To have had enough with clothing sizes being so different?

[Plannypops]

New Look? 12
TU? 8
M&S? Medium, sometimes large
Zara: S
H&M: XS (!!)
ASOS: Anyone’s guess. Totally depends on the brand

I’m 5ft 3 and about 9.5 stone for reference.

I’m finding it so difficult to order anything online and know it’s going to fit. I can’t be bothered faffing about with the returns process when it arrives. It’s easier to go in person, but I haven’t got all day to try multiple sizes of clothing on. It’s so annoying and I have all but given up and so I’m just going round in the same two old outfits day after day.

I agree. I tried on size 12 trousers in H&M last week and they were comically gigantic. Tried on another size 12 pair in Reiss and could barely do them up.

Agreed it's ridiculous. I have TU jeggings size 8 and they are huge on me and there is no size 6 option! It's so annoying. I'm a size 8-10 so when I order an 8 I definitely don't expect it to be too big.

Online, they should give a comprehensive guide to the measurements of the garment. This would cut down on a lot of returns.

Completely agree.

They manage it for menswear, why not womens?

Ive currently got size 8 to 16 in my wardrobe.

I dont know why they just dont go on inches or cm, e.g. 26" waist, 36" hip or give the actual measurement of the garment, e.g. 40" bust.

I think if there was a standard size 12, 14, 16 etc then it would only fit one body shape, meaning you'd find it even more difficult to buy something that fits!

I agree - which is why I still prefer shopping the old fashioned way - in store!

I used to be a designer.

Every shop has its own set of measurements depending on its target market.

So a 14 in M and S is not going to be the same as a 14 in Primark. The younger the target the smaller the sizes.

But just to add to the general confusion, a pair of trousers in a particular shop may not have the same measurements as a skirt or even a pair of jeans🤪it’s bonkers.

In shops I’m good at holding tops and dresses up and knowing how they will fit me - works less well on trousers. Much trickier online, even if measurements are given because they are all horizontal points, not vertical, even if back length is given. Some online info like ‘ model is 5’8” and is wearing a 10 ‘ is useful, as is the same dress being shown on two different sized models.

A big pain is slipping quality control whereby the same style and labelled size can vary - have come across that in M &S

I also find H&M runs big, despite their bad press around sizes being ridiculously, eating disorder inducingly small. It really is a total crapshoot out there

I agree. It's not even as if sizes (like jeans) that are expressed as an actual measurement are standard. My waist is 26.5 inches but I have big hips and a big bum. I have jeans in sizes from 25 to 30. I have clothes in sizes from 6 to 14 and XS to L. I have shoes in sizes from a 5.5 (M&S wide fit) to an 8.5 (hiking boots).

That would be very useful, if only we knew what each shop's target market/age bracket was.

Yes, ok, we all know that M&S is aimed at an older demographic and Primark is aimed at teens/twenty-somethings but i have no idea about the rest. Boden for instance, or Beujauken (or however you say it), Mango, or Massimo Dutti? You cant tell by the models because they all use young models apart from the odd 'diverse/inclusive' example.