Weight, height and size weirdness that's shocked me.

[wellthisisakward]

I wonder if I could have some help unraveling my new discovery that I'm a dress size 16.

All of my clothes are size 10-12 and coats etc – I've noticed the weight piling on after starting HRT and my jeans got tight I'm OK with this and started looking at grabbing some new bits today after a bit vinted sell so I got the tape measure out thought I'd crept up to a size 14 but it appears I've skipped 14 and gone straight in at 16 according to my measurments.

39/33/39

But here is where it gets odd I jumped on the scale in panic I'm only 5'2 and weigh 71kg (11 Stone) – So how at 5'2 and 11 stone am I a size 16.

Does anyone else have a weird weight jump that has taken them a bit by shock? How am I getting up and putting on my size 12 clothes fitted size 12 whistles coat etc and fitting into them, why have I not noticed how big a difference has happened in the last 6 months.

I have an event mid November and bought a size 12 dress from All saints that is like a slip dress and fits really nicely? and now I'm worried I'll look a bit stupid in it? But it fits.

Have I been walking around deluded or are clothes sizes really screwed up?

My brain was saying – "Oh it's just a phase" I'm starting to think shit I best get on top of this as I have high Cholsetrol and need to get off my bum more – a wake up call and a half.

I’m 5’ 2” and now 58kg, and a 10/12 ish. Probably 10 years older than you.

At 64kg I really should have been wearing 14 but could get into my 12s - I suspect they may have grown a bit with me, and they were certainly getting uncomfortable but I didn’t have to go round naked. I’m afraid I would definitely have been in 16 or more if I weighed 71kg.

I think as others have said, weight distribution and height makes a huge difference.

At 11 stone ish I am a size 12 top / dress but 14 in trousers - but I am 5ft 8. To get down to a size 12 in bottoms I suspect I'd need to drop a stone as I have pretty big hips.

Tall women tend to weigh more than 'same sized' shorter women as there's just...more of us proportionately.

Re the clothing, I think if it fits and feels comfortable that's really all that matters? It may be that the way you have put on weight means that stuff still fits (eg if you have put on weight in boobs and bum, clothes may still be fitting you've just filled them out in a different way) . You could ask a friend to take a 'candid' picture of you when you aren't noticing so you can have a look (posed pics always tend to look better lol).

Ultimately those a) shop sizing is mad and inconsistent b) people's size often doesn't really correspond to how they look - Vinted is a good example of this - people post pictures of themselves wearing clothes as a 'size 12' or '14' and they look a vastly different size to me (whether bigger or smaller 🤷🏼‍♀️) c) being a woman is annoying. Hormones have so much to answer for weight wise!!!

ha ha. nope thanks I've been on here way too long to post the "How old am I" what does this dress look like on me – God can you imagine.

I'd be 70 years old and a size 100 by the time I've been ripped to shreads and you are right i should have ironed my bedsheet and picked up my makeup bag!

It also depends on your muscle tone. I'm the same height as you, and at 10st 7 I was a size 10-12. But did quite a bit of exercise so I was fairly.
I think our own clothes stretch over time which is why when you go to buy something new you're shocked at the size.
Equally shop sizing is appalling, take less notice of the number & just wear what fits.

I find clothing size to be a very odd way to measure person size. Clothing sizes are very inconsistent. I have sizes 10-18 that fit. I have size 14 jeans that will fall of and size 16 jeans that are super tight and can barely breath.

Fit is hugely varied based on body shape rather than weight. I have a very small frame (13cm wrists).

At 5'4" I am 7 stone 7 (18.5 BMI) but generally wear size 10 trousers. My waist is 25" but navel is 27" so size 10 (27-28") are generally comfortable.

No one sees the labels, it literally doesn’t matter, buy what flatters

I’m surprised you can get in size 12 clothes, i weigh the same as you buy I’m 4” taller and I wear a 12 on my bottom half and 10-12 on the top. I carry all my weight round my middle and bum, small boobed and narrow
shouldered. Whilst I know i’m overweight I also have a decent amount of muscle under all the fat which i think makes me relatively heavy for my size. The nurse at the hospital was shocked how much I weighed!

Rewis, yeah jeans are a funny one. Before elastane / skinny jeans, you would be wearing your size (100% cotton waist 28 was fine when I was 25!). But, now it’s so variable. Especially in the likes of H&M, with so many different cuts / styles. When I lost weight, I still wore the same jeans. Now, I just “fill” them to capacity!

I knew a lady who worked in a clothes factory/workshop (this is a good few years ago admittedly) and she said if they got an order for, say, so many dresses in a size 12 and they didn’t have any in stock, they sewed in a different size label and sent them. Whether that’s true or not I can’t say but seems quite likely!

Also when machine cutting material in bulk, the top piece of fabric will be true and the bottom will be larger according to a fabric cutter I know.

@wellthisisakward if it fits then it fits ..

All saints slip dresses are supposed to skim the body though not touch them overly ..

I always look at what it looks like on the model in terms of fit and think does it look like that on me etc

I'm surprised you've got to midlife and only noticing how weird clothes sizing is now! It was ever thus. Just forget about the size and buy the one that fits. No one else knows what dress size you're wearing!

Similar happened to me when I discovered at a health check I was almost two stone heavier than I thought - but all my clothes still fit just fine. I'm tallish at 5'8'', so attributed it to that. I also think commercial sizing is all to whack and has been for years.

I’m 5ft 7 and 71kg. I hav3nt been a 12 for decades. I buy 16 or 18 mostly.

I guess because I'm coming in late to adult life!

I didn't know what peri menopause was until it hit me, I'm busy running a business and with teenagers and life and not a fashion out shopping lots kind of woman.

So a jeans and t-shirt type. Just haven't taken much notice of myself to be honest I'm happy in my skin until I'm starting to think maybe I've been squeezing into stuff.

Move travelled lots and not a selfie pose kind of person don't like cameras, photos etc so I guess I've been hiding under a rock.

Glad I'm not the only one. 😊

That's the thing I don't care about the size until I realised today I'm supposed to be shopping a totally different size.

Im 51, five foot three and 120 pounds. I’ve a pair of really old knickers that I occasionally wear for bed when I’m having a hrt „period“ they are marks and Spencer’s and are quite tight fitting and are a 12. new marks knickers I’m an 8 . So suppose that’s proof that either sizes are all over the place or sizes are bigger now?

I went to M&S recently and bought 2 jumpers, similar but not identical design. They both fit me exactly the same, but one is a size 14 and the other is a size 20!

Well I got the scales working and I'm actually 73kg and I'm typing this from the local gym!.

Back to my weights I think.

Bloody ell talk about nothing like a shock to make you change.

It depends where you go. I'm 167cm weigh about 12.5 stone. Yesterday bought a shirt in River Island that was size 12 and a jumper in a small. Both had plenty of room, yet - due to my practically impossible to shift lower tummy - I bought a skirt in a 16. I guess everyone carries it differently. My mum looks bigger than me but is about 10lb lighter (I do have muscle though whereas she doesn't exercise).

I have clothes in size 10-16, mostly I wear 12 or 14

But it varies so much and makes online shopping hard

6ft and 11.5 stone , bit fatty around the hips 😁 if I put on half a stone I go up a whole dress size

I think I've been buying from the following brands - and or (John Lewis) hush and then jeans etc are Zara, Levi's etc.

My sports stuff is sweaty Betty all small or medium.

All of my jumpers are smalls, my white company cashmere is all size 12.

My dresses are all whistles and size 12.

But I'm trying to buy ski gear and as I'm buying online I took my measurements today and was like wft.

I’m 5”6 and 69kg and comfortable in a 14 so I’d believe you’re a 16. Different shops will use different measurements so it will be a 14 someplace, a 16 elsewhere or even an 18 at cheapy brands. X