to get annoyed about clothing sizes in the UK?

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A weekend of shopping for holiday clothes has left me more than a little pissed off. AIBU to think that clothes should be relatively standard sizes from shop to shop and even within shops themselves? It has taken me twice as long to shop as I am having to try on several different sizes of the same top or the same trousers.

From this weekend I have had all of these things happen (let's say I am a size 8 - I wish!).

In Debenams I tried on a size 8 dress. It was way too small. I fit about 1 boob in it! They didn't have the next size up or the one after that! I tried on a different style dress in a size 8 and it was huge...go figure. Tried the size 6 - perfect and bought it.

In Next I tried on 3 pair of leggins - all size 8. One was a foot too long (no exaggeration and they weren't a long size). 2 fit and I bought them. I tried on 3 pairs of combat trousers. All the same make and style but just different colours as I wanted too which colour looked the best. The white ones were a little tight in size 8 but I bought them as they made my bum look smaller! The black ones were perfect. The red ones were way too tight and I wouldn't even get one bum cheek in! They were definitely a size 8 and not on the wrong hanger because I checked. They were the same trousers as the other ones , just a different colour. Madness.

In Monsoon I tried on a gorgeous dress in a size 8. I was about a foot off being able to zip it up across my back. Tried a different dress and it fit fine. Both monsoon dresses - both size 8.

Clothing needs to be standardised sizes in my opinion. It was infruiating.

I realise I'm quite tiny, but have recently found that even the Next size 6 is a little big. I haven't lost any weight or shrunk to the size of a thimble, it's just clothes do seem to be getting larger and larger. I understand people in general are bigger than they were 50 years ago but I am finding it increasingly difficult to find clothes that fit (and are aimed at anyone over 25).
Grrrr, I hate shopping! Perhaps it's time to get the sewing machine out....

When I was a teenager in the 70s size 10 was 32 22 34, size 12 was 34 24 36

Today size 10 is something like 35 25 37, thus making it almost a 14.

I prefer it. At least it means that I can find things that fit in one shop or another. The shape of the garments is different in different shops, so a 16 in one place might be fine as it's quite generous on the waist for a given hip size, but a different shop is the reverse. If they were all standard, I've never fit - we're all slightly different proportions anyway, so more choice is better, I think!! yeah, can take more time shopping, but I'd rather have the variety.

what size am i?

thats the one i originally read about.

Too scared to do it at the moment!

this is why garments such as waterfall cardis do so well as one size pretty much fits all.

I sell clothes, different brands and me and the staff get to know how each brand fits and advise customers accordingly.

Shape of garment obviously makes a difference, its the fitted stuff where most variation occurs.

M&S - 14
Phase 8 - 14
LKB - 14
Boden - 14
Laura Ashley 14

My problem is that I don't want to wear a 14, I want to wear a 12

Oh, and by the way my measurements are: 39, 32, 40 and presently I feel very very fat.

married your measurements aren't dis similar to mine except my bust is a few inches smaller My measurements are 37, 32.5, 39.5

What surprises me from the measurement chart Kate linked to is the waist sizes. I have a high waist and it's quite narrow compared to the rest of me but yet it's the thing that makes me a size 14 in most shops. My bust and hips measurements are only just past the size 12 mark.

I have to buy a 14 most of the time because I have to wear trousers lower than my waist and don't want them tight and love handles showing

I am very sad to discover though that having been a 10-12 pre DS and now a 12-14 that actually I am bigger than that because clothes have got bigger.

My measurements are:
Bust 38
Waist 29
Hips 40

That site says I'm a 12 (10) or a 12(14) or a 14(12). So, a range of three sizes then? Well, I suppose that's about right as I bought size 10 trousers and an XL top from Zara yesterday! I'm always a 10 in Gap but in M&S I range from an 8 to a 12.

Tiresome.

farmerswifey same here! In fact just this weekend I have had a tidy of my clothes. Most of what I have is so old it's had it. I cleared out and am left with two drawers of clothes (that includes jumpers!) and about twelve things hung in the wardrobe. My jeans are at death's door and I can't find replacements that fit.
I hate clothes shopping.

DH is a 34" waist, 34" inside leg and a 16" collar. He buys clothes based purely on the size on the labels and rarely tries anything on in the shops. And they always fit!

This posting has been very reassuring. I thought I was the only person who hated shopping because nothing ever fits me.

Love that "what size am I?" link, Am coming up UK size 7-12 on it. Mostly Size 3 US. 3! And generally size 8 UK. Two decades ago I had same measurements as now but was a consistent US size 7 / UK size 12. And I am no reasonable definition of skinny, either.

Am slowly learning the tricks for how to find clothes that suit me. Stressful because I really don't care for clothes, but needs must & all.

My DH does that too, Scholes. Just buys off the peg, never tries anything on first, they always seem to fit. Men's clothes are so much more standardised. Maybe their bodies are more standard, too?

same here with the DH!

Puddlejumper as a fellow pear (similar dimensions to Maisie) I can confidently advise you to find a good dry cleaner who does alteration - it will transform your shopping. Or (cheaper) learn to alter your own clothes - you could practise on worn out stuff, maybe try and turn an old pair of DPs jeans into a female shape by cutting a triangle out if the waist.

im an 8 in allsaints, next, dorothy perkins, all the supermarkets.An 8 is too big in m&s, but they dont do 6s. Im a 10 in topshop, a 10 in river island. Im a 12 in new look, and a 14/16 in h&m

See, I just tried that what's my size website, and it says that my closest fit is a New Look 18, and that's just bollocks. I shop there all the time and drown in an 18, I'm definitely a 16, and sometimes a 14 in there. And the 16's are a bit roomy - so either the shops don't stick to their published sizes, or the site is a bit crap!

I'm very short, and I've got a bit thinner since having DS, and I'm now off the bottom of most shops' size ranges - I've got some size 6 jeans that are flapping on me. I'm small, but I'm not a miniature statuette! If I were rich I'd have stuff made for me.

TitWillow, I think the shops don't stick to their published sizes!

YANBU- it's infuriating.
A simple trip to the shops to get new clothes should be a pleasure but is more often a frigging nightmare!! I'm curvy, big boobs, quite a small waist then the hips come back out againwith a bit of a fat ass and I have 32 inch legs which is another problem in itself. I am not a standard size :( I can go from size 12 in one shop to size 16 in the next. I find River Island one of the worst for crap sizing. I stay away from S M L sizing where I can help it.

I've been shopping today, bought 2 dresses from coast, one a size 10 and one a size 12, then 3 from Karen Millen, again one a size 10 and the other 2 a size 12.

In m&s I am a size 8 jacket, size 10 dress :/

I can't even get my left thigh in a size 12 river island jeans :/

I mentioned to the sales assistant in coast about the sizing and she said the the sizes are getting smaller!

Then let's not even mention shoes, next I can be a 6, 6.5 or a 7 !!

I can be a bit body conscious and actively do not wear jeans because buying them is a complete nightmare!