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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

303 replies

which1 · 18/10/2019 18:51

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.)

OP posts:
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5
Tattooedmama · 18/10/2019 20:19

Judging by how quickly primark sale stuff sell out so fast in size 10 and size 12 i think 10-12 is pretty standard.
Im a size 10-12 so im rather gutted when all that is left is sizes 6/8 and 16/18 etc

ethelfleda · 18/10/2019 20:19

Because high fat, high sugar processed food is cheap

Makes sense!

Tattooedmama · 18/10/2019 20:19

Of course primark is not a way of telling the average UK size Grin

Oneborneverydecade · 18/10/2019 20:19

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

It's really not that difficult to work out is it?

I'm a size 18 and feel a bit crap after reading this post

CallarMorvern · 18/10/2019 20:19

It's really difficult to tell clothes size by looking. People always assume I'm slimmer than I am - I'm actually a 14, but not overweight. I'm 5'10, which skews people's judgement.

Gwenhwyfar · 18/10/2019 20:20

"Judging by how quickly primark sale stuff sell out so fast in size 10 and size 12 i think 10-12 is pretty standard."

Yes, but 12 varies by shop - often the average for that particular shop so a 12 in a teen shop is much smaller than a 12 in an older women's shop. You can't use shops as a measure.

Whatafackinliberty · 18/10/2019 20:20

This reply has been deleted

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Weymo · 18/10/2019 20:21

All these women are size 16 (from a ‘news’ article in The Sun)

If you look hard enough, I guess their hips are the actual size 16 measurement as all their hips look the same width.
But they all look to have different sized waists and top half...

...to think that it might not really be true that the UK average clothes size for women is UK size 16?
Lessthanzero · 18/10/2019 20:21

There are slot of very big women 18+ to push up the average, but there are not many very slim women 6- to pull it down.

When I was a size 6 (pre kids) I very rarely saw women out of their teens slimmer than me.

Gwenhwyfar · 18/10/2019 20:21

"I'm a size 18 and feel a bit crap after reading this post"

Should we not talk about the obesity problem then?

ConFusion360 · 18/10/2019 20:22

Because high fat, high sugar processed food is cheap.

Eating less is cheaper still.

feelingverylazytoday · 18/10/2019 20:23

Alsohuman but not all cheap food is high fat, high sugar or processed. There's probably a bit more to it than that.

lilabet2 · 18/10/2019 20:24

In general there is now a rich-poor divide when it comes to slenderness- the rich are (in general) thin, the poor are generally fat(ter). If you live in an affluent area then the average may well be a 12-14.

ColourMeExhausted · 18/10/2019 20:26

I'm a size 14 and have been often told I look smaller than this. Walking around where I live, I do feel like I'm one of the thinner ones. So I think it's probably accurate when you take into account everywhere in the UK...

JaceLancs · 18/10/2019 20:27

I’m a 10-12 and would like to be an 8-10 but people tell me I’m tiny
I think bigger sizes skew the average as there are far more size 20 plus than size zeros

MamaFlintstone · 18/10/2019 20:27

I think it depends where you live and who you know. I’m a size 18 and I’m the fattest person i know by miles. None of my female friends are over a size 12. Most are a lot smaller than that. All my colleagues are much slimmer than me. My family too. I work near to two universities so almost all the people I bump into in the shops at lunchtime are young and slim.

MarkingTimeIm59 · 18/10/2019 20:32

Size 14-16 here and feel pretty average.

RaininSummer · 18/10/2019 20:33

I think there are a lot of women who are much larger than size 16 so I can believe it is an average. Doesn't make it good or healthy however.

Lochnessgiraffe · 18/10/2019 20:39

I'm 5 9 and have clothes from 10-20 my trousers/skirts are 10-12 depending on the shop but I prefer baggy tops so they are usually 16-20. I could wear 12-14 tops but I don't like close fitting clothes. So people can skew the data without being larger

feelingverylazytoday · 18/10/2019 20:39

I live in an area which is kind of average, certainly not wealthy but not poor either. You don't see that many people who are large, and I would guess the average size is well below 16. You do see a lot of people walking and riding bikes, there are supermarkets within walking distance, and not too many fast food outlets either, in fact planning permission has been denied for new ones to open.
I've always found I lose weight when I have financial problems, but I really prefer eating 'proper' food to processed stuff. The last time was about three years ago and I ended up eating things like carrots and lentils, but I know that doesn't suit everyone, especially kids. I think you have to make an effort to eat healthily when you have little money, but it can be done.

Oysterbabe · 18/10/2019 20:40

There doesn't seem to be many fat people where I live and you see absolutely loads of people running and cycling. There's only 1 fat person in my office of about 30 people. She's probably about a size 22 though. I guess very large people pull the average up.

daisychain01 · 18/10/2019 20:41

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

Not where I shop. Whenever I'm in M&S I try to find trousers in size 12 Regular length and I can never find a pair. It really frustrates me, as I think size 12 is such a standard size surely they should have at least 3 pairs on display at any time, but they never do so they've lost my sale loads of times. They always have several pairs of size 20 and 22 though!

EmeraldShamrock · 18/10/2019 20:41

Why are more affluent people generally slimmer?
Also interesting lifestyles, better things to be doing than eating takeaways at the telly.
Poverty and boredom are related when people are bored they overeat.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 18/10/2019 20:44

I’m 5 foot 6, have a BMI of about 23.5, am fairly muscly (so presumably heavier than average for my “size”) but am still a size 14.

To be a 12 I need a BMI of 22.5 or lower.

Even when my BMI went down to below 20 (thanks to an awful bug and I looked hideous) I was still a 12.

I have broad shoulders which don’t disappear no matter how little fat there is on the rest of me. Presumably because that is skeleton based.

CountFosco · 18/10/2019 20:47

I'm a size 6 and could do with losing a few pounds

Unless you are 4'6" I doubt that's true. I'm 5'2" and at the top end of my healthy BMI I'm a size 10, if I was size 6 (a size that would fit my 11 year old) I'd be at the bottom of my healthy range. A modern size 12 is overweight for me.

All these women are size 16

Shock horror, taller women look slimmer at the same size that shorter women look fatter at. FWIW I think all their boobs look the same size and they are all overweight (tallest only slightly).