Vanity sizing needs to be stopped

[SemperIdem]

I appreciate this isn’t shiny new subject matter but it’s been really niggling at me the last few days.

I’ve relatively recently had a baby, back in my pre-maternity clothes if not quite at pre-maternity shape (granted I felt I was out of shape at the point of falling pregnant).

I bought a pair of jeans from Pull and Bear, size 10. They are absolutely enormous. There is not a chance I’m a size 8 at the weight I am. I then reflected how as a 5’6, barely 8 stone teenager, I was a size 10 in Topshop jeans. How am I, at a significantly heavier weight, still a size 10 anywhere let alone smaller than a size 10?

Am I being unreasonable to think that there must be a way to get shops to end vanity sizing, the variance between shop sizes is also ridiculous.

Yes! I don’t know if it’s their sizing or their cuts but I always used to size down and now I need to size up, although my weight hasn’t changed.

Same here. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

It does when you're tiny. I'm basically only able to buy from Zara or H&M at this point. A size 6 in M&S, Next etc generally just falls off me. My waist is 26 inches, which should be a 6-8 but frequently isn't.

What annoys me is the size guides are totally meaningless. You can measure your waist and bust and buy in accordance with that but it will still be massive.

It is bloody annoying because I've had to return 6 items from different online shops this week for being massive, it cost me money f or the postage to me and now the return so each item has cost me over £5. That's £30 wasted.
There are no decent shops near me in Somerset, they are around one hours drive away. I have to order online.

I was a size 10 in the 90s. I weigh the same now - and now I’m a size 6. Vanity sizing is definitely a thing.

But they have the measurements on their webpage, so I usually go by that. Hasn’t failed me. Obviously some people like their clothes very tight and others very loose, so depends on that too really.

I agree. Vanity sizing is definitely a thing.

When I was a teen - I was a 12 on the bottom , 8-10 on top (heavier legs )

Now, I can fit in a size 8 jeans in next (probably even a 6!!!) next is the worst culprit. Their clothes are ginormous. I only buy SHEIN now (yes yes I know ) and river island petite range (I'm short ) and I come up a 12 in jeans which I'd say was a accurate. There is no way my stocky cankles and generous derriere is a size 6!!!!!

To be honest I actually feel sorry for these really petite slender women. I'm small but have stocky legs and I'm not naturally a "lithe" build despite being "small". Some women of asian descent or Ethiopian are literally absolutely tiny. Goodness knows what size they're having to buy if my cellulite ridden arse can squeeze in a 6-8!!!!!! Must be a nightmare.

I always wonder where women are buying clothes. If they say they're fat and fit in a size six to eight.

When I was skinny in my early twenties, I was in an eight. I'm now 3 stone heavier and in a twelve. To me that seems about right. That isn't vanity sizing. When I was skinny I was in an eight now I am a normal to border line over weight i'm in a twelve. Even when I was skinny in my twenties, I couldn't get a six on and I can't get an eight on now.

It's absurd isn't it. I was a size 8 at 18, Forty four years later and with at least five inches extra fat around my waist, I am a size 10.

It's just silly.

My daughter is a similar size and doesn’t have any issues finding clothes. Next, New Look, Urban outfitters, Bershka, Boohoo, ASOS etc. I think some people just want to tell you they’re tiny though.

No it’s definitely the clothes. Lots and lots of articles and posts where people show clothes from 30 or 4@ years ago and they were tiny compared to the sane size now.

I’m not fat it’s just that I’m not skinny either. I’m slimmish but at almost 60 I’m thicker than I was as definitely have more excess if not exactly flab. And yet I fit a 6-8

There must be loads of women who struggle because I’m a 6-8 or an XS -S and I’m not teeny tiny. I’m almost 60 so thickened and im not skinny. Just slim. I’m not of particularly narrow skeletal frame either. I’m an average framed slim woman. There are women that are 1 or 2 sizes smaller than me so they must struggle.

You won’t be as toned or have as much muscle as you did due to being old.

I have always been very fit and slim but even though I still run, swim and do weights, my body is less toned than it was in my 20s.

A few days is nothing! There are things which have annoyed me for decades 😁

I agree Op, I’ve always weighed 50kg, as a teenager I was a size 6/8, now I’m a size 4/6 which actually rules a lot of shops out.

In real life I promise I’m not even that skinny! It’s annoying as lots of main stream places (George Asda, next, even John Lewis), just don’t carry many 4/6. Even XS from accessorize is too big for me now.

I agree. I have clothes that I had as a teen almost 30 years ago. They’re an 8 and measure between my teen daughters current size 6 and my own current size 10 clothes. And as I said earlier, my daughter has no issues finding clothes with a 25 inch waist. Most of her friends are a similar size, some are smaller. I think there are a lot of women with eating disorders who want to tell everyone that they’re so tiny that shops don’t make clothes for them. It’s just not true.

Probably better enjoying your baby rather than thinking about clothes sizes.

This is what I was getting at really - Topshop jeans were always waist and length measurements rather than sizes per se, although you could work out what the waist measurement was in “size” if you were so inclined. Which I obviously was back then!

Oh yes you’re right. Having a baby should be my whole personality now 🤨

Same, I never claimed to be fat. I'm small framed and "petite" but I'm not skinny and don't have a "lithe" figure.

I'm not sure "due to being old" will be a comfort to someone who's not even retirement age yet!

I believe them. I'm "small" but not skinny. I have very dumpy legs and lots of cellulite. Despite being "little" I am certainly not thin. So if (with dumpy legs and big bum ) I can fit in a size 6 -8 jeans in Next, I quite believe lithe skinny and petite women have major trouble.