Weight versus dress size

[KarmaK]

On another forum somebody told me "there's no way" that I can weigh 10 and a half stone and still only wear a size 8 to 10. But I do.

I personally don't feel actual weight determines what size clothes you wear. Do you?

no, it depends on your shape, your height and whether your weight is made of trim muscle or wobbly podge and where you buy your clothes (and when you bought them, before vanity sizing took hold)

No, you are quite right, it depends entirely what shape you are, and the design of the clothes to some extent. I am 12 stone and can wear 12s/14s and 16s.

They are probably jealous .

I'm 10 and a half stone, five foot six and do lots of exercise and am a 12. I was an 8-10 at 9 and a half stone. If you are taller than me with a slender build then I believe you could be an 8-10

No. I am much heavier than other people who wear my dress size - a couple of stone heavier in one case! I must have bones of stone or summit.

Nope it is more your shape that determines size worn and that can differ by a dress size or two depending on the label.

They are wrong. I currently weigh 10 stone 7 (as of this morning) as I wear a 8 on my top, 10 as a dress and 12 on my bottom because I'm a pear shape. I have often wondered if I have "heavy bones" as I have thought in the past I weigh too much for the size clothes I wear.

If you are taller than me with a slender build then I believe you could be an 8-10

I'm 5ft 9. Quite a slim build. But 10 and a half stone sounds kind of oddly substantial!

Yes if you're 5 ft 9 and willowy then I would expect you to be an 8-10 compared to my 5 ft 6 and broad frame size 12 at the same weight

Your height, bone structure, body shape etc are all going to make a difference. If you're fairly tall, have good muscle tone and maybe have big bones you could easily be a size 8-10 at your weight :)

I'm 10 stone, 5'4" and am size 14. But when these dress size & weight threads come up, most people who are my weight and height say they're size 10 or 12. I have fairly small bones so look fatter at 10 stone than the average woman would. Someone with bigger bones would probably wear a smaller size than average at that height and weight.

I'm only 5ft 5, weight the same and wear the same.

I'm 10st 4 (ish) and only 5'1 but wear a 12, sometimes even a 10 but think thats probably due to the generous cut of clothes these days

As Mighty says, dress size varies depending on a number of factors and not just weight.

As well as where you shop and when, it also depends on what you buy. If I were to buy pencil skirted dress made of structured material I'd need a larger size (even from the same shop) than if I were buying a jersey wrap dress, because of where I carry my weight.

Your friend is probably a rather unimaginative person who simply thinks "10 1/2 stone sounds like a lot" and doesn't think any further than that.

Makes no sense to me, I am 5'10", 11 stone (give or take a pound) and a 12-14, yet I see people on here who are shorter, heavier and a smaller dress size.

Sometimes I wonder what my body is actually made of?

I find these threads fascinating as there's always so much variation. I think it depends a lot on height, body shape and build, and how muscular you are, and of course different brands of clothing are sized differently!

I'm 5'2", about 8st, and a size 10 in most shops. 10 1/2 stone would be overweight for me, but I can imagine it's quite slim at your height.

Thats a stupid statement from your friend.
I am the same weight as my mate (just over 12st and 5 ft 6, nearly!), same height, similar body shape (bit of an apple, chunky thighs and arms).
But I am a 16 and she is a 12-14. I have to be 10st7 to reach a 12-14.
She is a lot fitter than me, runs heaps, and probably has a lot of muscle mass.

Well it depends on so much - height/shape/ and also which shop you are a size 8 in.

I'm a small 8 in most places - a 6 in some and a size 0 in gap

I'm a small 8 in most places - a 6 in some and a size 0 in gap

A size 0 in gap is an American size zero, so that is like a generous UK 4

They obviously don't know many tall people

My DSis is same height as you but approx size 12, probably about 11 & half stone.

She has also had doctors in the past tell her she was overweight, they clearly expect women to be small, dainty things and hadn't heard of BMI

Tbh I feel the UK sizing must be generous for you fit into size 8-that's 36 in France and I doubt you would fit into it here. I'm 5'8" and a bit, slim build and weight about 7kg (so about a stone) less and just about fit into 36. Size 10 sounds about right.

It depends on all the things everyone said above. And if you have body dismorphia like my mother you wear a size 14 even though they hang off you because that's what size you think you are.

Depends where you buy your clothes - Sainsburys are at least 2 sizes bigger than what they state on the label.

Tbh I feel the UK sizing must be generous for you fit into size 8-that's 36 in France and I doubt you would fit into it here.

I actually do fit into size 36 clothes in France (used to live there)

And if you have body dismorphia like my mother you wear a size 14 even though they hang off you because that's what size you think you are.

So through her eyes the size 14 would actually fit her properly??

She reckons her clothes fit. I think they look too big.