Is a size 14 big?

I’m a 14, but usually 12 top half. I have a thin face and smallish chest so I’m not considered fat by others (especially on Teams calls) but when I look in the mirror I see a fat person (always have though).

No, because it's not true, I am a slim, healthy size 10-14, I can fit in a 10 in River Island, a 12 in Next and a 14 is fine from new look, so what does that make me? I'm at the lower range of a healthy BMI I have a 28" waist, I am in no way fat as you say, I am slim and healthy. So again, fuck off with your fat shaming of people who aren't even fat.

I’m a 14 too but I am seriously overweight, probably obese. I don’t think clothes size makes a difference because practically everything these days has a stretch waist band. My 14 might not be your 14 if you get what I mean. You can have a look at your weight and height on a bmi chart and see where you are.

My apologies. I thought you said that you are a few stone overweight. My misunderstanding

Too much a blanket statement. A 5’10 woman with a broad structure. Old easily be a 14 and lean.

at 5’3 I’d be obese.

Someone hurt by the truth?

Read the fucking thread. I am in the lower healthy range of my BMI, slim and lanky , but due to my frame (I'm 5ft 10) I sometimes wear a 14. I am not fat, in fact probably slimmer than you.

So just piss off with these shameful comments.

I don't need to lose weight thanks, I'm actually at my optimal weight. My original point is people should strive for what makes them happiest and shouldn't have to deal with shit from anyone else whatever form that takes, be that shredded or overweight.

Depends completely on build/ height

I'm 5'5 and would seem big at a 14 (so around 12 stone)

I look way better at a size ten (around 10 stone)

All these numbers are meaningless really.
I am 5'9, 11.5 stone. And I'm a 14. Sometimes a 12.
Other people of my height would be underweight at my weight.
We're all so different.

I was a 14 in trousers after my kids and yes it was too big for me, it was obvious I was carrying too much weight and I was a bit overweight.

However I am only 5'1 and I'm also pear shaped. When I gain weight I gain minimally on the top half but a lot more on the lower half so I think it makes me look bigger especially because I have narrow shoulders, hardly any boobs and a small face.

Then when I lose weight it does the opposite, flies off my top half and crawls off the bottom.

Somebody taller wouldn't look as big in a 14, it kind of evens out with height.

It's not always straight forward even if 2 people were the same height, weight and clothes size, they could both look different.

I dont think anyone should feel ashamed unless they have something to feel ashamed about.

If I were a few stone overweight I would be upset, sad, angry and probably ashamed.

However that's me. And I don't have a health condition which stops me losing weight. So I lose weight easily when needed.

I'm not shredded though, never have been never will be because I don't want to be.

I'm certainly not lecturing you and I'd be really happy to talk to you about ideas to lose some weight, if you'd like that

14 is indeed big and anyone saying it isn't is in denial. Maybe it makes them feel better about themselves but the bottom line is that it is fat.

Just because the UK average is a size 16... I think people think a 14 is small but all it means is that the average UK women is fat and overweight.

It is for me. But that’s because of where my weight sits. When I’m a size 14 a lot of the weight goes on my face. I put on a bit of weight in 2023 and by the end of the year I went from a 10 to a 14. I felt a bit heavier but it’s not until I look back at old photos (I’ve lost it and am a size 8 now) that I realise how big I looked.

I was looking back at photos from that year with my sister the other day and she even commented about how fat my face looked.

I’m 5 foot 8. Not everyone holds their weight the same.

If you can identify her from that one line alone, crack on. It is a statement of fact about clothing items, not a character assassination. She also knows I come to MN for support with her clothing needs as being 'teeny tiny' myself, I don't have much experience with shopping for someone who is morbidly obese (which she also knows she is and describes herself as).

It’s such a subjective question.
But the biggest one and the only one that really matters is “are you happy and confident at your current size?”

Different people find different body types attractive 🤷🏻‍♀️
I am forever envious of women who have an actual shape - noticeable curves, a bum and boobs!
I categorically do not have those things 🫠
So no. At your height, I wouldn’t think a size 14 “looks big”. Especially if you know what clothes really flatter your shape and make the most of what you’ve got.

And I don't think being content with being a few stonne over optimal weight means you should accept being lectured or made to feel ashamed, does it?

All that means is that the average person in society is bigger than they should be. I'm OP's height and 9st 6, size 8 on top and 10 on the bottom. So I'm perfectly normal weight yet I still get called 'skinny'.

OP - at 5'7", you won't look big but, in my opinion, 12st and Size 14 IS fairly big for a woman.

Right, and it's actually ok for women to have muscles and be sporty. 💪

I am a size 14 in tops and am in no way overweight. I have swimmers shoulders. An upside down triangle body shape. I am 174cm weigh around 64kg. I cannot get tops over my shoulders if they are any smaller size and I hate to feel constricted by clothing. So no I would not consider it big. On the other hand a much shorter lady with a different body shape could well be overweight or even obese.

Exactly this. I went through my whole teens and twenties (80s/90s) being called fat (mostly by my mum unfortunately), I look back on old photos now, was I fat? Nope. 🤷‍♀️

Personally I’m glad there’s a little more realism around these days when it comes to body size.

@SunnySideUK77 my sister is the same height and I look about a stone slimmer at the same weight. I'm a J cup she's a C.
So I'm guessing 7ibs each.
Never had small boobs. However I have no arse just a post operative belly.

That sounds very similar to me. I'd be happy with 9 and half stone, the concept of being 8 stone something is so alien to me that I dare not even imagine it! I don't think my weight has begun with an 8 since I was about 14.

If I could just stay at anything under 10 stone I'll never complain again, but truly I'd love to reach a stage where I am not technically overweight at all, but I'm in my fifties and my face has collapsed so I need to not overdo it.

A friend I haven't seen for a couple of years, since I was 14 stone, kept telling me I looked 'tired' the other week.😭

When I was a solid size 14, I was obese. It is related to height, I’m 5 foot 1, and at that size, I was simply too big. But I think for taller people, it really isn’t at all big.

I wonder who bought all the corsets, roll-ons and girdles that were around in the 1950s?