To think size 18 is plus size and not 'hardly plus size'

[sanddownthatwall]

The poster, with a very large following, is saying a size 18 isn't really plus size by much, and that 'most people (in the UK), are above a Size 16?

Really? I don't know that many people above a size 16. I really don't. I know lots and lots of size 12/14 and thought that was about average? It's usually the first sizes to sell out

www.instagram.com/p/ChiDp-1Mos3/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

I'm currently 5'4 and top end of 14 stone and in the 18-20 size range. I am morbidly obese, and although I have no health conditions as such related to my size, I feel heavy, get out of breath easily, have achy joints. But the thing that has caused me to do something about it isn't the health aspect (which should be enough with 2 young boys), but vanity. I don't want to have to go to specialist shops to buy my clothes. I want to be able to buy clothes that I like and am comfy in. I want to look good, which has promoted me to rejoin the gym and eat healthier and start to lose weight.

Weight is such a sensitive issue. I'm open about my weight and my size, but it embrasses people. When I turn down cake at work and am pushed and say I'm trying to lose weight, I get told there's nothing wrong with my size. When I restarted the gym and asked if a particular machine would work on my bra fat, the instructor got all embarrassed and giggly and insisted on talking muscle groups - that means nothing to me as a lay person! My friends all insist I should have another drink when we go out, as I don't need to lose weight. I absolutely don't condone fat shaming - I'm fat and the reasons are many and various, some of which I'm in therapy for and some of which are disability related - but people are so worried about being offensive that it's swung the other way and no one can be honest about it.

Monroe was not a size 18 for goodness sakes.

I thought a lot of wedding dresses were American sizes? They are definitely nothing like UK sizes.

I am a modern day size 8-10 but when I wear my mum's vintage jeans from 70s I'm a 14. I would prefer all clothes measured by chest or waist like jeans. Do away with ladies dress sizes altogether. When I order my kids uniform it's easy - 28/30 chest etc. Preferable to having to open up each clothing brand's size chart to see which random measurements they have chosen for each dress size.

I’m size 18 and I’d say I’m defo plus size, I’m happy with it and as long as others are there’s no harm in stating facts. Mines due to a thyroid condition but I do enough to roughly keep it the same weight. I’m stronger than a lot of people and I’m happy with that 😁

unless someone is sitting on your face their weight and size and whether they are ‘plus size’ or ‘normal’ 🙄 is not your problem or concern

This country is rapidly going the way of the US. Fat children, fat adults eating processed and/or high sigar content foods.

*sugar, not sugir

I agree with this. Everyone saying this thread is benign is either disingenuous or incapable of critical thought. That's all I can think of.

A size 18 is plus sized 100%

But looking at the clothes VB s designing and expecting someone that size to wear (from the link) is unrealistic. When I was that size, I still wanted to look reasonably ok.

I'm always amazed by the nastiness of these threads. sanddownthatwall you haven't started this to be informative, women who are a size 16 or above know they are overweight and a lot of us are deeply unhappy about it. We don't need to be told by the likes of you.

Then people pile on with comments like it is "very large". WE KNOW, but hey, thanks for the shitty start to our day.

Why are womens clothes numbered for size rather than just having measurements like mens? Surely having measurement sizes would reduce clothes being different sizes in different shops?

I’ve just googled womens sizes, a size 18’s official measurements gives a 36 inch waist, for women having a waist size over 34 inches is a very high risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, for some ethnicities this risk becomes very high after 31.5 inches. Surely a weight that puts you at high risk of an illness should probably be considered plus size, rather than going on what a person physically looks like.

Sorry, but the idea that a 16 is usually too big is nonsense.
I have had problems with my weight but often take a 16 when my BMI is well within healthy range due to a combination of being tall with big boobs.
I remember once having a conversation with a work friend who pretty much said what everyone is saying about size 16s on here and then was really taken aback when I said I was 16 because she clearly had a very different idea in her head about what 16 looks like.
There is a massive difference in sizes between height, body shapes and within the clothes themselves.
On some women, yes, it'll mean they're overweight, on others, not at all.
I find this all very, very judgey.

It's a brand that sells fucking horrible tights - they'd say anything for a "debate". It's not an individual person.

They also happen to go up to quite large sizes so it's in their commercial interests to say bigger sizes are normal.

I'm a size 16. It may be an average size now in the UK but it is also unfortunately, an overweight size.
Size 18 is definitely a plus size.

I know. When I saw the title I thought ‘Oh yay anther fat bashing thread’.

Or more specifically ‘Another “congratulate me on not being fat” thread’

When shopping, most shops and ranges go up to a Size 18. It is really easy to buy clothes in that size as they are readily available.

Plus Size refers to Size 20+ as this size is not within the parameters of 'normal' clothing ranges. People wearing size 20 and bigger look for Plus Size ranges as not all shops stock them.

To me, Plus Size is a marketing tool - identifying clothing ranges bigger than the normal 6-18 sizes - and not shorthand for fat. So a size 16-18 might be overweight or fat but it is not Plus Size.

I hope there are no people with eating disorders reading this, or past eating disorders like myself, because anyone who has suffered anorexia/ bulimia in the past will know that although we (the lucky ones) recovered it never fully goes away. Only takes one little comment or trigger to send us overboard!

Yes I know it's my own fault for reading the thread!!!

I don't think she's saying size 18 is hardly plus size. I think she's saying that a clothes range that goes up to size 18 can hardly be described as plus size. Plus size clothing ranges usually start at 16 or 18, rather than finish there.

Yup @LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet me too.

Horrible thread.

Do you think I do t know I'm fat? Do you think I don't understand that I'm overweight?

Walk a mile in my shoes, and you'd understand why.

Fattism and ageism and misogyny.

I used to be a size 8. Then life changing disability and peri menopause (and now menopause) changed my life beyond recognition.

The average woman in the uk is a 16. But a lot of those women will be the older invisible women not the women in the adverts.

What is the actual point of this post?

Honestly you’d think putting on weight was the crime of the century on MN.

16 is the average size in the UK. The vast majority of women wearing a size 16 will be overweight. Actually many wearing a 14 will be overweight.
So yeah, 16+ is plus-size (and due to vanity sizing, today's size 16 would have been a 20 a few decades ago, which would definitely been a plus size and not available in most high street shops).
We've quickly lost sense of what's a normal size. Watch the episodes of Friends where they show 'fat' Monica, or the 1970s Willy Wonka film with fat Augustus Gloop. Neither are particular large by today's standards.

Snag would have us all be a size 24 needing chub run shorts and fugly special tights.

They've made a statement that will appeal to their customer base.

IMO size 18 is plus size and I don't know many high end designers who design for larger sizes so it was a little unfair of them to call out VB.

Yup.

So I'm not a svelte size 8 existing on crackers and cups of tea any more.

I have physical disabilities and the medication for those has weight gain as a side effect. I'm also old and have middle aged spread. There's a reason that's a cliche - because it's true. But average size (16 is average) middle aged women are invisible.

Okay. So say I wear a size 18. My waist measurement is the exact same no matter what the label says right? I look the same even if I cut the label off and live in denial about it? So how about we just call a size 18, a size 18 , don't add extra shame onto it and view the obesity/being overweight as a stand alone issue.

How about we start threads saying. "What are we going to do about the obesity crisis, a lot of people are at risk of type 2 diabetes?" Instead of "People who are plus size should KNOW they are plus size and stop trying to pretend they aren't because it's average".

The "plus size" shame has been given a lot of attention by instagrammers and the like BECAUSE it is an area where shame lies, and people try to work against that shame. So you hear people saying things like "I love my plus size curves". But only because they are trying to work against shame. This thread is annoyed that ANYONE is trying to work against the shame, without considering that the issue really is that it should not be "shameful" to be plus size to begin with. Being overweight or obese should be worked through and there should be support available. Being overweight has a lot of negatives and produces a lot of barriers. People are not suddenly aware of the situation because of their label says "plus size".

It has been proven that losing weight is complicated, and difficult to maintain long term. Adding shame onto the mix is really not helpful when you know you have to lose weight. And this thread makes people feel shameful about their weight.