To be annoyed with ladies clothing sizes?!

[dreamer24]

This is a first world problem, I accept.

I went shopping today for new jeans. I'm a size 10-12. Started off in New Look, took both sizes 10 & 12 into the changing rooms, couldn't even fasten the button of the 12. 😳 I absolutely refused to accept I needed a size 14 when all my other clothes are 10-12.

Gave up and went to Next - again took both sizes into the changing room - size 10 were perfect!

So how come at New Look I'd need a size 14, yet in Next a 10 fits perfectly?! That's quite a gap. I was chatting to the lady who served me in Next about it, she was saying she's a size 8 in most places but needs a 12 in New Look.

Is it just me, or is that quite a disparity? Why is there no consistency in women's clothing sizes across stores? Anyone else notice this?

Yeah it's this. Different target demographics

Who cares what the label says if it fits.

that’s interesting because I thought new look has always had a reputation for generous sizing! I know that I generally need to size up in black/brown trousers because they always come up small for me (something to do with the dyeing process apparently?) but if I’m honest I’m generally consistent in size with every shop in jeans (exception of Zara where I always size down, which I understand isn’t the norm either!) but tops, is just everything made hugely oversized? I find jumpers/tshirts all over the place. Would just be so helpful if it was standardised!

Well, it didn't fit 😂 that's exactly my point.

Well I'm only 39 so feel young 😂
But yes I know what you mean. However I can still fit into their size 8-10 tops easily, which is the odd part - just struggle on the bottom half.

Men's clothing is done by inches. I wish women's were the same... and it was accurate!

But the size up probably would've been fine, you just didn't want to wear a 14.

Erm, it matters because I took the two sizes that I consistently am across all jeans and trousers literally anywhere else, ie 10 or 12, into the changing room with me. They were the only 2 pairs I had with me because those are my consistent sizes in any other shop I've bought jeans from. I didn't have a size 14 with me in the changing area, and I wasn't faffing about getting one, and why should I when I go across the road to Next and fit straight into my actual size?

@LoafofSellotape
I didn't want to leave the changing area and start looking for a size 14. And no, not many people would be thrilled about having to buy something 2 sizes larger than the size they are in most other places. I doubt that'd make anyone feel particularly good about themselves.

I wish they'd get together and everyone agree what measurements equal a size 8, a size 10 etc etc. And then put the right label in the garment accordingly. Then we'd have continuity.

The problem i believe started as some shops decided that ladies quite liked being say a size 14 in one shop better than a 16 in another. So they'd shop in the first shop.

The second shop cottoned on and changed their sizes. The first shop then changed it again etc etc. And this is why I think I can be a size 14 in one shop and a 20 in another. WTAF.

It used to be that a size 12 was something like a 34 inch chest and hip and a 26 inch waist. I don't think it's that now though.

Honestly I think its a millennial thing to care about clothes sizes/avoid bigger sizes... The teens are quite happy to buy bigger sizes/oversize or wear mens stuff

OP it's not that surprising that the tops fit you and the trousers don't. Most women carry more weight on their hips and stomach over the age of 25, we're different shapes to the young people! Even if still a small size.

And if you're apple shape you can just set light the the sizing charts in my experience

@Wimberry
It was more the point that a size 10 DOES fit me in many other stores. Just not NL. So I'm not sure what your point is re being a different shape etc? My point is about the lack of consistency across stores.

Well exactly, like OP didn’t want to buy a 14 because it makes you feel bad about yourself. I see why shops vanity size if people are more likely to buy a smaller size. And I think a size 12 is a 30inch waist these days.

It does also make sense that shops cut for their demographic, so places like M&S, next and that ilk tend to be more generously cut than the shops aimed for those in their early 20s… but I still wish it was standardised!

@Wimberry @dreamer24 (no idea why it's put my name in and can't edit out sorry!) but even if they were the same size (physically) a size 10 cut for a new look model shape is not going to fit. If it measured the same across the waist it's going to be smaller across the hips and narrower down the thighs.
Similar to a regular cut or an athletic cut.

I have modern clothes in a size 10 and vintage clothes all the way up to 16. I've never questioned avoiding clothes because of the label in them, I'm the only one who sees it!

YANBU sizes are getting so much bigger! I’m a size 6 or xxs in shops now but it is madness because I’m a healthy looking size 8/10 if anything based on old sizing! It annoys me because I know I’m bigger than when I was younger but I’m the same clothes size if not smaller. Where on earth do the actual petite skinny girls shop?!

This has been an issue for more than a decade I'm surprised you hadn't noticed! It's a combination of vanity sizing, customer demographics and cheap manufacturing processes to keep the costs down. Most online websites have a section alongside the garment for customer feedback on the 'fit' IE comes up small true to size or large. Next are definitely on the more generous side (M&S not as much as they used to be 30 years ago) The fabric is cut by laser and stitched by humans (with a tolerance level) not every garment will get quality checked and sometimes the wrong label gets stitched in..it's how it is now.

When I was young and skinny you were lucky to find a size 8 in the main stream shops! Wallis and Gap used American sizing back in the original days so the label was always showing a smaller size than you would expect to wear. In the 90s we started to hear about size zero (I think a uk size 4, heroin chic was a fashionable look) things change in time including average sizing and the average shape of a woman's body.

Currently, if the way the clothes are proportioned for particular sizes in one shop is off-proportion on you, you have a hope that another shop's proportions will work better. Under your idea, you wouldn't. Currently, it's usually difficult to find something if the way you're proportioned isn't what the retailer making the size was expecting, e.g. the item is too loose on your waist if it fits on your hips/bust. Under your way, it would become impossible if you don't fit that model.

This is why I like Hobbs - always the perfect fit and the sizing is accurate.

Much pricier than Next or New look too. They won't be manufacturing in the same volumes so their quality control is likely to be better

I’m allegedly a 14, but not on top! All the size 14 jumpers are far too big 😢

Crazy question, but I bought a size 12 dress and it wouldn’t go over my boobs (of which I have very little, B cup) until I realised there was a zip, duh. Don’t suppose yours has one somewhere?

Wear clothes from 12-20 sizes. I think I only got about 5 tops sized 12. I’m 5ft 8 16.5st

Clothes shops for the younger adults and teens their sizes have been on the small side

I think different stores are better for different shapes. New look aim quite young for their market usually, so the shape is more aimed at those slimmer around the hips and middle, whilst Next is often for slighter older age group. I find the same, trousers in New look just don’t fit as well as they aren’t aimed at my shape. I’m mid thirties and have two kids so to be expected really, I carry more weight on my hips and middle.