To not know what size a Large is?

[Aquarius1234]

These days I am a 16 for jeans and 14 or Large maybe occasionally 16 on top.
Just depends how relaxed or non tight/short the T shirts are.
I wish I was a 14 on low jeans/cargo but they are just too tight or don't fit at all.

I have large boobs so buying a winter coat is difficult. X Large is that a 16?
Large parka coat is sometimes fine others times quite tight.
Another X Large would be too big, yet I worry if I get Large it might be too fitted?
I hate ordering things online and them not fitting, but if I buy a size up its like its allowing me to put on weight?

I want to buy a Parka Coast that looks neither tight/snug nor looks big?

The only way you can tell is to try things on, as even something like a coat from a certain shop can vary between styles, cut and changes in size over time. It's shit, but that's where we are.

A large could be anything between a 12 and an 18. I like a certain style of t shirt from M&S. I bought a 14 without trying it on because I had one in the same style but a different colour at home. But the new 14 was at least a size bigger than the old 14 so it had to go back as it was too large for me.

If you wore a 38 G bra what size coat would you choose above?

You can't tell with department stores because they have a generic size guide which may not line up with the different brands they sell.

I am a size 16 with large breasts. I wear a size 38F (or FF?) bra. For me, XL is usually better although I have recently lost a few kgs and while all my clothes still fit fine, I have bought a couple of more generously sized larges recently. For coats, I wouldn't consider less than XL.

I just saw that you are a 38G? In which case, I would 100% go for the XL.

Ah the dreaded House of Fraser conversions.

They are now the same company as Sports Direct and they make up their own size guide. My daughter came a cropper with that when she bought a Nike top. They stick their own size label on top of the manufacturers one. They labelled a Nike XS top as a size 8 wheres Nike themselves say an XS is a 4-6 so always check with the manufacturer themselves.

For what it's worth I was trying Lauren clothes on last weekend the fits can be a bit strange but lovely clothes.

in Ralph Lauren a Large is 16-18

That question is about as helpful in this context as if you drive a VW Golf, what is your favourite fruit.

I feel the pain OP! I must own every size available!

I'm 168cm (5'6) with arms/legs in proportion- but nearly every jacket makes me feel like I have orangutang arms! The end seems to stop before my watch, so my wrists are always sticking out!

Some years ago there was a skirt in M&S I really liked. I bought it in three colours, same size, to mix and match with a particular jacket for work in the days when we did smart at work. One was loose, one was a bit tight and the other was just perfect.

These days I buy a lot in charity shops. I never just concentrate on the sections that are theoretically my size - these days I can make a reasonable assessment if something will fit me from just looking at it. I now have clothes both within and across brands from XS to XL. None of these is snug or oversized on me (unless they are designed to be). I'm pretty medium all over.

Shoe sizes can vary quite a bit once you get over size 5 too, particularly trainers. The manufacturers don't always equate the European or American sizings properly with the British norm. I have Sketchers varying between a 5 and an 8 for my size 40/41 feet (although the size 5 must surely have been a mistake at the factory!)

Online is a pain as the sizing guides are often not that accurate.

Yeah ridiculous.

I generally feel that large is 14 to 16 in some places and 16-18 in others. I was in Primark about an hour ago and noticed that their knickers are Medium 12-14 and Large 16-18. I used to think their stuff came up small but it looks quite accurately sized now. I didn’t buy anything.

As regards coats, 14s generally aren’t that big. I’m a 12-14 and I’m basically only a 14 because I have long arms and there’s no chance a regular 12 coat would have sleeves long enough. Thank goodness for tall ranges. Most coat styles don’t differ much in body size between 12 and 14

Oh wow really that's interesting a Large is 16-18.

Wish I knew what an S or an M (or even what an 8 a 10 or a 12) was!
In each shop (or even each item) I can only tell by trying something on.
My hips, my boobs, and my thighs seem to all belong to different sizes!

Also many years ago in M&S I bought 4 different tops in 4 different sizes at the same time and all fitted me perfectly.

But Next L is apparently a 12, yet having bought a jumper online, labelled L, with 44-46 to the L. Pretty sure that’s a 16-18? And an XL ime is a 14, according to Vinted/eBay default sizing when you’re looking to buy or selling.

Huh? I would choose according to my measurements - I’m not sure if you’re understanding? It’s not about ‘I’m always a large’ ‘I’m a 38G’. Just measure your bust, waist, arms, shoulder, length etc and work off that… it’s really not ridiculous. Cumbersome sometimes, but surely it’s more cumbersome to blindly click ‘Large’ on everything and have to make returns?

It's v frustrating as not all shops are the same. Large used to be size 14, but if you buy clothes made in China, the sizing seems v different.

Recently I bought 2 pairs of trousers online from Fatface. Similar style and both size 14. One pair fitted perfectly. The other one was more like a size 18 and 4 inches longer!

My thinking too! Especially in high street chain stores.

THIS is why buying clothes online, especially if you are larger, is a bloody nightmare! I miss clothes shops where you could take a few options into the fitting room, try them on and know INSTANTLY if they fitted you!

I’ve just been in Uniglo and their large is apparently a 12……trousers fitted me perfectly and the dress I tried on would have housed another human, if not two! You really just have to try things on. If you’re ordering online buy more than one size if their returns policy is reasonable.

Try buying women's motorbike gear!

I'm normally a 14 on top, average boobs but I often buy a size up so I can wear layers under coats etc.

I had a bike jacket that was a 3XL!

It's completely random and a bit of a minefield when it comes to buying online, which 99% of the time you have to as physical shops often don't stock the women's versions of gear or they have about 2 jackets in tiny sizes available so no good for me.

You need to either go for a brand who's sizing you know well and have consistent sizing or try them on in person in stores. I buy a lot of clothes, I mean loads. And depending on where I shop I can be anywhere from an 8 to a 12. The most expensive places and the cheapest places both tend to have tiny sizing. For a coat you probably also need to check the fit as you don't want anything that lays weird of looks strange over a sweater.

It depends on the brand. I find the inconsistency frustrating. M&S for example - their clothes come up big (imo), so a large would be a 16 or even 18. Reiss clothes are crazy generous in size. Zara clothes are small for the size, I think.

If I input my measurements into the Boden size guide, it says I’m a 10 (I’m not). John Lewis says I’m a 12.

I tried on a small coat in Tesco the other day and it was so huge, I took it off and checked the label.

You just need to try on things.

Italian brands?

This has happened to me quite recently. Although, with long arms the baggy 12 and the better fitting 12 were both a bit wrong in the sleeve. These were short sleeves, incidentally.

What I feel like I need to do now is to go into the shop to try on different things in different sizes, find the sizes that work, and then order online for the colours I want for those designs and sizes (because all the nice colours will be sold out in the store).

Feels like a lot more work then it used to be.