To ask if you go to charity shops do you always go for the same size?

[Charityshopqueen]

Just been out today shopping with a good friend who's really honest about everything including clothes. She finishes early and I was off work. So had a day out. Popped into a charity shop that's known for being cheap.
I tried on half a dozen dresses in my size. Non were fab. 1 was ok. I had another look at the rails and noticed a nice designer one in a size up. But looking I said it looks like it'll fit me? So tried it on and it's gorgeous. Friend was gobsmacked how good it looked. Cost a fiver! There was another nice designer one didn't suit me that was £4. I almost bought it to sell on Vinted but thought that'd be wrong. Hopefully someone buys it that wears it.

So if you shop in them do you ever look at different sizes? I never have but will now.

No never. I look at anything from about an 8 - 16! Vintage items are much smaller ( a size 12 is like an 8 )

I do look at higher sizes yes. Especially knitwear, as it’s often shrunk in the wash and that’s why people have got rid. So a size or two up is perfect and has the benefit that it usually won’t shrink further.

I look at the garment, rather than the stated size and will try anything on that ‘looks’ as if it will fit. TBH, I tend to do the same in other clothes shops as the sizing varies so much, even within the same brand name.

Sizing varies so much, even in the same shop/brand, that it’s never really occurred to me to look at one particular size! I assess by eye to see what I think will fit me.

I wish I'd done this years ago. I'd never thought of it?**

Ignore the labels. Brands vary immensely.

I look at jeans two sizes down because if they're American they might fit me. Had a few good buys that way.

I got a brand new Ralph Lauren shirt once for about a pound because it had been filed under size 6 and not sold

I’m a size 14 usually but I look at sizes 12-18 depending on what the item is!

You can't trust sizes of different garments even within the same high street store, so I certainly don't trust them in charity shops 😅I am the same size as @downbadd and look at the same range of sizes. Having said that I have found outliers - possibly mislabelled by the original supplier. I was amused but not deceived when I spotted a lovely top that fitted nicely over my humungous boobs and was labelled a 'size 8' - it should probably have been a 'size 18'.

I don't pay too much attention to sizes in charity shops because the range of fits even within any given size is madness. I have everything in my wardrobe from a 4 to a 12. Designer things tend to run smaller, than high street, ime

And bear in mind that a fair number of clothes get dumped at charity shops if they don't fit true to size.

I find everything has been tumble dried within an inch of it's life.

I used to manage a charity shop and I think it’s fine to buy items to sell on, (on Vinted for example) - if it’s not sold within around 2 weeks, it often gets sold to a rag merchant or ends up in one of the cheaper sister charity shops on the area, so as long as you’re paying the price they’re asking, don’t feel bad.
it’s a good idea to look at all sizes as sometimes the volunteers would size the items wrong by not looking at the label properly or they’d put the US size on it eg a US 10 = UK 14.
sometimes women’s ends up in men’s section too and vice versa!

I think paying attention to sizes anywhere is a bit of a lottery. Someone I know bought a dress and a cardigan a few weeks ago from 2 different shops; the dress is size 18, the cardigan a size 10 and both fit really well. She thought she was a 12/14.

Thanks for the tip

This post confuses me. Surely you've noticed in clothes that you've bought that size varies massively from brand to brand and sometimes even similar items in the same store? Not sure why it wouldn't occur to you to look a size up/down in a charity shop for the same reasons! :)

This is a great shout!

Always! A 1960 size 12 is equivalent of a current size 16 in many popular brands. A current cheap 12 is often the same as a designer 8.
Keep a small tape measure in your bag. Measure bust, waist hips. If they are smaller than your size don’t try.
Larger things in beautiful fabrics particularly coats in cashmere blends or silk dresses are worth buying in a larger size, easy to get altered. I have learned to sew myself and can refashion many items.

Yes, as long as there is a changing room, I’m a size 14/16, but will try anything between 12 and 18.
As being a sewer, I know some fabrics give a little after a couple of washes and others will shrink.
And of course, I can take them in or out (seams allowing) or totally make a new garment.
A long dress has plenty of material for other things.

I must just be thick as mince obviously.

Thanks for the tips @JillMW and @ccridersuz . I wish I could sew. It's one of those things I wish I could do. I'm OK hand sewing. My sister has a sewing machine she never uses. I bought it for her. I might 'borrow' it? There's actually a free sewing class in the town.

In shops I'm anywhere between a 14 and a 20 depending on the shape of the outfit and brand so I'd be pretty open minded. That's also why I dont buy things if I cant try them on in a charity shop. It seems "wrong" to get a refund on something that doesnt fit.

And to answer the question about not noticing. I used to fit in a smaller size. Hrt has made my boobs grow. So my shape has changed. The size i bought today is one I'd never have bought before. Or even thought to look at. I will be now.

A quick tip that works well for most people re. jeans is to wrap the waistband of the jeans (buttoned up) around your neck and if it meets comfortably, it should fit your waist. If you prefer a looser fit, aim for a pair that overlap when put round your neck. Hope this makes sense!

It's worked for me several times in charity shops which don't have a changing room.

Yes, because sometimes clothes are mis-sized which, I assume, is why they are in the charity shop. Also UK sizes vary quite a lot.

Everything in my wardrobe fits me perfectly. The labels range from size 12 to 20. So yes, the size label is just a guide, a starting point.