Ski clothes sizing or am I just fatter than I ever knew ?!

[namechangedforanon]

So ... I am a curvy 14-16 , weight being on my bum , hips and boobs .

I went shopping in town this weekend and bought clothes from a few high st stores all size 14-16. I've tried a few 18s on when things have been out of stock and they drown me .

I have just tried on several pairs of different brands salopettes and I cannot get in any of them 🤣😭😭😭😭😭😭.

A size 18 will just zip up and the button won't fasten .

What do I do ?! Are they always small fitting ? I haven't bought new gear in years .

They do tend to be small made, particularly the European brands.

I would look at snowboarding clothes as they tend to be a more relaxed fit. Another alternative is to buy men’s salopettes.

Graffiti -

My previous pair (which I lent and got torn 😭) were these nice slinky ones :(

I see dare2b do a plus size range so might have to explore that as realistically not going to drop enough weight by the time I go :(

Just don't go to Decathlon is all I'm saying.....

Well actually not all. They do size small - ordered a pair of Size 14 Dare2b ski trousers on internet and had to send them back as too tight, am a fairly bog standard 14 with most brands. Try Tog24 still squeezing myself into my size 12-14 slim fitting ski bottoms from there.

Ha thanks rookie I am not alone !

Was going to go there but will give it a miss !

Not just you - I’m a uk 12 and the only size I could do up and move in was an 18/XL.

Most walking/skiing/climbing technical clothing is much smaller sizing than fashion clothes. It really shows up how much vanity sizing has happened in high Street shops over the last few years. I'm a 8-10 or x small in fashion clothes but a 14 or large in technical gear, sometimes even an xl which just seems ridiculous

I wish they would just use cm or inches. It would make it far easier to order stuff.

I'm a size 14 and my ski trousers are also an 18, can't remember the make but they were from to maxx years ago. Makes no sense - some of my base layers are (a tight) 12.

Ski clothes are tiny. Don’t worry OP, you’re not the only one who’s found this. I am mainly bottom but wierdly find men’s ski pants work well. Much more choice in sizes over 12!
@Kennehora thanks for your input but as this is about ski gear and you don’t ski I’m not sure your attempt to make mere mortals feel fat is entirely relevant

Lol at the above drama .

I suppose yes vanity sizing is at play potentially but thanks for the reassurance ! Size 20 here I come 🤣

Measurements or things being stretchy would help a lot ... this just means I have to brave actual stores again or order 15 pairs online and work out which ones I can ease myself into.

LOL. I really don’t understand why you would comment on a post about ski clothing in the ski topic if you’ve never even tried on any ski clothing .

I buy lots of gym gear without any issue. Ski clothing sizes are very different. Make sure you don’t try on any Italian brands of ski clothes OP, they are minute!!

I was talking about this last week with my mate while we were away skiing. We saw lots of women on the mountain who were on the larger / taller side, most of whom would not be able to buy ski clothes to fit in the UK. We reckoned that they are either buying in resort, especially in places that are popular with German, Dutchand Scandinavian tourists, or the shopsin their own country stock bigger sizes.

I find that it's not just sizing that's a problem but fit too. I've found a brand that sortof works for my figure and I'm sticking with it (Salomon XS). Perhaps if you can wait until you get there OP, you'll find it easier to get something that fits (but you'll have to suck up the pricing of course 😏).

Oh come on @Kinnehora it was clearly a stretch (pun intented ) to use a thread about ski clothes as a chance to trot out the old “vanity sizing” trope as if it were some big news flash and not just a chance make you feel better than someone who is a few sizes larger than you are. You also seem to have a weird chip on your shoulder about people who ski and/or wealthy people.

Be careful crowing about how thin you are or one day might end up with a condition that makes you get fat. You are giving yourself a @kinnehora!

@kinnehora it’s clearly a thread about ski clothes specifically. There’s nothing special about being a skier and I didn’t imply there was. But for the purposes of this thread, you need to be a skier to have tried on ski clothes, that’s all.

Actually OP don't discount Decathlon entirely. If you can get over the fact you're likely to be an XL or XXl then they do have a good selection.

Bizarrely it's seemingly just the ski gear sized this way as fitted fine into size L walking trousers

Where are you going? Unless it's Scandinavia or parts of Canada you don't need salopettes - waterproof over trousers are fine, mine are birth face ones (I'm a similar size). I use a 3 in 1 jacket instead of a ski jacket which is used far more.

Annie - that's interesting I've always bought them for skiing in Austria and France .

This year we are going to Italy!

Not just you, OP. My ski trousers are an 18-20. I normally wear a 14!

Going skiing next week and replacing my salipettes, they are 2 sizes bigger than my normal and my jacket is one size up (but a bit snug 🙄) They definitely come up small!

anniehm on what basis are salopettes only necessary for Canada/Scandinavia ?

I agree ski clothes are small (not base layers), not like gym clothes at all, which time vary much more by brand and don't tend towards smaller cut.

Oh thank you for this thread. I have been trying to buy second hand ski clothes on eBay recently and thought it was just me that finds them weirdly sized.

Also wish they would do salopettes with elastic panels in the waistband (like some under bump maternity jeans). It would mean that extra bit of 'give' when sitting in chairlift etc but they would still fit snugly.

Yes, ski gear sizing doesn’t give anyone’s ego a boost, does it?
My slender DH was taken aback by trying a Decathlon jacket on and having to go for XL when he’s a medium in ‘normal’ clothes.
Polestar50 I have put elastic into my ski-pants waist band for this very reason. Just unpicked the stitching at the side seams and inserted some inch wide elastic to allow a bit of ‘give’. I wear a fleece over the waistband so my alterations can’t be seen.