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AIBU?

To not understand why (and be against) “improved sizing”

255 replies

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:20

So, I don’t know if this is just in Primark or everywhere will be taking it on but I’m a bit shocked that the sizing for clothes is being re-marked. For example a 10-12 which was previously medium will now be small, 8-10 XS etc.

This feels like an excuse to ignore true sizing and doesn’t seem healthy! Tbh it reminds me of the people who try to push the “Marilyn monroe was a size 16 and perfectly healthy”. But she wasn’t was she, not a size 16 now anyway!!!

I feel like sizing is already generous and changing it to make people appear even smaller when they haven’t changed isn’t good for accountability for the fact that obesity is an ever growing crisis.

I don’t agree that my “new” size reflects my actual size and I’m sure this is going to be the same for many people.

I just don’t see what the point was in doing it! Hmm

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AveABanana · 19/07/2018 14:26

I don't give a shite I just wish it was consistent throughout all shops. So a medium or a 12 in Primark was actually the same in H&M.

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:28

Will this not make that worse though? Since Primark are using a smaller tag and H&M are usually less generous than a lot of other places? Maybe they’re doing it too, however I can’t imagine they will be changing their current sizes in line with this as that would be a fairly big jump!

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pennycarbonara · 19/07/2018 14:29

Do you have an article about this? Hadn't heard anything about sizing standardisation for maybe a couple of years.

Tend to agree FWIW if it is as you describe. There is research showing that quite a lot of people don't know what a healthy weight looks like visually any more, and they assume that slightly overweight is it.

Though it's hard to believe shops will actually standardise their sizing. Currently stuff labelled 8/XS up to 14 all fits me. Tried on quite a lot of clothes today so that is all on the same occasion. (On shop size charts most of me right now is 14 but 12 waist.) I'm sure others have similar experiences.

Flippetydip · 19/07/2018 14:29

It's ridiculous and encouraging everyone to view obesity as OK.

But whatever, consistency would be amazing. I'm a size 10 in M&S, a size 12 most places and a size 14-16 in H&M.

MagicFajita · 19/07/2018 14:30

I'd like our sizing to be similar to that of men's clothing to be honest. None of this 12/14 nonsense. Just give me 42 hip trousers and 36 chest shirts.

WarPigeon · 19/07/2018 14:30

Because we should actively promote and legitimise being fat, it’s doing wonders for our school children (Warning - Sarcasm).

TokenBritPoshOfCourse · 19/07/2018 14:31

I bought DD (14) two pairs of ‘small’ primark PJs at the weekend, the same style I’ve bought her before. They were huge on her, so I’ve got them. I’m a generous 12, sometimes 14. Small my arse.

ComedyBoobs · 19/07/2018 14:32

Are we talking about 'vanity' sizing?
If that's the case, I don't see the point either. I go by dressmaking patterns.... Which leaves me completely clueless when it comes to buying clothes.

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:32

Penny I’ll have a look and see if I can find one, currently on the go (I’m an idiot and always start threads when I should be doing other things). I found out from the signs in store and noticing everything was re-labelled with an extra tag saying “new improved sizing”

I’m generally an 8-10 everywhere, just below middle end of healthy weight and completely disagree that my size reflects “XS”

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pennycarbonara · 19/07/2018 14:33

Wasn't it that H&M made different Euro sizes equivalent to UK sizes from most other shops, and changed that this recently to fall into line?

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:33

Magic I was saying this to DP yesterday! Give me measurements and fuck off with the ever changing alpha sizing numbers.

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SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:34

Penny Possibly, I tend to get most clothes from Primark or eBay as I’m continually losing due to a dodgy feeding tube.

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LikesAnimalPark · 19/07/2018 14:36

Another vote for don't care about the number or XXXS vs XS, just so long as it is consistent across all the shops.

Mominatrix · 19/07/2018 14:37

I find this infuriating. As a person on the small side and who has not gained weight since uni days, my size has gone from a size 4 to a 000. What next? 0000000? How ridiculous.

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:38
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Creatureofthenight · 19/07/2018 14:38

I agree that 8-10 is not XS and I say that as a size 16. It’s my fault I’m overweight and if I need to buy L or XL then that’s my problem, I don’t need Primark trying to make me feel better.
Totally agree that standardisation across shops would be very welcome!

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:40

Mominatrix. I have friends much smaller than me and they must really struggle to buy clothes. I already find myself buying kids clothes a lot (which btw girls past age 11-12, sizing is insanity)

If you push the normal weight/size people in to super low sizes, where does it stop? There’s going to become a point where healthy looking bodies are deemed as extremely underweight, just because sizing is so skewed. If you’re told a size is extra small then you’re going to believe that if you’re not that size.

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allertse · 19/07/2018 14:41

H&M are the only one I was aware were doing this, which IMO is great, as their sizing was seriously out of whack with most high street shops. I'm usually a 12 but have had to buy size 16 in there in the past, so I'm glad they're loosening them up a bit!

It's all ridiculous though, a "size 10" is a meaningless concept. Why not just label them with the body size they will fit - 36 inch chest, 28 inch waist, etc.

angelichosts · 19/07/2018 14:42

So this thread is just another excuse for naturally slim people to look down on other women who are not a size 8-10? Lovely.

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:45

I feel H&M had the most appropriate sizing. Anytime I’ve been anywhere in Europe I could always expect to fit in to clothes anywhere using my H&M size. The same is definitely not true for some other shops. There’s not really any reason UK sizing should be different from European sizing tbh!

So the new primark sizing will align to the US size on the stuff we’ve recently brought back from DLP and I was previously shocked that the US size was an entire size down from everywhere else deemed healthy... and now we’re doing the same??

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Downtheroadfirstonleft · 19/07/2018 14:45

Consistency across stores would be great....

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:46

Angelic pfft, I don’t think throwing your guts up after trying to eat and needing a feeding tube can be considered “naturally slim”

Was a UK size 16-18 around a year ago

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EleanorAbernathy · 19/07/2018 14:46

From experience Primark doesn't have consistent sizing within it's own store let alone in comparison to other places so I can't see this making much of a difference! I'm normally a size 8-10 but have to try everything on in Primark. Last time I was there I left with a dress in a size 12 and a top in a size 6-8!

SchrodingersMeowth · 19/07/2018 14:47

Allertse The made up numbers don’t make sense to me that either.

Feels as though we’re not capable of being trusted with knowing our true size, working it out Grin

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tectonicplates · 19/07/2018 14:47

Are you referring to this?

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/high-street-retailers-universal-sizing-shape-gb-campaign-asos-zara-a8420651.html

The idea was to create standardised sizing, so if you're a size 10 in one shop then you're a size 10 in all shops.

Which sounds good in theory, but actually, it's going to be an absolute disaster, because it works on the assumption that everyone has the same hip-to-waist ratio, which we don't, and don't even get me started about bust size. High street shops are already heavily biased towards staight-up-and-down women and provide more or less nothing for hourglass shapes. We're already discriminated against enough as it is, and this is going to make things worse for us. Women are all different shapes so it would surely make sense for shops to make clothes for a variety of shapes, but in reality they don't. They make nearly everything for one shape and nothing for anyone else.

Also, size and fit isn't just about the exact measurements, but also the stretch and quality of the fabric, so even if Primark made stuff the same size as Hobbs, it still wouldn't sit the same. Also, black dye causes shrinkage so black clothes tend to come up slightly smaller than the same items in other colours, so again the measurements wouldn't create 100% uniformity.

I remember clothes sizing was changed quite dramatically around 2001. Here's an article about it that was written in 2004: www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/from-a-size-12-to-a-16-how-women-have-changed-shape-546959.html - I remember that within a year or so, high street clothes suddenly no longer got me any more, because they somehow got hold of a load of biased results which suggested that women apparently no longer go in at the waist and out at the hips. Well, plenty of us still do, thanks very much - you may have seen us complaining on message boards about how hard it is looking for clothes that fit properly. This new sizing survey is going to make things even worse for us.

And don't even get me started about height. Shops make all their clothes for women who are taller than average, and clothes are getting more and more ridiculously long at the moment. We're not all 5ft 7. Clothes designers really don't have a clue.

So standardised sizing would probably be great for 50% of us, and a total disaster for everyone else.

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