Vanity sizing needs to be stopped

It’s irritating. I’m quite petite - 8 stone at 5’6, however, in most shops aimed at adults even a 6 is too big. I’m having to resort to shops aimed at teens or shops that stock a size 4. I’m slim but no way am I a size 4. I try to use the size guides but everything comes up wrong

I can pinpoint when they implement the changes. I went from a 12 to a 10 overnight. I’ve actually gained weight, not lost it!

I haven’t commented much, so hardly ‘littered’ and not snarky either. ‘We all shop in shops’ is a simple comment. Yes, I know there are some tiny women. The idea that loads of women are so small that size 8in cheap shops does t fit is nonsense though. Shops want to sell clothes. They sell sizes so the majority can buy.

Might just be me, but I'm finding M&S sizes now going the other way.

Most online retailers have the measurements against each size so you can work it out. People are bigger now, getting taller and fatter so makes sense to review the traditional measurements as they once were and make them fit the distribution seen in the current population.

What aren’t you expected to believe? That there are women who are smaller than a Matalan size 8? It’s not that hard to believe or particularly mind blowing really. You sound quite resentful with all your snarky comments littered through this thread. ‘We all shop in shops’ what does that even mean?

See, you can say it all you like but I know very slim women. Tiny ones. None are so small that shops don’t cater to them.
I think there’s some vanity going on here, but it’s not in terms of dress sizes for women if normal/larger sizes.
Many people have said, as I have in the past, that old clothes they’ve kept are the same size they buy now. It’s nonsense. Sizes are u predictable at times. They haven’t wholesale gone so big that normal size women can’t find clothes to fit. Why would shops do that? Normal size women are the bulk of their market.

Believe it baby, it’s true. I can’t get anything from the Sainsbury’s Tu range as even the size 6 is too big. I’m 8st so not that teeny. In the 80s I was around 7 and a half stone and size 8-10. I’m now half a stone heavier and size 6-8. Some shops don’t do a 6 and the 8 is too big. Small women are not always well catered for - but at least it stops me buying too many clothes.

Nah, she’s right. I have to get an XS or an XXS in Primark in tops and I definitely am NOT a size 6!

There are loads of shops that don’t stock a size small enough and I’m not skinny, I am 5’6” and weigh about 9.5stone. Matalan being one, Next being another

Please tell me you dropped the mic after writing that 👌

On the other side of this- I recently bought a dress makes as XL - the bust measure is 35”

Are you new here?

You don’t honestly expect us to believe this? We all shop in shops. Vanishingly few women are smaller than a Matalan 8. ‘All the slim women?’?

I think it's strange it's been annoying you for a few days.

Totally agree OP, it’s so annoying. I’ve recently lost 2st. I’m a size 8, but have to buy size 6 in shops that sell size 6. Can’t shop in Sainsbury’s or Matalan for example as 8 is usually the smallest size they do and it’s more of a size 10. I honestly don’t know where very slim women shop. I’ve even had to buy some children’s trousers before, utterly ridiculous.

My daughter has the dimensions to wear children’s clothing, but children’s clothing doesn’t fit her because she has dramatic curves. It’s not just about the numbers on one dimension, it’s the ratio of bust to waist to hip. It’s the length between shoulder and waist.

women need to know their numbers. They make really great tape measures now that form a circle around you easily.

I am a size ten. 5 foot 1 and nine stone. I recently had to buy size 0 (US) which is a size 4 uk. No way am I a size 4 - I occasionally wear size 8 from larger sizing shops like marks and Spencer: but I am not tiny. I am average size 10 petite/short.

I got three pairs of the same jeans from the same shop in three different colours and they all fit me differently. It’s ridiculous.

I think it's just inconsistency rather than vanity sizing. I am quite fat, bought 3 tops for my holiday, a side L, an XL, and an XXL. All from the same shop,all three the 'right' size for me.

Variance in sizes between shops is annoying. But I can never understand all the palaver people make about needing to buy clothes with a different number in the label than they would at the same size years ago. If you know that these days a size offers more inches of fabric than it did in 1982, why the persistence in buying in 'old money' and moaning about being 'swamped'? Just buy a lower numbered label.

I suppose it depends where your shop. I have a few things that are a 10 but most things are a 12. But that's exactly what my wardrobe looked like when I was 20 (and 2 stone lighter). I've got one dress that is a 14. So I say I'm a 12.

I would prefer consistent clothing sizes across brands though becaise I tend to stick to the same ones because I know what size to buy.

I’ve been doing just that, and even when I go by measurements, the clothes don’t always fit and some seem comically larger or smaller than they claim to be!

To say "I'm a size 12" (or whatever) has become meaningless. I have sizes 10 to 16 clothes in my wardrobe - they all fit. With online orders, you just have to go by measurements.
What annoys me more is how many clothes are made with stretch in them (elastane). I hate the feel of it, it clings to the body rather than draping, and is unflattering regardless of whether you are slim or bigger.