To think that vanity sizing is getting ridiculous and to wonder where thin people buy their clothes?

[LiegeAndLief]

10 years ago, I used to be a perfectly normal size 12. In recent years I seem to have shrunk to a 10. Last week I had to go down to an 8 in two separate shops - one of which I bought several things in a 10 from 6 months ago which fitted perfectly!

This is not a stealth boast as I am certainly not getting any smaller.

The thing that really got me is that both shops had nothing smaller than an 8, either in store or on-line. I'm a fairly average size and know plenty of people smaller than me. It just seemed utterly ridiculous that I was wearing the smallest size in the shop.

To be fair, in shops like New Look and H&M which seem to be aimed more towards a teenage market I am very much still a 10, verging on 12. But that just makes it worse as it really irritates me that I can't just be the same size everywhere!

I agree and its not just adult clothes. My children are pretty normal sized - they are bang in the middle of what is a healthy weight range and yet im always having to take clothes in around the waist. I just cant imagine why they make the waists so large. I say this not as a skinny little thing myself I am a size 16 but the childrens clothes are really annoying baggy (slightly jealous).

That's right Travel I think a size 10 used to be 24 inch waist.

I think my thigh is about that now.

Karen millen is better than most at retaining fitted tailoring. And ted baker. I find some of the stuff in Zara works too, topshop are alos pretty good. Don't even bother with m & s anymore. Their sizes have gotten ridiculously big.

The good news about vanity sizing is I cannot shop online much (great for me) and since a lot of stores have such weird sizing, I shop less overall. Yay!

I'm a 14. I've worked hard to be a 14, and I'm still working to get down to a ten for my wedding day in three years time.

In Primark I tried on a 14 and it was flippin' humungous on me. I was so chuffed with myself. In New Look I tried on a 14 and could barely get the zip up. Ditto 16. I had to go for a flamin' 18 and my self-esteem shot through the floor. Not impressed.

YANBU. The phrase "one size fits most" is one I like the best. It's nice and simple.

Makes it difficult to order online too!

Oh you are so not wrong with this!

I literally can't shop in some places because of vanity sizing. It's really annoying.

And then you go somewhere that actually does make clothes the right size and you end up in the changing room looking like a sausage fighting its way out of a napkin.

sizes.darkgreener.com/

Clothing size comparison app

Thank you Redtooth! I found that website ages ago through the guardian and then I could never remember what it was called again.

I can't seem to work it on my phone though.

I have a size 12 skirt in my wardrobe from M&S 10 years ago, currently dieting back to when I was that size. I'm in 12-14 clothes currently and I reckon by today's sizing that skirt would be a loose fitting 10 or a tighter 8.

I'm not small by any means (BMI is 28) and by sizing 10y ago I should be an 18. Constantly amazed at having to get a 12-14 off the shelf.

I have to say I'm not as convinced by the vast variation in vanity sizing as some are. I mean, I know it still goes on but I have several items of clothing from around 15+ years ago which were a size 14 then and fitted me as a size 14 and I'm a size 14 now and they still fit as a size 14, and all the other size 14s I have seem to fit the same too! (I went up to an 18 in this time.)

Its a real pain in the arse. I have to buy childrens clothes quite often or use the petite ranges where they go down for a 4. Except the trousers are too short. Im only 5ft 2 !

This vanity sizing is clearly aimed at me, as a size sixteen who can wear a size 12 dress and feel properly, undeservingly chuffed about it

I suppose it works?

My mum used to be a 10 years and years ago. I fit into one of her dresses perfectly and I usually have to buy a 4. Although a 6 in Karen Millen is smallish.

I have some size 10 clothes from the 70s. Size 4-6 DD fits them perfectly.

Even that app doesnt go down small enough for my measurements.

sue52 Do you think your DD would like to share clothes with me ? She sounds about my size. How old is she ? Will i be kitted out in cartoon stuff or is she teenagery ?

I had to send back a mail order size 8 jacket recently, although I'm a size 10. It was more like a maternity outfit. I eventually managed to track down a size 6, but it still gapes. Then I went out and bought a size 12 from Karen Millan the same week! Its crazy.

It's a bit depressing really, isn't it?

Can we go back to being ignorant about the vanity sizing?

I quite like it actually, after 2 babies i can still fit in size 8 sometimes 6 if i go to next or M&S They should be a standard size though it makes it impossible to buy things online as you never know what size to buy. I think the same applies to a lot of kids clothes too

whoisMon 25-Feb-13 20:32:14

I worked in fat face many years ago and even then the sizes were mahosive

So funny, meant to be an 'active lifestyle brand' and we had huge fat women waddling over the street from Evens into Fat Face cos out size 18 was actually more like a 20/22!

Do you actually think this is an acceptable way to talk about other women? Really?

It makes online shopping impossible. I've given up now as I get so sick of sending everything back. Now I just go to a Real Shop and take 3 of each item into the changing room.

I am so pleased that you were also shocked at that post Myhead, I thought it was just me.

"I have to say I'm not as convinced by the vast variation in vanity sizing as some are."

Same here

I have some Diesel and FCUK jeans that I bought in 1998, I still wear them and they still fit. If I try jeans on today I still go for the same size and they still fit.

I don't find that I have a wide range of sizes in my wardrobe. Everything is 8 or 10, xs or s. I have a couple of things that I've had for donkey's years which act as a sort of benchmark and don't fit any differently today than they did 20 years ago.

I would say though, that I think there is more variation in bottoms than tops. My only size 10 things are trousers - I'm not pear- shaped, but the cut and fit of trousers does seem to vary more widely.