the 14 was a bit of a squeeze too. I have a look at the labels in case I've picked up the wrong size and notice that they are labelling a UK size 12 as a European size 38. I bought a size 16!!!! (not tried them on yet so not sure how they fit)

I mentioned to the assistant that their sizes were all wrong and I couldn't have a go because it's not her fault, but I think it's disgusting that they deliberately label them incorrectly in the first place. I've bought clothes in enough European countries to know a 38 is a UK 10, not a 12. The very slim assistant said she had sometimes had to buy a 14 Confused. How are girls/women supposed to have a healthy body image when shops mess with their minds and judgement like this?

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TrillianAstra · 24/12/2010 10:52

It's not the job of the shops to promote healthy body image, it is their job to make money for their shareholders.

Making everything both short and tiny would enhance the 'Japanese' image that Superdry try to put out.

And yes, it's a ridiculous twatish thing to do, and you'd think they woud get more business if they had a better range of sizes, but maybe they what to pretend to be 'exclusive'.

Isn't Superdry a beer you get in noodle places?

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FabbyChic · 24/12/2010 10:54

A 38 did used to be a 12, they increased all the size years ago.

20 years ago I was a size 10 now I'd need a 12.

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