To think clothes sizes in high street shops have gone off the rails!

[SweetMagnolia423]

I was out shopping yesterday and wasn’t looking for anything in particular but as you do, went into a couple of high street shops and tried on some jeans and combats.
Firstly, tried on a pair of ‘comfy’ wide leg jeans in my size 12. Put them on and fgs they looked awful. Cutting right up my backside. Even with the elastic bit of waist band at the back, they still felt uncomfortably tight. All of my clothes are size 12.
Anyway, moving onto the next store and I spotted some cargo pants I have been eyeing up for ages. Picked 2 pairs of EXACTLY the same size 30/30 (30 waist/30 leg), but different colours. Tried the first one on and no joke, the legs were sooo wide I could have made sails out of them. I looked ridiculous and the waist was so loose I could swing them around. They were that bad I was convinced I had somehow picked up the wrong size but I checked the label and it’s definitely 30/30. Tried the second pair on and completely different fit. Actually did fit better.
while this was going on, my OH was shopping and bought a second pair of the jeans he was actually wearing cause he wanted a ‘spare’. He literally walked and picked and bought the exact same jeans size/colour/style without trying them on. Got home, put them on and they are huge! Have to return them…

I'm not sure I agree with that. It would seem normal to me that a woman's 4 or 6 would fit a pre-teen child as not many adult women fit those sizes.

Interesting, but I bought 2 pairs of 14 M&S Sienna jeans, the black was way bigger than the blue.

sizing is a joke now, Trading standards ought to take this on, brands need to comply with sizing or it doesn’t get to sell in UK stores

it’s getting worse cos nothing is being done about it

M&S are the worst for this, I can’t buy anything from there without trying it on first.

Yep - DH just buys the same jeans in the same size from M&S, he's been doing it for years and the size and style has never changed.
He can't get his head around women not being able to just measure themselves and order clothes in that size!

It also annoys me how men have actual leg lengths for trousers rather than short/regular/long that always vary depending on where you're buying from and even between styles from the same shop sometimes!
I need a 29 or 30 inside leg which is sometimes regular and sometimes short and it often doesn't say what the length is when you're buying online, so I end up having to buy 4 pairs of the same trousers to try on, 2 different sizes in 2 different lengths!

New Look give the leg lengths online but in-store it's just petite, short, regular, long and tall. Why?!

My ten year old daughter - reasonably tall but skinny - is now wearing Zara size XS adult. Trousers are far too long but tops and shorts or skirts are perfect. This is not me deluding myself about my child's figure either, she has always been in the bottom 25th percentile for weight and above 50% for height. Ten years old. There's no way supposedly adult sizes should fit a child of that age unless they are outsized. Something very wrong there.

I think that's normal. A size 24" waist is the size of an average 10 yr olds waist.

Zara comes up quite small, a L is a 12 really.

Found my people. Also ridiculous sizing. I know I have put on weight. Sure I’m an old 18 unfortunately, maybe more. I’m in a 16 (or maybe 12 even in the same style from the same shop!) Leads to size 0 being an actual size. I’m not a fool.

i think sone garments are cut by hand with a pile of fabric. Following the pattern precisely on the top it’s probably not the same on the one on the bottom. We still keep buying and want cheap stuff so stores don’t care.

M&S are the worst for this!

I always add leg length and waist when asking about buying or selling second hand, takes the guess work out!

Then they're not adult sizes. A pre-teen child is not an adult.

Her waist is nowhere near 24 inches though.

YANBU! I’ve had to buy a number of things recently and it’s been ridiculous. Bought two pairs of trousers from Wrap and could fit a fist down the back as well as all around the seat and hip area, despite matching the exact measurements in their size guide. Sent back to get the size down. I also bought four pairs of jeans in a shop last week (a place with multiple brands) and have one pair in every size from size 4 to size 10. I have never, ever, ever been a size 4. The 4s were high rise wide legs and when I put the 10s on I could pretty much climb out of them with them buttoned up. I’ve also had to take 2 of the 4 pairs in to a tailor to adjust the leg length, again for totally different amounts. I wish they’d use standardised body measurements and stick to them! I was in there about two hours picking up jeans and then exchanging for 1-2 sizes up or down.

My worst experience of this was buying 3 pairs of the same jeans from a shop in different colours and they all fit differently.

Now I understand why I’m always pessimistic about clothes shopping. Always thought it was me being unrealistic about my clothes size thinking I’d put on weight when in fact it’s the clothes! It does not help when Perimenopause is alive and kicking.🙄

Oh dear. Some adults are very small so will be smaller than some children. That makes sense to me.

I hear you, OP.

I'm an hourglass shape. My daughter is the same shape as me but a 6, whereas I'm a (roughly) a 12.

If it fits on the hips, it's too big on the waist. Fits on the waist? No hope of it fitting boobs or hips.

I tend to buy wrap style dresses made from jersey fabric as there's more flexibility in the sizing/fit.

I also go for 50s style dresses where they assume boobs a waist and hips.

But I really struggle with trousers the most.

It’s like this but on steroids when you’re plus size as most stores don’t stock their plus ranges in store and there appears to be an assumption that all fat women are either very tall and broad, or a perfect hourglass like Christina Hendricks.

The one advantage is that clothing for fat women is always loose, baggy and sacklike so there’s never any problem with it being tight in some places(!)

I hate clothes shopping and I probably look dreadful but until someone tackles the clothing industry I can’t see anything changing.

I've found a small number of online retailers where the sizing is consistent. I know which styles from each store will work on my body shape but it does mean I tend to end up with several desses in the same styles but made from different fabric

At least they fit though...

I find Primark and F&F the best for me. I'm fine top half. Can buy a top/jumper/cardigan and fits great. It's the bottom half. And what is with all these blooming high waisted trousers/skirts. No I do not want to look like Simon Cowell, thank you very much

😆😆👏

I agree OP. I’ve recently lost weight, now a size 8. Can’t shop in Sainsbury’s as their size 8’s are too big (more like a 10) and that’s the smallest size they make. There are plenty of women smaller than me.

I have stopped buying matching women's PJ's. I find the tops are really short in arms and length. I'm only 5'4 so it's not like I've got a long torso and arms. Couple of washes later and they are like a crop top. I now buy women's bottoms separately with drawstrings and actually buy mens plain t-shirts in a size small.

Yes and it’s everywhere! I go off the size guide, buy the right size for my measurements and it’s usually bloody enormous! Why? Do none of these brands have a functioning tape measure?
I ordered a size 10 dress from Next and DH and I could have comfortably fit in it at the same time. Drives me mad 😡

Re: Vinted and the like- I bought a pair of Next jeans in a size 14 (generally I vary between 12 and 14 with Next).

When they arrived they barely go over my ankles! I think they were an 'old' 14- vanity sizing is to blame for that one.

There are also the shops that go for sizes 6-8, 10-12, 14-16 - the 14-16 is always way too big and the 10-12 is much too small. Very frustrating.

(And yes I totally agree with the stupid poses of the models online- although I suppose it at lest means I know what the dress will look like if I'm crouching down for a pee...)