To think that shops souldnt change their sizing just to make fat people feel better

[ThoseArentSpiritFingers]

Was shopping in H&M and was looking through the basics range - needed leggings and t shirts etc. took some leggings to try on, an picked up a pair of medium without going it much thought, as I am a size 10-12. Luckily I did try them on because they were massive on me. When I went to look for a smaller size I noticed a sign saying they had 'revolutionised' their sizing for the basics range to allow for bigger sizing, which is fair enough.

But why mess around with all the rest of the sizes?! Why not just label it xxl rather than changing medium to fit a size that would have fit a 16-18.

And to make it all even more stupid, it was only their basics range that had changed, the rest of the stuff was still a normal size.

I ended up at the till with a stupid range of sizes, with some smalls, some mediums and one large for their stupidly small skinny jeans. An this is just one store.

My goodness you have a bit of a warped view there.

Firstly, stating a fact is not stealth boasting...it's just stating a fact.

Secondly, being able to buy clothes that fit is certainly not a reason to slag someone off.

Not everyone regards their weight as 'the pinnacle of female physical achievement in this society' you know.

It just happens to be the way they are.

evans, m+s, debenhams

But there are clothes in your size in those shops? And plenty of others.

I know women my age who are larger and they shop in New Look,River Island etc all the usual high street shops, just as I do.

All I've taken from this thread is, regardless of ones weight, clothes sizing is a pain in the arse.

Nobody is happy with the way shops size or cater for sizes. Can't something be done about this? Surely, as the consumers we do have a right to have a say and the shops should listen?

It's not right to slag anybody off because of their size. Some people are naturally smaller some naturally larger, some work damned hard at staying slim others don't. Dress size or weight isn't really a quality in a person just the result of a number of circumstances some if which can be out if their control, so why do we continue to judge people by their size?

When I was 16 (18 years ago) I weighed around 10 stone sometimes 10 and half and was a size 12. I looked good and slim , but was never been what you could call thin.
I now weigh 14 stone and I take a 16. It makes no sense whatsoever, for me to be only 2 sizes bigger. I am not deluded though as it is always the number on the scale that matters to me. And BMI. I've just really fucked up my relationship with food over the past few years. And use it as comfort.

My MIL always says that my nieces are a size 6/8. And I'd put them at a size 10 (they are 16 & 17) but I'm looking at it from the old clothes sizes and what my friends who were similar sized were.

It obviously means I'm also a couple of dress sizes bigger than my label says. It is galling to think I'm probably an 18 or even a 20

I can get into a size 8 in Next and M&S. There's no way in the world I am a 'true' size 8.

I tried a Victoria Beckham dress on recently and couldn't do up a size 14 (her biggest size.)

I think you are missing the point Creighton. The point is that for a very slim person, an 8 or a 10 used to be fine. Now that sizing is got so much bigger, those sizes are too big - they don't fit. So where are the smaller sizes....er, nowhere! It's not a true that very slim people can find clothes "anywhere". I can't afford designer brands, like most people. The problem is the fitted tops - the shoulders and bust area is too baggy, and the neckline comes down far too low. So I have to wear things like sweatshirts, or with a top a loose scarf round my neck to hide the baggy material revealing non existant boobs!

Grown women should not have to wear kids' clothes. Neither should they rightly be "slagged" off for having the temerity to be slim .

And of course it's not "stealth boasting" for someone to say they are thin! Why would they boast about having no boobs, narrow shoulders and unflattering clothes. Jeez.

It is never ok to slag anybody off creighton. It is just as hurtful to be criticised for being too thin as it is to be too fat.

I struggle sometimes to find clothes that fit and kids/teen ranges although small do not work for me as iam tall as well. Sizes should just be standard and the same in every shop. I don't understand the obsession with a number on a label. If you like the item and it fits then why does it matter? Just cut the label out and tell people you are whatever size you want.

In the 1980's I was a very skinny size 10. The same clothes are about a 6 now. (Which as I am currently a size 14 is a bit depressing!)

However, even in the 80's I would not have fitted into 1950's clothes because as people have said before body shapes have changed

I find the term vanity sizing insulting because I am not fucking vain, I don't give a flying fart how big I am I just want to go into a shop and not have to take 3 different sized tops into the changing room

I bought two pairs of exactly the same jeans in next the other day, the only difference was that one was shorter than the other. One fits fine and the other is a little tight....pathetic!

Upshot is:

High street want and need larger people in their clothing.

high end don't want larger people anywhere near their products.

The clothing company I used to work for was a nightmare for varying sizes but I was lucky enough to be on a small concession so I could advise customers on the correct size.

With teenagers they are hitting puberty early eg my cousin is 14 years younger than me but is curvier at her age than I was and I was an early bloomer so I would say teenagers are still catered for.

For people who are genuinely very petite my sister is tiny and does most of her shopping on Asos

But slim people are not necessarily petite. Dorothy Perkins' petite range is for women 5ft3 and under. No good for long rangy women!

YANBU

I'm overweight myself, size 14, but I don't think shops should have to change just because this is what is average now. Average doesn't mean normal or healthy. It's giving us nothing to aim for and it's like 'oh well lets just all be overweight because it's normal now'

Average doesn't mean normal or healthy. It's giving us nothing to aim for and it's like 'oh well lets just all be overweight because it's normal now'

That's a very good point and I think that's a worry of society. That being bigger (which is considered unhealthy) is now just accepted as being ok as opposed to encouraging men and women to be a healthier weight.

Exactly Writerwannabe83, it's like this 'fat acceptance' movement. Of course people shouldn't be victimised due to their weight, but that doesn't mean we should accept it as the norm and ignore the health issues it could pose.

While it can't be denied that shops have made their clothing bigger, perhaps it could be argued that this is to make the slim-ish size 10-12 people feel good about the fact that they now fit into a size 8. I can say this because it is true for me. I was a size 10-12 in my teens and I'm now size 8. I quite like this - very sad and vain I know, but I'm just being honest. I still have a size 12 skirt from the 90's though (!) and it is not too big at all.

On the other hand, normalising a size 16 is not right either I'm afraid.

And why can slim people be mocked and ridiculed yet fat people can't? That's not right either.

Judgy, stealth boasting and goady. Otherwise it would have made a good thread.

I'm fat and I'm not offended by the title because I know its been written that way to stir things up. Op let it go. Only you know what the label in your collar/waistband says. I personally couldnt give a rats minute anus.

And why can slim people be mocked and ridiculed yet fat people can't? That's not right either

Where has anyone on this thread mocked and ridiculed a fat person though? I haven't seen anyone say anything nasty. Lots of harsh comments about slim people though....

See post above, ilovemyself. Why is someone saying they are thin a "stealth boast" when it's simply a fact? Someone stating that they have red hair wouldn't be receiving the same accusations.

What would people say is fat, any level of overweight. Any level of above "normal"BMI. Some one who is obese, a certain dress size?

Not being Goady, just curious

Writerwannabe83, that was my point. The slim people seem to be taking a hammering on here.
It's like this in real life - you can describe someone as 'thin' and it's deemed ok, but calling someone 'fat' would be frowned upon.

happydaze - I misread your post, hence my reply blonde moment alert. I thought you were condoning slim-bashing, lol. It is a pain on MN that you can't edit or delete posts when you realise you have said something stupid or incorrect

That's an interesting question rufus....

But it's not just the "obesity problem" that's making sizes bigger - we are bigger in general - bigger feet, taller. I am not fat; I am fit and healthily slim but I tower over both my parents and have a size 8 foot - my mother is size 4 and buys petite clothes. My DD will be even taller than I am and is already a size 6 shoe at 10 years old and a size 6 in womens clothes. She is also very fit and slim. She is taller than both her grandmothers.
YABU because it is not really a fat issue