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Original poster

Vanity sizing needs to be stopped

240 replies

SemperIdem · 10/07/2025 12:09

I appreciate this isn’t shiny new subject matter but it’s been really niggling at me the last few days.

I’ve relatively recently had a baby, back in my pre-maternity clothes if not quite at pre-maternity shape (granted I felt I was out of shape at the point of falling pregnant).

I bought a pair of jeans from Pull and Bear, size 10. They are absolutely enormous. There is not a chance I’m a size 8 at the weight I am. I then reflected how as a 5’6, barely 8 stone teenager, I was a size 10 in Topshop jeans. How am I, at a significantly heavier weight, still a size 10 anywhere let alone smaller than a size 10?

Am I being unreasonable to think that there must be a way to get shops to end vanity sizing, the variance between shop sizes is also ridiculous.

OP posts:
Digdongdoo · 10/07/2025 12:46

It's probably just the style. Oversized/baggy is trendy these days amongst the youngsters, and that's pull&bears market.

PutThe · 10/07/2025 12:46

How on earth do you envisage this working? Especially with womens bodies that are, as a pp pointed out, more varied than mens.

stayathomer · 10/07/2025 12:46

BobbieTables
Oh yes, this is totally up there with the pressing matters of the day. How terrible that the number on your clothes doesn't match your idea of what it should be.
This is BIG. HUGE. MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.
Probably more important than the situation in Gaza, climate change or Ukraine.

We’re on mumsnet. There’s definitely a place here for escapism and chat

GrandHighPoohbah · 10/07/2025 12:45

This is one of the reasons I tend to stick to shops where I know the sizing. I wish they would ditch the numbers and just use measurements, especially as online shops are trying to reduce the amount of returns.

stayathomer · 10/07/2025 12:44

FfaCoff

I've speculated before on these threads that it must be high end brands who do this - it comes up regularly on Mumsnet but I don't see it in real life in the lower end shops I buy from - h and m, Uniqlo, Primark. I was a size 10 as a teen and and at 2 stone heavier I'm a size 14. Seems right to me.

I said about pants and pjs that were size 12 but huge on me, that was Primark (pennys in Ireland)

BlueyNeedsToFuckOff · 10/07/2025 12:42

My dh can pretty much order a medium in everything and knows its going to fit its so straight forward.

There’s a lot more variation in women’s shapes than men’s shapes, though.

I haven’t noticed vanity sizing particularly in the shops I buy from. I have noticed that I can’t buy from some shops any more as their sizing doesn’t fit my shape.

onehorserace · 10/07/2025 12:42

This is well known. 🤷‍♀️Cheap brands like Primark, New Look , H and M etc all cut the clothes skimpy to save money 🤷‍♀️ Brands like Albaray, Wyse etc are brands where the sizes are larger compared to the cheapies.

PersephonePomegranate · 10/07/2025 12:42

Should we go back to 1960s sizing? That would make your 2000s Top Shop jeans look like vanity sizing.

The reality is, that people are getting bigger. Not just fatter, but people's dimensions are also changing over time. Just measure yourself and check out the shop's size guide or try on a variety of sizes, its not that difficult.

Wadadli · 10/07/2025 12:41

SemperIdem · 10/07/2025 12:09

I appreciate this isn’t shiny new subject matter but it’s been really niggling at me the last few days.

I’ve relatively recently had a baby, back in my pre-maternity clothes if not quite at pre-maternity shape (granted I felt I was out of shape at the point of falling pregnant).

I bought a pair of jeans from Pull and Bear, size 10. They are absolutely enormous. There is not a chance I’m a size 8 at the weight I am. I then reflected how as a 5’6, barely 8 stone teenager, I was a size 10 in Topshop jeans. How am I, at a significantly heavier weight, still a size 10 anywhere let alone smaller than a size 10?

Am I being unreasonable to think that there must be a way to get shops to end vanity sizing, the variance between shop sizes is also ridiculous.

Agreed. It’s infuriating. I chose the garment that looks similar in size to those I already own and don’t give a shiny shit what the label states

MightyGoldBear · 10/07/2025 12:40

It makes clothes shopping just exhausting. To the point I just don't and get by with what I have as much as possible. I can range from size 8 to size 14 so I have to buy so many different sizes and styles only to return so many it's exhausting and too expensive. I'd say I'm an actual 10 to 12 I Could cope with trying on two sizes but 4 is too much. Then I need petite ranges ideally which is so hit and miss. If its vanity or variation whatever it is is really unhelpful.

My dh can pretty much order a medium in everything and knows its going to fit its so straight forward.

Cheeseplantandcrackers · 10/07/2025 12:39

BobbieTables · 10/07/2025 12:32

Oh yes, this is totally up there with the pressing matters of the day. How terrible that the number on your clothes doesn't match your idea of what it should be.

This is BIG. HUGE. MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.

Probably more important than the situation in Gaza, climate change or Ukraine.
.

Blimey, bad day?

I don’t agree with op, I use a tape measure as I buy various styles from multiple places but I don’t feel the need to act like a child to a stranger on the internet because I disagree with them.

shewasasaint · 10/07/2025 12:39

BobbieTables · 10/07/2025 12:32

Oh yes, this is totally up there with the pressing matters of the day. How terrible that the number on your clothes doesn't match your idea of what it should be.

This is BIG. HUGE. MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.

Probably more important than the situation in Gaza, climate change or Ukraine.
.

Do you post this on every thread that's about a trivial matter?

You must have an awful lot of time on your hands as most of MN is about trivia.

yelladuster · 10/07/2025 12:39

I find some places have very small sizes and others are bigger or you can get two size 10's from the same place but different item so two dresses and one will fit but the other will be too big or too small. Its all over the place. I don't really think of it as vanity sizing or some kind of prestige sizing (if the sizes happen to be smaller) I don't care if the size 10 or the size 14 fits me I just want some consistency.

Opaldiamonds · 10/07/2025 12:39

BobbieTables · 10/07/2025 12:32

Oh yes, this is totally up there with the pressing matters of the day. How terrible that the number on your clothes doesn't match your idea of what it should be.

This is BIG. HUGE. MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.

Probably more important than the situation in Gaza, climate change or Ukraine.
.

There are a lot of awful things going on in the world, absolutely devastating

But people are allowed to be irritated by other things

You are a massive liar yourself, I can’t imagine you being happy and never annoyed about anything in your life time. Get a life,

LuckyShark · 10/07/2025 12:39

It's really really annoying.

And we are allowed to talk about frivolous things even while the world is shit.

I lost a lot of weight a few years ago due to illness. I was in measurements a size 6. In shops I couldn't buy clothes to fit me.

I've put on 2 stone and the clothes I bought then (the smallest sizes) still fit.

The only true to size clothes i could get were expensive designer items bought cheaply off Ebay. They don't fit anymore.

FfaCoff · 10/07/2025 12:38

I've speculated before on these threads that it must be high end brands who do this - it comes up regularly on Mumsnet but I don't see it in real life in the lower end shops I buy from - h and m, Uniqlo, Primark. I was a size 10 as a teen and and at 2 stone heavier I'm a size 14. Seems right to me.

PopstarPoppy · 10/07/2025 12:38

BobbieTables · 10/07/2025 12:32

Oh yes, this is totally up there with the pressing matters of the day. How terrible that the number on your clothes doesn't match your idea of what it should be.

This is BIG. HUGE. MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.

Probably more important than the situation in Gaza, climate change or Ukraine.
.

It does actually have an impact on climate change. Every parcel unnecessarily delivered and returned, and the process of preparing the return for resale, has a carbon footprint. It may be small, but when shoppers around the world are regularly having to return/reorder because sizing is so inconsistent, that will add up. The fact it’s not as big an issue as the climate cost of fashion in the first place (which is huge) doesn’t make it irrelevant.

Original poster
SemperIdem · 10/07/2025 12:38

Hodgemollar · 10/07/2025 12:28

Styles play into it in a huge way.
When you were a teenager the fit of jeans was likely very skinny with no give and most of the jeans at pull&bear are loose fitting, baggy low rise meaning you can get away with a lower size.

That’s a really good point actually. Styles are very different now

OP posts:
stayathomer · 10/07/2025 12:37

I’m a size 13 (I know!!!), so 14 gaping, 12 tight. Have gotten size 12 pants recently which were huge on me, an a pair of pjs size 12 which were very oversized (but elastic aged and comfy so I’ll happily take them!!) I need a new swimsuit but not sure what size to go for

Original poster
SemperIdem · 10/07/2025 12:36

BobbieTables · 10/07/2025 12:32

Oh yes, this is totally up there with the pressing matters of the day. How terrible that the number on your clothes doesn't match your idea of what it should be.

This is BIG. HUGE. MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.

Probably more important than the situation in Gaza, climate change or Ukraine.
.

It’s almost like people can be mildly irritated by something, whilst also aware of larger issues.

Apparently not you though.

OP posts:
Blarn · 10/07/2025 12:35

Yes, my mum's M &S jeans from the very early 90s are an 18 and fit me. They give the waist size on the label: 30-31". I wear anything from a size 12-14. And also like a PP, remember my skinny 20 year old self about wearing a size 12 in Topshop 20 odd years ago.

TheNightingalesStarling · 10/07/2025 12:35

This was one of the things I miss about living in Germany... the clothes sizes were a measurement not a randomly allocated number.

Opaldiamonds · 10/07/2025 12:34

VanCleefArpels · 10/07/2025 12:24

Does it really matter what the label says though- as long as it fits? I’ve got stuff in my wardrobe from size 6 to 14 but my body is the size it is 🤷🏻‍♀️

You’ve missed the point

BlueEyedBogWitch · 10/07/2025 12:34

God, not this again. Vanity sizing is the new massive salad.

Mind you, a massive salad from the early 2000s is probably an allotment in today’s sizes…

Painrelief · 10/07/2025 12:34

I think before the high st completely dies they need to sort out the sizing of clothes because the fast fashion shops are trying to ban customers for ordering and sending back too much but how on earth can you tell these days what’s going to fit when they can’t even get 2 pairs of the exact same jeans from the same batch to be the same size So what chance has anyone got ordering everything online ?