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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu. It should be women’s clothes that are longer and not children’s

147 replies

Kennykenkencat · 26/12/2021 19:23

Dd is tall and slim with long legs and long arms. No idea where this body shape comes from as we are all short with stubby legs.

All Ds’s trousers (women’s size 4-6) look like pedal pushers when she puts them on
Coats are always short in the arm.
She has resigned herself to having cold wrists and cold ankles unless she spends
££s on getting the right leg length and arm length

Passing the children’s section in a store we spotted a really nice looking jacket.

She tried it on and it fitted perfectly. Even the cuffs came down to her wrists. We then looked at trousers, age 14.
The leg length was noticeably longer than the adult section.

We went to look at the adult section of another store and nothing fitted her properly
Coat sleeves finishing somewhere south of her elbows and leggings finishing north of her ankles same department store children’s section and everything again was longer and fitted her perfectly

Inspired by this she got a good selection of clothes from the children’s section age 12-14. Trousers, t.shirts, jackets and leggings. that actually fitted her.

A lot of adult trousers look like they have a long legs but I have no idea who these trousers are supposed to fit but most of the length is the bum area.

I am definitely not tall or slim and my legs and arms are definitely short. I have tried on trousers where the crotch is somewhere around my knees.

Aibu that sizing for women’s clothing is really strange

OP posts:
Derelicthome · 27/12/2021 03:11

I love Boden for this reason and will be a loyal customer until my dying day.
I have cried tears not being able to find a one piece swimsuit to fit a long torso until I found their beautiful styles that you can choose the length for. Also a coat everyone was complaining about in the reviews as being ‘too long in the sleeve’ I snapped up as that is perfect for my long arms. I was preparing to buy a mens coat this winter and now I don’t have to. I love, love, love Boden. Really love Boden.

Derelicthome · 27/12/2021 04:36

Sorry my post is a little dramatic!

hugr · 27/12/2021 04:48

I have tried on trousers where the crotch is somewhere around my knees

As a big bummed lady I would like to know where these are

Rubyupbeat · 27/12/2021 05:03

LTS were my saving grace for off the peg womans clothing, especially jeans and long sleeve tshirts. Long in the majority of shops is way too short for me
I do dressmaking so can make all items to fit, so I buy good quality fabric so I can have a decent basic wardrobe.

Rubyupbeat · 27/12/2021 05:04

Yikes, too many so's

User754390 · 27/12/2021 05:36

I find Next Tall OK, they also stock LTS but I find LTS a bit long for me at 5'10", I wear Next XL which is for 33" leg, they also do XXL for 35" leg.

UpDownRound · 27/12/2021 07:29

*There is no way that fashion is designed for people who are 5ft 5”
The last pair of trousers I bought I cut about a foot off each leg to get them so I wasn’t tripping over swathes of material.

I think the issue with the leg length between adult and children’s sizes is about the amount of bum space designers think an adult woman has.*

Sorry OP I know it's frustrating when clothes don't fit but this made me chuckle. I think you might just have slightly unusual proportions? I'm 5'6, large size 8/small size 10 and most clothes I try on fit just fine which I've always assumed is because I have very average proportions. I think I'm fairly fussy as well. If clothes were that poorly designed then no one would be buying them. I must have an unusually large head as hats don't fit. It looks totally normal so I accept it must be just a cm or two off the average and this is what makes a difference.

Premiumtube · 27/12/2021 09:16

At least trousers come in a variety of lengths, it's the tops, coats and bags that really get me. I'm 5'9 and size 14 and so many tops just get wider and more square as the size increases rather than longer. It's so annoying. I'm trying to find a crossbody handbag at the moment but I know I probably need to go into a shop as so many end up sat under my boob or hovering around my waist as the strap is too short. If the strap is already adjustable would it really kill them to put an extra few inches on it!

thewhatsit · 27/12/2021 09:24

I hate the idea of “petite” and “tall” clothes anyway. Sell and market your trousers by the waist and leg measurement like mens!! Why do women get vague sizes?

I am not much over 5 foot but actually my legs are too long for M&S petite which is kind of bonkers. I wouldn’t waste time trying on stuff that doesn’t fit or buying stuff that doesn’t fit if it was just labelled as 28” / 30” / 32” / 34” and the corresponding waist size.

thewhatsit · 27/12/2021 09:28

@Derelicthome

I love Boden for this reason and will be a loyal customer until my dying day. I have cried tears not being able to find a one piece swimsuit to fit a long torso until I found their beautiful styles that you can choose the length for. Also a coat everyone was complaining about in the reviews as being ‘too long in the sleeve’ I snapped up as that is perfect for my long arms. I was preparing to buy a mens coat this winter and now I don’t have to. I love, love, love Boden. Really love Boden.
Yes, Boden is great for this actually. Everything I’ve ever bought from Boden (without trying on) has actually fitted. I still know my limitations though and as a short woman with, I guess, disproportionately long legs to total height, I tend to buy 7/8 length trousers which look fine showing an extra inch of ankle.
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/12/2021 09:31

I actually find Biden one of the worst for tall people in dresses though.

The waistline is really high. Even on the longer length, they make the dress longer but don’t move the waistline. I end up with a waistline on my boobs.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/12/2021 09:38

Boden obviously.

Not sure how Biden got on a clothes thread!

HaroldMeeker · 27/12/2021 09:39

I'm a dressmaker and have many petite clients who need trouser legs and sleeves altering regularly, even when they've bought the petite fit. Womens clothing sizes are mental. There's no standard sizes any more, and different shops use different fit models, some less curvy than others.

CounsellorTroi · 27/12/2021 09:44

I’m 5ft 2 but have relatively long legs. Petite/short length trousers no good for me.

Original poster
Kennykenkencat · 27/12/2021 09:44

@User754390

I find Next Tall OK, they also stock LTS but I find LTS a bit long for me at 5'10", I wear Next XL which is for 33" leg, they also do XXL for 35" leg.
I think this is the issue that the longer the length just seems to mean you are a bigger size and have a longer bum Dd has 36” inside leg and is xxs. She was once told that the U.K. don’t stock xxxs, sizes 0-4 as it promotes anorexia. Dd went off to work yesterday wearing a mans suit, shirt and tie because adult women’s black work trousers are too short and baggy, and women’s jackets and trousers are too short in the arm
OP posts:
deepbreath · 27/12/2021 09:52

YANBU. My dd has Marfan Syndrome, and her arms and legs are long (38" inside leg!) Also takes size 11 in shoes.

Everything in her wardrobe had to be ordered online. Quite often, the quality is shocking for the price, so she returns a lot of stuff. Long Tall Sally trousers are just about long enough, and she likes ASOS. Snag tights actually fit her - she highly recommends them! She's currently looking for some decent quality leggings.

thereisonlyoneofme · 27/12/2021 10:33

I would like to know the thinking behind most of my size 16 coats and jumpers have very long sleeves, whereas the 14s fit perfectly. If you are bigger do your arms grow or something ?

Original poster
Kennykenkencat · 27/12/2021 10:34

@Premiumtube

At least trousers come in a variety of lengths, it's the tops, coats and bags that really get me. I'm 5'9 and size 14 and so many tops just get wider and more square as the size increases rather than longer. It's so annoying. I'm trying to find a crossbody handbag at the moment but I know I probably need to go into a shop as so many end up sat under my boob or hovering around my waist as the strap is too short. If the strap is already adjustable would it really kill them to put an extra few inches on it!
We have found if you want a longer leg length then you have to get a bigger size.

Agree about bigger sizing for things like t shirts being just wider and not longer.

OP posts:
Elphame · 27/12/2021 10:40

I’m also 5 9 and other than jeans have not found a pair of trousers to fit me in years. If they are long enough then they are much too big around the waist. I’d love some really nice trousers but it’s never been possible to have any pretty fun ones and now even boring formal black is in achievable.

And yes - it infuriates me that the longer length clothes are also wider. I’m a 10 and just swamped by most of them.

Svara · 27/12/2021 10:47

@thewhatsit

I hate the idea of “petite” and “tall” clothes anyway. Sell and market your trousers by the waist and leg measurement like mens!! Why do women get vague sizes?

I am not much over 5 foot but actually my legs are too long for M&S petite which is kind of bonkers. I wouldn’t waste time trying on stuff that doesn’t fit or buying stuff that doesn’t fit if it was just labelled as 28” / 30” / 32” / 34” and the corresponding waist size.

Agree! I'm 5ft 5 and wear regular length trousers, friend is 5ft 4 with short legs and wears petite, another friend is under 5ft with a short body and wears regular. You can't go by height!
ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/12/2021 10:49

Lengths vary between sizes because the general rule of thumb is the taller a person the bigger they are overall generally. When you grade patterns up the sizes a small amount is added on sleeve lengths and hems.

Clothing is designed for the average 5ft 5 woman!

However, there is no standardised sizing as each shop prefers their own. They tend to use measurements which fit their target market. Soo a 12 in say Next, won’t be the same as a 12 in Select or whatever.

I can’t speak for long trousers. They may have been designed to be worn with heels.

Don’t assume that shops have their own careful set of measurements😂😂😂they don’t. They are usually historical and have been around for years.

BSI have standardised measurements. But these are expensive so they don’t use them.

It’s literally a free for all in terms of sizing. Same for childrenswear too.

Lucked · 27/12/2021 10:57

I am tall and usually the tall length in M&S and Boden is too short, next have more options but the quality is shocking.

I think part of the problem is that there are very few full length trousers at the moment, everything is meant to be 7/8 or cropped it is driving me mad.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 27/12/2021 10:58

I bought some ‘long’ dungarees from Fat Face.

I’m 5ft 8. They weren’t long😬. God knows what a proper tall person would wear.

HardbackWriter · 27/12/2021 11:00

I think part of the problem is that there are very few full length trousers at the moment, everything is meant to be 7/8 or cropped it is driving me mad.

Yes, this is true - and personally I think it looks awful on tall people, I can't bear wearing cropped trousers as I think it just looks (sort of correctly!) like I couldn't find trousers long enough. I think I'm still a bit traumatized from being mocked at school because our regulation trousers didn't come in a long enough length for me!

Igneo · 27/12/2021 11:02

Do you think that the size 4/6 end of the rail in adult clothing is designed to fit children, as that is the main customer group for that size range?