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.

Size is both weight-related and the size of your skeleton. DSM is really thin, but she's tall and has wide shoulders, so she takes a size 14 in blouses just to get the width across the shoulders. Whereas I, with a tiny skeleton, would be overweight at a size 12 and obese at a size 14.

Currently carrying baby weight but I've been a size 8 (m&s) and still overweight by bmi. One is measurements the other is marketing
Absolutely true.
In the last 10 years I've gained a few stone and still apparently take the same dress size. I'm under no illusions that I'm bigger than I was, but find it ridiculous that in some shops I'm apparently a 6. It's patronising twaddle to be honest.

It is what it is, but it saddens me that marketing powers and the desire to get women to consume fast fashion means that shops would rather adjust their measurements to make women feel good because some people are so invested in their hanger number that they'd not buy something if the number is too high (obviously that would mean accepting weight gain). On the whole society is getting fatter, portion sizes are bigger and it's average to be overweight. Shops are just catering to the insecurities of consumers to make more money.

I am 5'9 and a size 10. At a 12 I would look and feel overweight. Being taller does not necessarily mean that you wear a larger size.

I’m 5’3, 10 as a teen, 30s an 8 (same size though) and now buying a few 10s again - actually a bit bigger now. If I was a 12 I’d definitely be overweight and I think I’d look pretty chunky. I don’t care what other people look like but I don’t like the feel of being a bit fatter - thighs touching, tummy touching legs, arms wobbling I feel sluggish and squishy.
Back to the op though - average height is 5’4 so for most of us we’ll be overweight if we are a size 12. And for those saying ‘there’s nothing wrong with being a size whatever’ there is! It’s unhealthy! As a nation we need to be honest about this (while, of course, being mindful of the other end of scale (literally)). The majority of people I see out and about are overweight, that’s a huge cost to the NHS apart from anything!

The majority of people will be medically overweight in a size twelve. I’m scraping 6 foot and am just short of overweight in a size 12. In a 14 I am unhealthily overweight. Only people with an unusually wide set skeleton or who are generally very large (both rare in Britain) could be a genuinely healthy weight in a 12.

I’m 5’5 and a size 12 puts me into overweight by bmi, or maybe just at the very top end of healthy. I’m currently bmi 23 and a size 10. I do have a relatively small frame (but big boobs).

I also think that sizes have increased massively in just the past 5-10 years (vanity sizing). I’m quite sure some of the clothes I try on in a 10 would have been 14 not that long ago, and 12 a decade ago.

Sizes have changed over time, I think. As a student I was a size 10, maybe 12 on top in some slim fitting shops. Now, 25 years later I am a size 8, size 6 on slim fitting shops.

I am the same weight and same height as I was 25 years ago.

Size 12 drowns me now, so I think the sizes have in many cases got bigger, which is maybe why size 12 can now be overweight for some. I’d definitely be overweight as a 12 now if size 12 clothes were a proper fit.

I am nearly 5 10 and a size 12.
I’m in the middle of a healthy BMI (22 I think).
I go to the gym over 5 times a week and have run a marathon.
Size 12 shamers can p!ss off.

Is the idea of trying on a size 12 really that horrendous? It’s down to personal feeling. I don’t think everyone at size 12 or above looks horrendous, put personally I’d feel horrendous at the size. At 5’5, my preference is a small 8.

I'm 5 ft 8 and wear a size 10 on top. I'm pear shaped and need size 12 trousers to cover my big bum. My bmi is 22.

I am definitely overweight at size 12. I can be a bit overweight in a 10. If I try a 10 and it doesn’t fit then I don’t pick up the 12, not because I wish to shame anyone, but because I know that is a definite sign that I need to lose weight and if I don’t then I’m putting my health at risk. I’ll buy the thing I like when the 10 fits.

I live in France. I'm 5'8, very sporty, 9 stone and a size 10 (38) for French brands, but 34 for H&M, Mango etc. My daughter brought back size 40 pants from Primark, they are twice as big as my French size 10 pants. Vanity sizing in the U.K. definitely, size 12 now is equal to size 16 30 years ago

By the way, should we confirm that this is a UK or a US 12?

My BMI is about 22 and I am size 14 as I have a big frame and am tall

I think it depends mainly on your frame, mines quite wide, I even have a thigh gap at size 14

The majority of people will be medically overweight in a size twelve. I’m scraping 6 foot and am just short of overweight in a size 12. In a 14 I am unhealthily overweight. Only people with an unusually wide set skeleton or who are generally very large (both rare in Britain) could be a genuinely healthy weight in a 12.

I think that's nonsense. It's becoming more popular to measure health & risks by waist size & height. Your waist should be less than half your height. A size 12 & a 30" waist is not unhealthy for many people, even those under 6ft

I agree, I have been a 14 in the past and not overweight by BMI standards. I’m just built to pull a plough.

If you're an 8 then size 12 sounds awful

The majority of people will be medically overweight in a size twelve. I’m scraping 6 foot and am just short of overweight in a size 12. In a 14 I am unhealthily overweight. Only people with an unusually wide set skeleton or who are generally very large (both rare in Britain) could be a genuinely healthy weight in a 12.

WTAF?

Never quite sure about the ‘big frame’ thing, I know quite a few people who lost weight and it turned out they didn’t have a wider than average skeleton after all.

I'm 5"2. At 8 stone I'm a size 12. At 10 stone I'm a size 12. At 11 stone I'm a 12-14. The maximum weight for healthy BMI is 9.5 stone for me. I'm always a size 12.

I am a 12/14, 14 in bottoms because I have broad hips and my tummy is a little larger after having my children but I am a healthy BMI

Whoever said you would be medically overweight in a size 12 are talking absolute rubbish, I work in nursing and it’s all to do with your height and your weight brought together to give you your BMI

I'm really short and petite (small frame) so I can be overweight and in a size 12. I'd have to be obese to wear a 14. But my frame is probably a size 8 so obviously that has a big impact.

Vanity sizing also means that a size 12 now is more like a 14 or even a 16 years ago. If you look at vintage clothes most of us wouldn't fit in the same size. (I say this as an overweight 14/16)

I'm not so sure about this. I found a load of old dress patterns from the 1950s in a local flea market recently and the measurements for size 14s were the same as M&S measurements today. I was very surprised.

I do wonder whether the shift factor is down to fabric having more give due to elastane fibres these days and pattern styles that have more volume. So size 14 can get into a 12 because the material stretches more or the item is a looser style. This would explain why people can't get into vintage clothing, because vintage fabric doesn't have any lycra etc and tended towards a more tailored cut.

@Cerseilannisterinthesnow well as a nurse you should know BMI is codswollop