Seems like size 10 these days is considered 'large'?

[Echobelly]

Caveat: Yes, I know actual clothes sizes are all over the place and not necessarily a guide to weight/shape.

I'm in my mid 40s and I'd swear when I was a kid, 10 was considered 'slim', yet it often seems to be talked about now as though it's the porky side.

I don't think that all that many women naturally fall into being a size 8 - I'd consider 10 a normal 'slim' size, I don't think anyone who is a size 10 would ever be medically overweight, even really short women like me.

Older people like me - do you think attitudes have changed? Younger women - have you grown up with 10 talked about as though it was an undesirable size to be?

I thought these days younger people want massive bums? The teens I know want to be toned and look strong and athletic more than they want to be very skinny.

Same. my mum was/is probably the smallest person I know she literally looks waif-like (due to a really nasty bowel condition not dieting!) and she was a size 8 growing up but probably a 6 although there wasn't much in the way of size 6 clothing back then. I do remember 10 was still pretty slim although I don't really remember seeing that many big people.

I know what you mean op, I think there is less normal ness if that makes sense. People are either very slim or overweight. I remember as a dc most older people in my life eg parents, teachers looked like they had an average BMI. I was tall & very skinny & remember feeling unattractive as skinny wasn't in, then in the 90s it became fashionable.

Not one of my parents or friends parents had a 6 pack either

I don't hear this attitude from younger women. It's mostly older women like the women on this thread that talk about vanity sizing that insist that today's 10 is for porky women. When they were young they were all super slim and fit into size 10s not like all the porky young ones today.

size is also a bit meaningless because it doesn't take into account height & shape.

I don’t know what circles you mix in op or who you follow on social media but the message I see is very body positive whatever size you are with no pressure on young people to be slim.

..or to wear a certain size.

You can't tell these days anyway. All shops seems to vary in their sizes. It's just a number.

I have clothes from my younger years that are marked size 8 and 10

My daughter who is an adult size 4 (Although dd, in her 20s usually shops in the children’s section as she is tall with long legs) can fit in them perfectly

I think vanity sizing has got so ridiculous that companies seem to be afraid from telling people that they are a higher size and have just made clothes bigger and bigger and labelled them as size 10.

size 10 was 32” bust, 22” waist and 34” hips

size 8 was 30” 20” 32”
size 12 34” 24”36”
etc

I should be now a size 24 by my waist size and 20/22 for everything else if we went by the old sizing method
Not the size 16 I fit into in most stores.

My grandmother used to take M & S (St Michael) size 14. She kept some and those are around size 10 in modern terms (they helpfully used to put the measurements, as many will know, on St. Michael clothing labels).

25 years ago a 10 was approx a 26” waist. It’s now approx 30” inches.

shape has changed though with people having thicker waists. In some part it's due to being taller.

Depends on your height I think. I'm tall and looked thin when I was size 10. At the time I was trying to get a bit more toned so that I could fit into a size 8. Of course these days I'd give anything to get back into my size 10's!

A short person would probably look more medium size than skinny at size 10.

I agree that Size 10 is now not considered a small size

It's why my feet were big ish at a size 6 then but now my feet are considered small for my height (5ft 10).

I've been a size 10 my whole life, but I'm not the same size as I was when I was a teenager and started wearing size 10s, so they've definitely got larger. I had a Top Shop size 10 skirt bought in the 1980s for ages and I'd never get in it now. I'd say it's a contemporary size 6-8. Having said that, I don't think that a 10 is now considered porky nowadays - if I had to define it I'd say it's considered average/normal.

Agree about sizing getting bigger. I noticed it's been so difficult to buy anything in a size 10 for a few years -always sold out. I remember this always used to be the case with a size 12.

I also agree it's a story of extremes. It worries me for young girls like my DD and what they see as 'normal' on Instagram but then we also have a clear issue with obesity.

and she was a size 8 growing up but probably a 6 although there wasn't much in the way of size 6 clothing back then. I do remember 10 was still pretty slim although I don't really remember seeing that many big people.

Yes, you didn't really see much size 6, 8 was usually the smallest in most shops. I remember paying for a skirt in Topshop and the shop assistant (male) making some sort negative skinny-related comment about size 8! I was self conscious about being slim at the time and so a bit irritated.

I am 46 and have always been a size 10 since I was a teen.

In the real world, I am a good two dress sizes larger than I was when I was 18. I am a reasonable size for for my age - not overweight - but not properly slim any more.

I would say a size 6 in today's sizing is slim. 10 isn't huge, but it isn't slim.

Exactly this. Size 10 had a 24 inch waist in 1970 and now has around a 31 inch waist.

I'm wearing size 10 jeans & they have a 28" waist. I feel like that's pretty standard since i've been an adult. I wasn't alive in the 70s though!

What was the average height of women 50 yrs ago?

Height and body type make a massive difference.

On a size 10 from an average clothes type shop I'd probably still be on the chubby side (very small in height), but in some types of clothes I'd have no choice but to buy bigger as I'm an all boobs and arse type person and way too many clothes fit better on an androgynous person. Thank goodness for belts.

@Steelesauce sizes are bullshit!

You said it yourself you're pearshaped. And you're 5'8. Sizes ime are generally more forgiving at the bust so comparing yourself to 5'3 booby lolipops who will either look bigger at a size 10 or even move into the overweight bmi at size 10 is a fools errand. Don't give it anymore thought.

I think this is a prime example of why we should all be pushing for sizes in inches.

Women are taller and broader built than previous generations.

yes, I weighed less than my grandmother but would not have fit into some of her clothes.

@Choopi it's a bit weird tbh

I'm 48 and the same-ish size and weight as when I was 18. I wore 12-14 then and 8-10 now. It's vanity sizing by shops.

I agree that size 10 is probably average now as 12-14 used to be.

Did someone say we're all getting taller? I thought it was the opposite, but am happy to be corrected, as I'm only just above average at 5ft 6 and lately often described as tall )which I disagree with).