When I were a lass, a size 10 was a 24" waist...

[clary]

Admittedly that's a while ago but I was a size 10 or 12 in 1978/80. Size 12 was 26" waist, 36" hip. 2" off that for size 10.

I have lost more than a stone in weight and dropped clothes sizes too (obv). Measured my waist the other day after reading about the diabetes risk associated with a measurement of more than 35". It was 27.5 which I was v happy with but that would make me a size 14 in old money.

But my size 12 skirts from before I lost the weight are sitting on my hips or below; size 10 is even too big in some shops.

I know that shops have sized up to make us all feel happier that we are still a size 12 or whatever, but surely this latest research shows that's not a good thing? If my 27" waist is a size 8/10 (!!) then 30" would be a 12, maybe 32" a 14, maybe 35" a 16? A lot of us would say, oh well, size 16, that's not that fat really. But suddenly it's in this diabetes danger range...

Are we not in danger of normalising being fat and making it acceptable? When I say we, I guess I mean clothes shops. And on another point, what the heck size does someone who is genuinely slim buy?

[rivierliedje]

babies do your jeans actually sit on your waist? that would be a very high waisted pair of trousers. If they sit lower than your waist then around the waist band is not the waist measurement really.

I do think standard shape for women has changed. I'm not sure why (different underwear, different food, different exercise?)
I have some Burda style magazines, modern ones and ones from the seventies. Clothing pattern sizes are different anyway, but looking at the sizing guides in the old magazines I remember thinking how incredibly hour-glass shaped women must have been, for example (number plucked out of thin air) a modern Burda size 12 would have 35 inch bust, 30 waist and 39 hips or something while a seventies burda size 12 would have a 35 inch bust, 25 inch waist and 36 inch hips. ( I dont't have the magazines to hand, but it really is that dramatic).
There also used to be (in patterns from the fifties at least) a much wider variety of sizes: the misses, junior miss, short, tall, women, girls, teens etc etc range, all with slightly different shapes so the proportions would be slightly different.

All very interesting really

[BestIsWest]

I got my 1987 size 14 Wedding dress out the other day and the waist measured 26". I was a definite pear shape back then but not skinny at all, I weighed 11 stone 4lbs at 5'9".

Rivers Burda patterns from the 70s sound pretty much spot on from my recollections.

[WitchWay]

I measured 37 24 37 till I had DS aged 32, then 36 27 38 till recently when I started cycling regularly. Currently 36 26 36

My weight has remained unchanged at 55kg 8st10lb

I struggle to find clothes that fit my waist and hips - my ancient size 10 Wranglers still fit well but my new NYDJ jeans are size 4

[Djangor]

Boden size guidelines at back of autumn 14 catalogue has size 12 as 37/30/39. Boden spring 1999 catalogue has size 12 as 35/27/38. In 1999 they have a note to say that "Boden clothes are generously cut for a relaxed & comfortable fit".

[temporaryusername]

All I know is this thread has made me feel bloody fat.

[capsium]

I found this healthy wist hip ratio calculator.

www.virginactive.co.uk/active-matters/tools/waist-hip-ratio

which shows you can have a bigger waist and be healthy, aslong as your arse is big enough to compensate....

[capsium]

www.virginactive.co.uk/active-matters/tools/waist-hip-ratio

don't know what happened with that link, but here it is again.

[capsium]

^ link does not work. Must be something which prevents posting it. But if you Google waist hip ratio there are web page calculators that come up.

[Walnut8]

There have been a few of these threads recently. I DO find it frustrating when sizing within the one bloody brand is all over the place or doesn't match the sizing chart but you know, first world problems and all.

I'm sure you were all veh skinny when you were young ...

[capsium]

www.bmi-calculator.net/waist-to-hip-ratio-calculator/metric-waist-to-hip-ratio-calculator.php

Here is another link.

[BestIsWest]

I like that... I am very healthy apparently despite being a size 18-20

[LadyIsabellaWrotham]

Oh that's interesting about Boden. Confirms the hypothesis that all measurements have increased but waist has increased much more than hips, leading to a squarer shape. As a pear-shaped woman, my drycleaner alterations bloke is my best friend. I don't even try to find clothes that fit off the peg.

Also a clothes horder here. I wear mostly size 10, but I can't even begin to do up the zip of my 1980s size 12 Dorothy Perkins pseudo-Chanel suit skirt. I'm keeping it in case I get amoebic dysentery //grin.

[hellymelly]

I do think it has allowed me to fool myself somewhat that I haven't got as fat as I actually am! While I can still get into a 10, or a 12 on a fat day, I think I am still slim, whereas I am actually carrying far to many extra inches that I should try and shift.