If the average UK woman is size 16...

[nc198567]

Then why are the Size 8, 10, and often 12, clothes always sold out first 😭

I'm a size 10 and when there's a popular clothing item hitting the shelves, I notice it's usually the 8 and 10s that are first to have their "Sold Out" icon up online/nothing left on the racks in-store.

During a sale, there's barely any 10s going! But there always seems to be size 14 and 16 left. Always!

I'm trying to find a dress online for an upcoming event and every dress I click on, there's only bigger sizes left.

Anyone else find this?

I don’t disagree with you on the point but not with the example of H&M…I’m 16/18 and I buy from there just fine - in fact this ‘oversize’ trend has got so ridiculous I’ve had to send stuff back as it’s the size of a Bedouin tent.

Have to say I agree with the PP about H&M. You might get away with it when it comes to oversized styles, but anything figure hugging is at least two sizes smaller than it pertains to be.

I'm a 12-14 and there always seems to be 8 and 10 left and 18, 20 and 22 . The 12,14 and 16 are always gone.

@nc198567 I'm a fellow size 8-10 so understand your frustration with those sizes always being sold out first! I recently asked about this in a few shops and got various answers - one said they don't order as many items in those sizes and another said it's because the size 10's nowadays are so big and often contain lycra compared to years ago that they'll actually fit a size 16 person so basically you think you're a size 10 but you're actually not! Anyway, what I do now is buy a size 6 or even a 4 if they're available as they'll definitely fit a current standard UK 8-10...

I bought way more clothes when I was slim. Clothes shopping in person was easy, fun, and I could look pretty good in most items.

Now I'm overweight, clothes shopping is low on my list. Maybe more people are bigger, but due to self confidence issues, they buy less? I hate clothes shopping now. Not everything automatically looks nice on different body shapes so it's a harder, more limiting process.

I find the opposite, always loads of the smaller sizes and the bigger sizes but nothing in between!

As has been said, depends where you shop and what sort of styles you like really. Some places order less sizes over say a 14, because they don't want to be accused of not being inclusive, but also don't want people ruining the aesthetic. Few are actually bothered about catering to the average woman. Also really it makes sense that the popular sizes don't make it to the sale rails.

Sorry seems I was responding to a different post instead of yours OP! I think it's still true that it depends where you shop, a lot of styles wouldn't look good on larger sizes

M&S definitely get their size ratio wrong- they alway sell out of the smaller sizes straight away and have loads of the larger ones left. It’s very irritating.

Size 16 is the mean average size. I imagine the modal average size (and indeed the median) is more like a 12.

The fact that there are more sizes above 16 than there are below will make the mean average look higher.

eg if 5 women were the following sizes
8, 10, 10, 12, 30
mean is 14
mode is 10
median is 10

@Hopeislost

Size 16 is the mean average size. I imagine the modal average size (and indeed the median) is more like a 12.

The fact that there are more sizes above 16 than there are below will make the mean average look higher.

eg if 5 women were the following sizes
8, 10, 10, 12, 30
mean is 14
mode is 10
median is 10

Most places that quote this statistic are going by traditional size 16 measurements. So the average size probably is 12 as it’s the same measurements as a traditional 16 in most shops. Vanity sizing is a huge thing.

I lost a bit of weight recently and I'm a pretty standard size 8 now and fit in the size guides as an 8 too. However, when it turns up the 8s are far too big. I compared them to my years old size 10 stuff and they are the same size. It's getting ridiculous. I ordered a coat in a 6 and it swamped me, I am not in anyway a size 6.

I don't think a 16 is the average from the people I see at the school, shopping, work etc.
It varies between 10/12 or the other end of the scale 18/20 or above.
I can't think of anyone who is in the middle, the few that's come to mind around about size 16 they're tall.

The style and cut of clothing I would have chosen when I was a size 14, is very different to the style I now choose as a 8-10, I bet if you look at the clothes you wouldn't normally choose your size is more easily available. Equally the styles I would have chosen in my 20s would be very different to the ones I would choose in my 40s and your body size and shape changes over time - so the shop you are visiting may have an impact. Some shops also design and appeal to a particular body type. I ended up on a shop website that does predominantly curvier styles, uses all 'real models' in their advertising so I'd never been there as I didn't even realise they did my size, everything was sold out in the larger sizes and plentiful in the smaller ones.

I'm a size 8-10 (pear)
Often when the smallest clothes are left in the sale, they're left there because they were hideous and it's a style that is plentiful in all sizes.
I don't bother looking at most styles in places like M&S unless I want something oversized like a jumper as their idea of a size 8 is huge. I stopped shopping at Monsoon for the same reason.

Currently struggling on older boys clothes in the supermarkets age 8+ and wonder if as children get more fashion concious they stock far fewer than the younger age range.

@LemonViolet

Nope. I can never find 14-16 and the racks are full of 8-10s!!!

That’s my experience too.

Oh my gosh no! I’ve been online shopping tonight and every item I’ve wanted is sold out in 12, 14 and 16 🤣 (I’m 14)

Lol OP I suspect we need to go shopping together!! All I ever find is 8/10/12 and what I need is a 14/16!
Never ever can I find it!
When I needed size 22/24 I couldn't find them. I remember sainsburys apparently selling a size 26, I never could find them when I needed that size! Now I see that size fairly frequently. I'm a bit perplexed by it tbh