Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Shop sizing is weird - yes you H&M

62 replies

Pantone363 · 27/06/2015 21:29

I've just spent 10 minutes fighting my way out of a dress I nearly had to cut off. Cannot breath in it. It's a size 10, I'm 5ft 6 and 8st 8lbs why the fuck doesn't it fit Hmm. Size 8 in top shop is fine

Shouldn't there be a standard agreed on measurement across all sizes and shops?

OP posts:
Trills · 28/06/2015 11:32

The last few things I have bought fro H&M have all been 12 or M and have fitted absolutely fine.

Sorry.

StephenKatz · 28/06/2015 12:56

I have up on H&M after a couple of tops expanded sideways after a couple of washes. Washed at 30oc and drip dried, they have literally doubled in width. I have most certainly not halved Grin

brickinit · 28/06/2015 12:58

OP, try shopping in Next! You will have the opposite problem!
A Next Size 10 is now more like a Size 16!

BaronessBomburst · 28/06/2015 13:08

H&M also have a strange UK to EU size conversation. Then they label in American sizes too. Buying on eBay is not exactly straightforward.

FanjoBean · 28/06/2015 15:48

H&M clothes also all seem to be designed for people with ridiculously long, thin legs. I like some of their tops but have never got into a pair of their jeans!

Even the kids jeans are stupidly long. DD is 2.5 and tall for her age. Found a pair of jeans in there that I liked for her, the size 2-3 looked almost long enough for me! I got the 18-24 month ones and they're still too long (and massive around the waist). I held them up against the 2-3s and there was a good five inch difference! I know kids grow fast but bugger me.

ImBrian · 28/06/2015 17:08

I'm a size 10 across the board, h&m I have stuff ranging from a 10-16!

Alisvolatpropiis · 28/06/2015 20:07

I've never really had a problem with h+m, bar the one time I bought the same jumper in two different colours. One was indeed a small, the other was enormous. Same size on the labels.

RolyPolierThanThou · 28/06/2015 20:29

A friend of mine used to work in a garment factory and said mislabelling is common.

The factory gets an order for 6,000 units each of sizes 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 but to cover for faults etc they always aim to make 6,100. If a production run of, say, the size 10 produces only 5,800 usable, sellable units they'll try yo maker up the shortfall with any extra size 8s or 13s by just sewing in the 10 label and hope the retailer doesn't notice.

It can mean fines for the manufacturer if caught but then n ot delivering the ordered units on time is also a fine so it's worth risking.

Looks like h&m buying dept aren't very good on their quality control.

Another common problem is factories sub contracting out the work. This leads to inconsistencies in sizing and quality. Some retailers absolutely forbid sub contracting (such as John Lewis) because of this, and for maintaining high ethical standards (no home workers or child labour) but many a retailer doesn't bother checking or even visit the factories.

BlankXpression · 28/06/2015 20:30

H&M is bizarre for siding. I never, ever order online from them as I know only too well how weird it is.

I have some nice bits from them - a blazer and a dress in size 16 and several tops in size 10. I'm a standard size 12 almost everywhere else.

BlankXpression · 28/06/2015 20:30

*sizing

Original poster
Pantone363 · 28/06/2015 20:46

10 year old DD tried the dress on today and it fit her perfectly (apart from the length as its supposed to be above the knee).

That's interesting about the labels!

OP posts:
gerbiltamer · 29/06/2015 16:58

Totally agree H&M are bizarre. I'm a size 16/18 at the moment and the size 33 denim shorts fitted, although the rise is far too low and my stomach hangs over. I bought a size XL peasant blouse top in that fits.

The hats are fab though and I bought some funky new wash and make up bags the other day.

wasabipeanut · 29/06/2015 17:07

The quality at H & M is atrocious. I bought a couple of big, oversize tops there s few weeks ago. Despite careful washing they both had small holes in the material about 2 or 3 wears later. I'm giving up now apart from their vests which I find a good fit and oddly last forever!

Snowflake15 · 29/06/2015 23:33

Agreed re size and with wasabi all my h&m clothes get small holes in random spots after a wash or two, even my primark stuff doesn't do that!

Jbck · 30/06/2015 07:15

Tried on a dress recently size 14 fitted fine but Im normally a 16 and spotted one on the rail at the changing room took it so I had a little but more room as I felt style might benefit from it.
Got home put it on and its smaller than 14 dress now sold out everywhere.
Tried on another the same day and the 18 was too tight across the bust. Biggest size they did, noticed online it goes up to a 20 but not chancing getting it because of other one.
I like quite a lot of their stuff and basics pretty good for price you pay, got a couple of linen t shirts for about £15 maybe less but its hit n miss.

Original poster
Pantone363 · 01/07/2015 10:00

J, that's ridiculous!

OP posts:
AmberNectarine · 01/07/2015 15:53

Yep, I have a pair of size 14 shorts from H&M which, while a little loose, broadly fit. I'm a size 8 (though I'm wearing a size 6 Topshop dress today). Equally I things in my usual size which fit perfectly and a pair of size 26in denim shorts which are now falling off.

Gap is another one - I was in there trying stuff on, needed a us0/uk4 in everything. Also find next and M&S huge. Agree about All Saints, I take a small, sometimes medium in there.

RufusTheReindeer · 01/07/2015 16:07

Ordered some Phase 8 stuff the other day

I'm a VERY generous 12 (13) on my bottom half and a 14 on my top (not fashion stores but most others

Ordered the jeans in a 14 as they were skinny ones (and my current 12s are a leetle tight) HUGE!!! Could have got someone else in them...with me!

The too I got in my usual 14....HUGE...could have tent pegs on the hem and camped in it

The sizes are changing rapidly...two or three years ago I was ok in an avarage size 14, now some of them are massive on me and I haven't changed

Hate H and M, it's like a jumble sale

RufusTheReindeer · 01/07/2015 16:09

Tried a dress on at joules which was obviously made for an American Football quarterback

Massive on the shoulders, really, really tight on the boobs

PurpleDaisies · 01/07/2015 16:10

H and m sportswear is really good. But agree that the rest of the store the sizing is really hit and miss. Size 8 some tops, size 16 in others. Too much like hard work!

AmberNectarine · 02/07/2015 12:12

Further evidence - bought 4 items in there today. Size S, 10, 8 and 6.

Snozberry · 02/07/2015 13:04

I tried on a size 14 top in H&M and almost had to yell for help to get out of it, even though I have dresses from there which are a 10. The worst thing is no consistency of sizing within one store, I cannot be bothered to take 10 sizes into the changing rooms to find which one fits. At least if you know a particular store sizes big or small you can roughly guess what size you need but H&M are all over the place. Primark are a bit all over the place aswell, I had a top from there in a size 6 when I was pregnant, I wasn't even a 6 before pregnancy

Original poster
Pantone363 · 29/07/2015 00:31

Right, this is ridiculous now Angry

White trousers are a 10 from Tesco and like clown trousers

Tried some 10 palazzo pants in River Island yesterday and they were too small?!

OP posts:
mrsmeerkat · 29/07/2015 00:35

Next is a joke. I bought a top in usual size (pre dc) and it did me until last few weeks of pregnancy and i was big. I was massive really.

Original poster
Pantone363 · 29/07/2015 00:40

What do we want STANDARD SIZING

When do we want it NOW

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread