If you are a 10 now you would be a size 12/14 now... read if you dare..

[Helpmepleasenow48]

Dress - vintage - from M&S I bought on eBay. Would be from late 80s. I’m a size 8-10 (smaller on top) my bustis 33 inches hips 36 and waist is 27 inches. This label is for a size 12/14 at that time...
I’m getting annoyed because I’m finding that I’m having to go to size 6 to get a fitted dress. Or an 8 in jeans - there is no way I’m an 8 in trousers!!

Yes, drives me mad. Very difficult to find anything in small enough sizes. Also annoying as I am trying to gain weight and would like to be able to go by clothes sizing rather than weight but it’s impossible with all the different sizes and with vanity sizing. I was aiming to be a ‘real’ size 10 but that is pointless as a size 10 is more like a 14 these days.

It's infuriating. I'm a size 4/6 and 5'2, I can't buy clothes anywhere. Everything is far too big. There is only much I can get from kids ranges and the smaller items at Asos are not suitable for work. Vanity sizing is a nightmare for me. Always open to suggestions of places to try!

Well, this has really cheered me up. There I was happily (as happy as an ex-eating disordered person can be) a size 10-12 but really I'm a chunky monkey who'd have been a few sizes bigger in yesteryear.

Atomic, I gave up and put on weight instead (which was / is incredibly difficult as I am naturally skinny with a high metabolism) as nothing fitted and it was so annoying. Even now I am a healthy weight an 8 is often too big in some stores. It’s ridiculous.

Will post a pic of dress tomorrow - it’s in the wash. I am finding it harder to get clothes that aren’t too big. For tops I often go down to a size 6. I’m not that small!

I am the same weight now in my fifties as I was in my late twenties/ thirties. I am a size 8 now and was a size 8 then. My mum was a size 14 but was 2 stone heavier at that time . So this doesn’t make sense to me . I don’t think I am overweight so I wonder how slim are the people who can’t find clothes small enough

@Orlande I'm so glad it's not just me, I can't fit into adult sizes as most are too big. Yet when I find something that is plain enough in a children's size these are also huge. 14-16 years in clothes is often bigger than a size 8 / 10.

I'm the same atomicnotsoblonde although an inch shorter. I'm finding tops a bit easier at the moment as have gone up a couple of cup sizes while BF. I used to get quite a bit of work stuff in the petite section at Banana Republic. Although it's not cheap for the quality they seem to send me 25% off emails on a regular basis. I had a couple of lovely things from Almost Famous a few years back but they seem no longer to exist. Other than that it's things where fit isn't too vital, sadly.

My mum is a similar build to me although a bit heavier and now also struggles with fit having been a size 10 in the 80s!