So much size 12 shaming around and it saddens me

[Littlemeadow123]

Seriously, what is wrong with being a size 12 or 14? Read an article in a heauty column the other day where the journalist claims that she flung a jumper down and stormed out of the shop in tears because it was a size 10 and didn't fit. Is the idea of trying on a size 12 really that horrendous? Does she not realize that sizes differ between shops anyway?

I'm a size 12, which according to a lot of people would put me in the overweight category. They dont seem to consider different body shapes at all.

There is nothing wrong with being bigger than a size 16 or 18 either but when they see size 12s and 14s being shamed they must feel awful about themselves at times as well.

I'm 5'8 and a size 10 usualy, I bought a Maxmara skirt in the summer and I needed a 14.

I was totally cool with that. It was just the one that fitted best. (And I wanted the skirt!)

I hate women’s sizing for this very shop.

One shop in a size 10 another im a size 16. It also depends on the item if clothing. I get small items for T-shirt’s but for jumpers and coats I get a much bigger size as I will have layers underneath me and I prefer a baggier look.

Im 4ft 11 a size 10 and not overweight but a size 10 is seen as mahsoove and a size 6 shoud be preferable for my height. When i was a teen young adult a size 6 was rare only certain clothes shops sold a 6 now it is an aspirational size., I despair at what women will do to their bodies to fit into clothes and say they just want to be "healthy".

Although I have to say I was also a size 8/10 when I was a super-skinny 7 stone 11 20 year-old 25 years ago, so sizes have definitely shifted somewhat.

Size 6 didn't exist when I was a young'un. I'd probably have been a 4 by today's sizing.

A lot of it depends on the height of the person. A 5ft 0” size 14 person will look a lot bigger than a 5ft 9” size 14 person.

It's all utter bollocks unless height and build is mentioned as well.

Absolutely!

I've seen lots of comments such as Id hate to be a size 12 etc as if it automatically = obese. Shape, build & height are important, you can't just look at weight or a size in isolation.

Everyone is different. For one woman it could be devastating to not fit in a size 10 sweater if a size 12 puts her over a healthy bmi based on her body type. Other women will be that size due to big boobs and nothing to do with body weight.
For example, I am always a size larger on bottom than on top due to my big booty. It’s not because of extra weight but my body shape is in different proportions than whatever manikin they use to decide this top half and this bottom half always go together and are size 12.

12 is definitely bigger than it was 20 years ago, 9.7 stones at 5,8 I could never get in a 10 in the 90s.

There is a 2 stone difference in healthy BMI range for my height. Presumably that is to reflect frame, muscle bone density.

Healthy at the top end-sure. But for my frame I’m not slim. I am a current size 12 though. At the bottom end I look emaciated. Not just to me but the various people who commented that I looked ill.

I also know people the same height who look healthy at the bottom end because their frame, physical bone structure is narrower.

Dress size is utterly meaningless as a measure of slim when you’ve got a height range over over a foot before you even consider variations in skeletal frame, breast size, hip width and body fat distribution.

It's just daft and people are doing their intelligence a disservice by buying in. I'm around a size 8 most of the time but the sizing in shops differs so wildly it is pointless. I own size 4 clothing which seems ridiculous at 5ft 5 and 9 stone and many size 12 tops and knits, which is my preferred fit.

I assume the size 12-14 threshold is because it's the 'average' size in peoples minds and in order to feel truly attractive you need to be 'better' than average or however will men and other women notice we are exceptional . Smaller is equated with femininity by those who haven't yet worked out it's nonsense.

The size has more to do with measurements at certain points on the cut than weight, and the style of the garment.

"I think size 10 & 12 used to be much smaller.

Size 8 was difficult to get over 20 years ago! And size 6 didn't exist."

All true except for size 6 not existing. It did exist 20 years ago, but was seen as something for very skinny young girls.

"I mean 32” inches is 32”

Not necessarily. Do you measure them? They may be larger and is 32 the size of the waist or the size of the trousers? Does the waist fit around the real waist or somewhere else?

I was always a size 8/10 BMI of 19, in the last few years I've gained a stone, BMI is still only 21.5 as I'm 5'9, to become a large 10/small 12, I did this on purpose to stave off wrinkles.
At thirty six I'd rather look young than be rake thin so if anything a 12 is preferable to anything smaller.

I'm a size 14 with a bmi of 26 so slightly overweight. If I was taller than it would be normal range

I'm a 12/14 and am 5'8" and definitely a good stone and a half overweight. BUT, I've also been on the cusp of underweight, about three and a half stone lighter than I am now. I was only a 10/12 even then. Plenty of size 10 things wouldn't have fit me at all. And this wasn't back in the 'good old days', when apparently size 10s were quite tiny. It was fairly recently.

So yeah. Load of nonsense to storm out of a shop because something doesn't fit. I bet she looked a bit of a prick.

I have lots of size 12s in my wardrobe, but also just found a nice top in a charity shop which is a size 20 and I bought it, cos I like it 🤷‍♀️.

I've seen plenty of magazines/websites calling size 12 'curvy' aka fat. It's just ridiculous. I'm size 14 on my bottom half and have a BMI of 23. I'm not even that tall and I don't need to lose weight.

I’m 5’10 and a size 12, and that’s fine. Healthy bmi etc. I’ve just started running again after several years so I guess I might lose a bit of weight but probably not much (more likely I’ll just change shape a bit). I can be a 10 in some shops and a 14 in others but generally I average out at a 12. I’ve got size 8 feet too!

I always assume that the ‘Oh no, a size 12 is huuuuuuuge!’ shock horror brigade are teeny weeny little people who can’t reach the top shelf... and can probably buy trousers that don’t flap around their ankles, but that’s a whole other story!

I'm a 12 with BMI of about 28. I'm 5'5 and a bit and carry weight on boobs/thighs on a small frame - need extra small watches, size 5 feet...

I weigh just under 80kg... but all my clothes are 12/14 except some 10 in styles that work for me like Skater dresses (plus things like supermarket or Aldi yoga pants/pyjamas).

There would be plenty of people who weigh less than me in bigger sizes, especially if they don't have thunder thighs.

I have no idea what size I'd be in stuff that doesn't suit my shape - can't get into H&M 18 trousers but 12 skirts fall off my waist!

Hmmm. When I was a size 12 I was fat. I used to try and convince myself I wasn't ("it's because I've got massive FF boobs" or "I'm a healthy BMI, I can't be fat")...but I was. I had a chubby face, flesh I could grab on my stomach, and wobbly arms. For example, I couldn't wear a shirt tucked in with trousers for work, as my stomach would look awful. Now I've lost weight I run faster, clothes look better on me, and I'm a D cup rather than an FF (yep, those boobs really were just fat).
So yeah, for me a size 12 was too big. I wouldn't say everyone at that size is fat, as obviously it depends on body composition and the rest, but I personally - don't want to get to that size ever again.
I'm 5ft 6 and, for me, a size 12 was 10 to 11 stone or so.

I’m a small build. 5”7
Probably nearly 10 stone?
12 on top as l have tits. Im totally toned and have a hourglass -ish body!
12 is a good size for me!

My huge size 12 body! 😆

It’s all so tedious, and the stupidity around sizing in relation to BMI being hugely variable is just infuriating (but I don’t have much patience for stupidity in general), never mind the utter nonsense people believe in regards to health and fitness/general wellbeing. All the moralising and smugness around food gives me the rage too.

In short, shaming at any size is really quite unnecessary.

Surely it depends on your height? Why are we pretending all women are same height?

If you're 6ft tall a size 12 probably means you're underweight. If your 4.11 it may mean you have an overweight bmi. Size alone means fuck all.

I'm a size 12 when I tip into overweight category. Although I do sometimes but size 12 for a baggier fit, especially as I am big chested. Depends on height and body shape though doesn't it? I'm always happy when I git comfortably into a 10, and needing to buy a 14 was the push I needed to lose the 2 stone I shouldn't have been carrying last year.

You’d be surprised at how many women just do not understand that! They are incredulous at the thought the a woman who is much taller than them can weigh the same as them and still look quite slim (and be a completely different size with it), or that when you are a serious fitness buff who trains multiple times weekly and especially if you lift, that you can be actually very heavy and on the heavier end of the BMI spectrum. They also can’t make allowance for any other variables, and are completely stuck on the numbers on the scale, or on the clothing label.

Basically, many people are dumb. And you really can’t argue with dumb.