To say vanity sizes should be rolled back?

I have a size 12 very fitted, boned, prom style dress I bought nearly 40 years ago. It's still a perfect fit even though nowadays I buy size 8 in most places.

If you're going by waist size you could be an apple with a BMI of 21 and a waist of 30" (12/14) or an hour glass with a BMI of 24 and a waist of 25" (8). No one is a weird shape, but women come in very different shapes.

Not sure about that. Despite being labelled in measurements (34,36),my husband is starting to find that he can fit in a 34 in one shop but only squeezes in a 36 in another.

It’ll depend on height and where you carry your weight.

I’m short so even with a BMI of about 23 my measurements are small enough to fit an 8. Someone tall with a 26 inch waist is thinner than someone my height (158cm ish) with the same waist.

Thank you very much :-) I don't have all of those near me, but great to have some places to try (and an excuse to travel to other towns for the ones that aren't close - shopping AND a daytrip, what's not to like?!).

Honestly, I don't care what number is on my label, it's not a moral judgement or an achievement - I'd be happy to be a 'green label' or a 'size C' or whatever, so long as it was consistent across shops and readily available...

Are none of you clever enough to work out if you’re a healthy weight without using clothing sizes? What does it matter if they’re different than 20 years ago, as long as they aren’t changing on a weekly basis.

Also, whoever said that an M&S size 12 would fit someone ‘very large’, how ridiculous. I’m a 12 and very fit and healthy (and a healthy weight for my height). I’ve been a size eight and I was weak and looked ridiculous.

I’m not sure it’s vanity sizing, more that people are getting larger so the sizing needs to reflect that.
If a size 8 used to be average then that’s medium, if 14 is now average then that’s the new medium. They have to adapt to a growing society!

I don't want every brand to follow the same size. Women have different body shapes. Different brands' cuts suit different women.

What I do want is for every brand to include the garment measurements when selling online. So you can simply take a tape measure to your existing tshirt/trousers/dress/whatever and have a much better idea of whether something will fit you.

It would save money and resources by minimising returns. Uniqlo is the only brand I know that does this.

I honestly find comments on posts like this beyond frustrating.

God forbid you’re on the smaller side, you’re accused of “showing off” - like, really? We’re all just people built in all different shapes and sizes, we all carry weight completely differently. But for some reason it’s wrong or smug to voice an opinion if you’re small?

Fuck me, your insecurities are loud.

Pulled on some Mango jeans the other day, and they are enormous. The label said size 10. They would probably be loose on a 12.

So someone with a BMI of 24 wears a size 8? Even with todays sizing aren't they very tight?
My BMI is 21 and I wear a 12/14? Am I just a weird shape?

I couldn't agree more!
My school skirt was a size 12, similar measurements nearly 40 years later and I struggle to find anything that fits, particularly as I'm also very short (4ft11).
I'm too old to wear kids clothes now and can't keep maintaining the same measurements without some seriously disordered habits.
I just want age appropriate outfits that fit!

Realistically we have become taller and fatter as a population so it makes sense that the sizing reflects this. I think the important thing is that this is communicated properly and there is some consistency across brands.

So it makes sense IMO to use modern sizing as a benchmark as realistically a very small proportion of the population would now fit into the old size 8/10. People this size are very much the minority now and can be catered for in the same way that those on the extreme end of the larger sizes are catered for.

We'd definitely be better with actual cm on the labels!

Some of it it that looser fits are in fashion though so you're not "meant" to buy the 8 and have it fit you but the 12 and be drowning in it. So it's been sized to be too big if you like.

I feel the pain of the poster who can't find clothes small enough I have been there. It's nothing to do with changed sizing though. If there was a law (or something? Not sure how OP is envisioning this being enforced) that we had to use closely fitted 1950s sizing then shops would just carry the 12-22s or whatever - they aren't on a secret mission to make us all fat they are just trying to maximise sales by carrying the most popular sizes.

Yep. In theory I could wear a 27 or 28 waist trouser. In reality I have to wear a 30 at least and just deal with the waist gape. No one sizing system will every cater to every body type.

I'm a 6-8 in M&S and I have a BMI of 24 so someone a tiny bit heavier would be overweight and prob only be a 10 max. I'm average height too.

I think M&S sizes are known for being large.

You could use your parachute sized t shirt to save yourself if you changed your mind half way down

You say that, but a friend asked my waist size so he could let me some painting pants and they didn't fit my actual waist size because that doesn't account for hip size. I also took different waist-sizes in Gap and Topshop because they cut very differently.

I feel so great sat here in my size 12 m&s t-shirt. I’m so enormous and zeppelin like I should probably jump off a bridge or something to save the NHS the strain 🙄

(Never mind the 10 miles I ran this morning, hey?)

I don't care how fat I am, I just want to know what bloody size to order and not have to remember whether M&S sizes up big or John Lewis sizes small or whatever. I shouldn't have to order loads of sizes because it's anyone's guess how big anything is.

Yes it's crap. And let's not forget how fat phobic shops used to be for quite regular sized people, you couldn't get more than a 14 in many shops up to the 1990s, which would be a 10, 12 maximum now. I was such a healthy weight at 5'7 and BMI 22 and only a 10/12 then yet made to feel I was fat.

I've been wondering about this. I was thinking about losing weight but I'm currently a size 8 most of the time. XS bikini bottoms. I'm genuinely concerned what I'm going to fit into?? I'm not actually that slim or petite. I have a BMI of 24 and quite a bit of extra wobble post baby I'd like to get rid of! I've found some manufacturers are just enormous though.

@amoreoamicizia why???

I find it annoying. I've always been a size 12-14, mainly 12, now a bit more 14.
I am a lot heavier than I used to be and there is no way I would fit into old size 12.
It means that weight has crept up on me a bit. I don't weigh myself all the time, I judge by how comfy my clothes are.
I think it makes people feel good if they can fit into a smaller size than usual, but it's cheating people if that smaller size is just a label.
Another thing that annoys me is small/medium/large - I simply haven't a clue unless I know the brand.

Clothes are designed to fit differently. People also like to wear tight or baggy or somewhere in between. Loads are now labelled XS, S, M, L, XL. This works finefor me.