What the fuck is going on with clothes sizes???

[Mooshering]

I'm a size 12, 5ft 4, 9 stone 10.

I've been this size and weight for about 10 years. Suddenly I can't get size 12 dresses over my head/up over my waist.

Have clothes sizes shrunk? All my existing clothes fit, some of them are even a size 10.

I've bought (and sent back) about 20 dresses in the last couple of months because size 12 clothes appear to be getting smaller.

I've weighed myself and if anything I'm slightly lighter than usual, and all my normal clothes fit, it's just new dresses!

Dunno I’ve found the opposite, everything getter bigger even shoes/trainers
Where are you shopping maybe we should compare notes.

They've been from Asos, Very and La Redoute.

I know, everything has been so oversized until recently, I've been able to get a 10 in smock dresses.

Maybe I've been lulled into comfort by smock dresses so long that I'm not actually a 10-12

OP - I’m am more or less the same height and weight as you. I usually wear a size 10. From the mainstream shops I shop at - M & S, Next and Asda George ( and other supermarkets) I have recently bought a size 8 and still roomy.
H & M I can wear anything from XS to size 16 though. I got a blouse in there the other day and the size small was massive!
Maybe we are different shapes? I have long legs (inner 34in), virtually no body, hips or waist, then bigger boobs. For me clothes are definitely getting bigger.
I quite like monsoon/ accessorize, but I can only ever buy beach dresses from there. I think they suit pear-shaped people. I need a 14 to fit into the top part of a dress, but a 10 for the bottom. I can also never find anything in Zara that fits me.

Ahh ok I’ve never bought anything from redoute or very, do have some jeans & a jumpsuit from asos which fitted reasonably well, I can usually find something in Zara I’m a very different shape to you though 4ft 10”& weigh about 7st 5 I’ve just found clothes shopping increasingly difficult over the last couple of years, but that’s probably the same for a lot of people whatever shape they are, gone are the days of just picking up something without trying it on as you knew it would fit if was in your size.

This happened with a pair of Gap trousers I bought the other week. The blue pair are new and the green ones are a few years old; they are both a size 10 (allegedly) but as you can see the new ones are smaller and were too tight around the waist so I had to send them back. I thought I must gained weight until I compared them to the other pair! I quite like Gap stuff but I’m not going to buy it if the sizing is so unreliable and I can only buy online as they’ve closed all their UK branches.

You’ll be drummed off mumsnet for this heresy! Everybody knows clothes are 8 sizes bigger than they were 5 years ago because all women are shamefully fat heifers.

I'm an apple, my weight is all on my gut, but I have skinny legs. I guess that could be it.

Ahhh can fuck off, their medium size is either for giraffe 6ft 2 women with no boobs so I trip over them and gape at the chest, or if it's fitted I can't even fit a large half the time.

I swear size 12s are much smaller than 2-3 years ago.

OP i've noticed too but it's kind of the opposite for me...things fit me better but I've not changed shape.
I'm 5'10 weigh around 12 stone and have an hourglass figure - dresses were a nightmare before I had to try them on because a size 10 or 12 (what I am in tops) would not go over my curvy hips and bum! Same with jeans I have a really small waist but had to go bigger for the hips/bum and wear a belt.
Recently I've found I can pick up both in my actual size and they fit!! (New look, Next, DP mostly)
I agree something weird is happening though.

I’ve got a size 6 Oliver Bonas jumper dress which is massive. No way it’s that size. I’m certainly not that size.

I took some jeggings back to Next to show them the difference between two pairs that were the same style, fabric and supposedly, size, but there was about two inches at least difference in them.

If dresses are tailoured or lined, forget it. Go up a size.
Im your height and was a stone heavier than now but toned, and in 12 jeans
Now im wobbly ( post baby) and cant get size 12s on, even though im much lighter ?
And chest? Forget it. Havent bought a blouse or shirt in years Unless youre a B cup or less ...

My clothes size hasn't really changed in last decade, but I do find some clothes hard to fit me. Only thing it may have changed is my body shape. I didn't have fat on my arm or back before, now I do.

I think it’s to do with supply chains and cost cutting. Manufacturing is being shoved out to whoever can deliver and the quality control has gone out the window at all levels to keep costs down.

I’m same size as you @Mooshering in height and wear a 12 but I’m 11 stone something. But I’ve always weighed loads more than I look if that makes sense. When I was a 6-8 I was still 9.5 stone. I carry a lot of muscle though apparently.

I’m having to buy size 14 tops though frequently as boobs have not yet shrunk from 2 years BF

I'm having the opposite problem!
I think everything is much bigger, I've been the same size:weight for 30 yrs, yet apparently I'm now a size 6 in both Boden & primark.
I'm slim but definitely not a size 6!!

I'm having the same problem and Im the same shape as you but taller and heavier.

H&M in particular seem to have shrunk. I had to get a size 14 in jeans but then a vest top in size Medium fitted - it should've been the other way around.

I bought a Jaeger dress in January - meant to be size 12 but had a 23" waist!

I wish they'd sort it out.

Maybe it has something to do with the import of clothing. We also use sizing as per UK, but ours are smaller iyswim. I think it's similar in Australia. So your size 12 would be a 10 here for eg. USA then have their own sizing too.

But I do agree sizing generally is very varied now. I have to try everything on these days. I cannot buy clothing online. Same with shoes.

@Mooshering

I'm a size 12, 5ft 4, 9 stone 10.

I've been this size and weight for about 10 years. Suddenly I can't get size 12 dresses over my head/up over my waist.

Have clothes sizes shrunk? All my existing clothes fit, some of them are even a size 10.

I've bought (and sent back) about 20 dresses in the last couple of months because size 12 clothes appear to be getting smaller.

I've weighed myself and if anything I'm slightly lighter than usual, and all my normal clothes fit, it's just new dresses!

I'm exactly the same! Been trying on dresses for a wedding. I'm now apparently a 14 because everything is tight on the ribs. I have exactly the same ribs as i did 5 years ago. Since when have rib measurements been a thing

Maybe although you haven't gained weight your shape has changed and you now carry extra inches in certain areas that you didn't before?

It really depends, I bought 32" waist jeans too small, bought 33" same brand, too big, go figure

MN sizes always fascinate me - I’m 4 inches taller than OP, half a stone lighter and I struggle to fit into a 12 in most places! But I am like Winnie the Pooh and middle heavy.

However I am genuinely convinced that clothing designers are mostly men and they decide on dress sizes by chucking measurements into a basket and picking them out at random. I can’t find jumpers to sit below my belly button these days, Jean makers think our hips always align perfectly with our arses and don’t get me started on tights

@MinglingFlamingo Yes!!!! It's the ribs!!!

[quote Mooshering]@MinglingFlamingo Yes!!!! It's the ribs!!![/quote]
I'd get it if it was a boob thing but not a rib thing

Oh same! I've bought two pairs of size 12 jeans in the last week. If anything I was worried they'd be too small as I've actually lost weight but no, can just about get the buggers over my thighs but have to breathe in to fasten so they'll be going back. ASOS and H&M