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!

My bmi is 25.5, I wear a size 10. I'm not sure your brave new world I'd going to work for me

I eagerly await your ruling of the world! :o

I get that it isn't a problem on par with some others. But it is a nuisance. Imagine if they changed shoe sizes up and stopped selling the smaller ones. Or having to try on four different size shoes because the labeling was so inconsistent.

The ICBINEG system looks to be about 1 dress size larger than current norms (if you can define the current mess with a norm...So I guess if you are a 10 now you would be a 12...clearly BMI doesn't tell the whole story...I am BMI 24 and currently a size 12 (which used to be more like 14). So if you have a higher BMI and smaller size than me then you must be a lot taller / not have my post childbearing enormonorks....

lequeen probably because i am too fat to live, and the world will only give me the likes of beth ditto to validate my larditude

i have a bmi of 22 and am a size 12, i think this fits your system, ICBINEG

Pre baby I was a 4-6. I had some suits that were 10 years old top shop, size 6 fitted perfectly. Their current size 6 was massive and baggy. Now I'd not shrunk my old suits so the only explanation is that they'd increased the sizes.

The ICBINEG system is such a great name too.

i'm 5 foot 4. 26" waist

I don't get the logic of basing it on a ratio when you can base clothes size on a direct measurement. If there's variation now it's because there's variations in the measurements allocated to a clothing size not because using measurements is wrong

I haven't read all the posts so someone may have linked this before, it's a handy tool you put in your measurements and it tells you your size in several different shops. It's quite handy when buying something on eBay for example and you are unsure of the shop's sizing. Personally I'm overjoyed when I fit an 8 even if it is vanity sizing!

sizes.darkgreener.com/

I agree, I'm tired of the vanity sizing, whilst it may make people decide to buy something because it's a size 6 and the number makes them feel slimmer than if it was a size 12-14, I would like to see some consistency between shops and sizing, and then instead of picking up a 6 in one shop and a 14 in another I would be able to get the same size.

It would be good though, wouldn't it if sizes 8, 10, 12 and 14, covered average people with BMI in the range 18.5 to 25. and then 16 and 18 covered those in the overweight range of BMI, 25-30 and 20 onwards matched with BMI of obese and onwards. The underweight category could be covered by 6 and 4.

Then everything would be standardized and the same size would be the same everywhere and we wouldn't be suffering grade inflation....

I'll say it again that BMI isn't the be all and end all but I think most people would agree that size 8 - 14 used to cover the thinish to mildly chubby range of normal body shapes and 16 upwards used to mean overweight.

Then a normal clothing range possibly covered 6 to 16 and caught most people....

But just using BMi just introduces anomalies. 24" waist 8, 26" 10, 28" 12 works just as well and is what curent sizing based on. The problem is that manufacturers aren't following these measurements, not that the measurements are wrong.

That wouldn't work, because BMI takes height into account, so my friend who is 6ft and a size 14 is thinner than me, and probably has a lower BMI, but I'm a size 10.

Therefore, there will be some short people who are overweight at a Size 12 and some tall people who are underweight at that size

yes I agree getorf

I find Topshop to be pretty true to size, especially their jeans. I have size 8 jeans from about 10 years ago and they still fit me and I still fit into their size 8 jeans. But I think their tops are a bit bigger now than they used to be, but it could be because of the changing fashions too, like in the 90s the trend was for more fitted tops and recently tops are more volumious in style, so you can get away with a size smaller than you are.

Also H&M is usually true to size I'd say. I only ever shop in these shops and occassionally in New Look and Primark and I go for a size 8 pretty much everywhere, apart from Primark which is sometimes a size 6, depending on the type of clothing.

Next sizing is big and I am a size 6 in there. Haven't ever tried on M&S or supermarket clothing, so not a clue about their sizing. Although have a pair of size 8 PJs from ASDA that my MIL bought me and they are massive.

I'm generally the same size wherever I shop? H&M, river island, new look, primark I go between a 6-10 depending on material and the fit I want?

Are you joking, H&M sizes are bloody teeny!

I bought 2 pairs of jeans in dp's. tried 1 pair on, size 10 massive 8 perfect. Picked up another colour in an 8, same style same everything bar colour. Couldn't even get the 2nd pair over my thighs I'd have needed a 12!
They were the same!!!!!

Cantbelieveitsnotbutter - thats happened to me in New Look. Tried on jeans and the black ones in size 8 were perfect skinny fit, tight and how it should be. Same style in maroon, were Ok around the waist but baggy everywhere else. Why why why???

Somebody mentioned Fat Face. I'm a size 6 skirt in there (8 usually anywhere), I wasn't a size 6 even as a teenager!

Where are you guys taking your measurements? I am 5ft 4in weigh 119 lb, BMI 20.4, bust 33in, waist 29 in, hips 37 in and I'm a size 8 99% of the time. All my clothes are an 8, a 10, S or XS.

The worst culprit is Monsoon. I tried a size eight strapless dress on and it fell straight again and they didn't do sixes. The assistant just shrugged at me, and suggested a shift style dress.

I am slim but not emaciated. Stupid thing was I got very upset about it.

I do agree about Monsoon. I worked there many light years ago. I had to wear their clothes. Nothing fitted. Their sizes are huge and have been for years. However they do, do size 6s in a limited number of ranges (not that they fit me either).

In general going shopping goes something like this:
Trousers/Jeans - if it fits on the waist, I can't do the zip up as it doesn't fit on the hips.
If it fits on the hips, it gaps on the waist.
Most of the time the waist is hanging down by my hips and the crotch is by my knees.
If they are standard length, I'm tripping over them.
If they are petite, they are too short. I'm a mighty 5' 2".

Dresses - if it fits on the bust, its doesn't fit on the shoulders and just hangs tent like elsewhere.
If it fits on the waist and hips (go figure why dresses are ok but trousers aren't) then I can't breathe or even get in the top half.
If its standard size, its 50 - 50 whether its too long (unless its a long dress, in which case, don't even bother trying it on!)
If its petite size, with arms then they are made for teenagers women with unnaturally short and thin arms (I am teeny and it shocks me)

If its low cut - I either look like a prostitute or fall out.
If its high cut - its too tight.

And don't even get me started on bras. I want to spray paint the windows of half the high street saying "28 and 30 backs are not for freaks" and "the average cup size is now above a D you muppets".

You get all this utter shite from the internet and media that 'real women' are size 0s and have curves. Well, erm... wtf am I then?

If a shop does my size, its either - horrendously expensive or aimed at teenagers. Since I'm in my mid thirties, I don't want to dress younger than I am as it does affect the way people treat me, so finding stuff thats ok, can be even harder.

And then you get people saying, "Ohhh I wish I was your size, then I'd be able to find nice clothes that fit me, you are so lucky." And you have to smile politely and resist the urge to throttle them and scream "But high street clothes don't fit ANYONE but mannequins well and thats only cos they pin the damn clothes on them".

(Incidently since people are talking about not being able to even consider online shopping on this thread, ASOS size on the small side and are an option if you are struggling on the high street if you are a teeny person, and their petite range actually is petite woman rather than child sized).

Its depressing and frustrating in the extreme.