...to think that it might not really be true that the UK average clothes size for women is UK size 16?

[which1]

I just can't help but think that that's not true. That this is the average has been floating around for years I know.

But whilst I do see some people who are size 16 or above, I do not think I see so many as to tip the scales to the extent that 16 becomes the average.

I would say that the average is a UK12.

(I'm not talking about on Mumsnet as the vast majority here are pretty slim and around size 8 average from all the threads that I see either about clothes sizes or posters who mention in passing on a related topic.)

I think it totally depends on height and body shape, I’m 5’10” and a 16 and a lot of people seem shocked that I am because I’ve got a flat stomach, large breasts and visible waist and don’t look overweight, where as my colleague is 5’2” and size 16 and looks quite overweight, small breasts and without a visible waist and is quite rounded around the hips.

Really don't understand this. I'm 5'11'' and I've been size 12 before. Looked ok, plump-ish. Definitely nowhere near emaciated.

Exactly.

It's like when people dismiss BMI (usually on the basis that elite sportspeople (of which they categorically are not ) sometimes come in as 'overweight' due to muscle mass), and say they'd be 'emaciated' at a normal BMI.

I'm a normal BMI and am nowhere even close to being 'emaciated'.

It’s all relative. If we all posted a photo of ourselves and asked to guess our dress size, 9 times out of 10 it would be wrong answer. As long as people were brutally honest and not worried about offending someone.

I’m 16 hips, 14 waist, 12 top.
It completely depends which brand I wear. I recently wore a size 12 wedding dress and really shouldn’t have but the next size up was just too big all round (no time or money for alterations). What can you do?

There's a difference between the median and the average but they are frequently confused ( maybe deliberately) by the press.

Surely it is area / age dependent. It’s just how it evens out, or not, over the UK. I live in South Norfolk. You’d be hard pushed to find anyone in my local town aged under 50 and under a size 18. It’s very much a ladies (and gents) of leisure / cream teas / fish and chip supper at the local gardening centre type place (which is why I like it)!

I would agree with that actually. I am a size 10 and see people bigger than me all the time. I often stand in a sea (choir) of 60 women and would say that 3/4 are above a size 14.

Ok, 'emaciated' may be an exaggeration, but I definitely look very slim.

I'm three inches taller than you and the same size, and am definitely not 'very slim'.

If you’re in one type of area most of the time you can be in a massive bubble. So, I could commute from my affluent area to my work in central London and not really see anyone obese. If I go back to the town where my husband was from, it is very different. There are just more very large people around or a lot of the thin people are thin through lack of food rather than gym thin. The difference is really noticeable. One of the biggest differences for me as well are teeth.

I think the PP who said "size 12 emaciated'l is trying to rile.. Ignore him. 😂
I'm a size 12, 5/4 and definitely feel overweight. Hit 45 and have added a stone on per year.
I definitely agree with PPs though it does depend where you live.
Also, I go home to Oz and have to size down in dress size - Australia the 2nd fattest country - I think dress sizes are decided by clever marketing..

Write in to More or Less :)
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qshd

Perhaps I look thin because I'm getting on a bit- I'm 62.

**Ohyesiam

Several things
When I tell people I’m a size 16 they are really surprised, because I don’t look overweight. So you can never tell. **

I'm a size 16 too, people never believe me either but I definitely can't get into anything smaller

Can't answer for every town but the 14/16/18 sell out quick round here and the smaller sizes are left on the rail

I'm a size 12, 5/4 and definitely feel overweight
Well you are 3 inches shorter than me! Your BMI will be correspondingly higher than mine. I do not feel or indeed look remotely over weight. I have been described by a'friend', jokingly perhaps, as 'emaciated'

I'm a 12. I would say that 90% of the people in my work are larger than that, probably 50% are a size 16 or over. It does shock me. I agree it varies according to demographics, but there's no doubt in my mind that we have a rising obesity problem in the UK.

Why are more affluent people generally slimmer? I’ve always wondered that.

Where do you live OP?

I live in London and as a (very) sweeping generalisation I would say the more middle/upper class people are definitely thinner.

I can well believe that the average is 16. Overweight people are so common now that you probably look at a size 16 person and don’t think they look that big. It’s become normal.

Even if the average is a size 16, it shows the average are over weight.
Size 16 on the average woman could make her 2 or 3 stone overweight.
Men do measure and are conscious too when an extra x is added to their Tshirt.

I think there are two things going on:

1. You live in a rich area where people are generally slimmer
2. You haven't factored in all ages. What's the average size of a 60 year old where you live? You might be thinking of people your own age.

Completely depends on your environment. In my previous job there were no women who appeared to be smaller than a size 18 in my office. In my current job there are no overweight people, male or female.

"Surely it is area / age dependent. It’s just how it evens out, or not, over the UK. "

Cross-posted with you Fairylea.

Retailers must know what sizes they sell most of. Does no one here work as a fashion buyer?

I usually wear a size 10 & most people are bigger than me (they tell me this often). I'm 5'8" and I have a lot of paunch, btw. Miles away from being underweight.

Size 16 sounds a very plausible avg to me.

" If we all posted a photo of ourselves and asked to guess our dress size, 9 times out of 10 it would be wrong answer. "

No, I don't believe it would be wrong THAT often.

Why are more affluent people generally slimmer?

Because high fat, high sugar processed food is cheap.

"In my previous job there were no women who appeared to be smaller than a size 18 in my office. In my current job there are no overweight people, male or female."

Did your weight go up and down as well. I find that I vary according to the people I see every day. I think we start seeing that as the norm.