I'm 5'7" and 10.5 stones

[NaughtyKnee]

For years I've worn 10 regular trousers, or 12 in shops designed for young people.

All of a sudden I need 8 short. That's what I've bought recently in Next, Monsoon, River Island and Mint Velvet.

In the 80s at the same weight I was a 14, but we know clothes have got bigger since then. Has there been another surge of vanity sizing and what's with the length?

My weight hasn't changed, nothing's happened to my height and all my old 10/12 clothes still fit.

If I need 8S what on earth to actual small people buy?

I hear you. I’m a stone heavier than you and same height and just bought a “small” top in Zara yesterday and medium trousers. My properly truly tiny small and slim friends are now buying their clothes in the childrens department, I kid you not. Saving VAT though!

Who cares? Just buy the clothes that fit you and get on with life. I find this obsession with being put out by 'vanity' sizing so silly.

Short people can no longer buy trousers that fit. It's that simple.

I'm 5'5" size 10/12 so not short but lately all trousers and maxi skirts / dresses drown me! Got some lovely trousers from M&S and they're so bloody long! Going to take them up but it's annoying!

That's really odd. I haven't had your problem not even with ebay vintage sizing vs current shop sizes. The only consistent 2 bitch of a place for sizing are Zara and H&M.

I assume small/short people shop in H&M, top shop, river island - sizes seem to be growing in shops such as Next but not all of them?

Well yes, if there were still real shops on my high street I could do that. But like many people, I now have little option but to order online, so I have to send for multiple sizes of everything, even if it's a brand I've known since my mum used to buy my clothes.(Glares at Marks and Spencers). Sick of it.

I'm the same height as you and weigh 10 stone. I generally squeeze in to a 12 in trousers, but 14s are too big. Would never be able to wear an 8! It's funny how we all carry weight differently.

I work in fashion and design clothes.
There’s no true industry standard for the sizes that everyone follows, they’re just roughly the same. Every brand has their own size 10.

example; a brand I worked with historically based their ‘size 10’ on a Topshop size 10, because the customers were similar demographic to a Topshop customer.

That’s interesting, I haven’t noticed this recently. I do notice a huge difference when I buy vintage clothes though.

Obviously sizes now are very different from the 70s/80s but I didn’t realise that some vanity sizing is quite recent. I bought a Miss Selfridge dress from Vinted which the seller said was from around 1999/2000, it was a 10 and too small. I can easily fit into size 10s from Miss Selfridge these days. Also it was amazing how much better the quality was than the dresses you can buy now.

I'm the same height and weight and I'm a size 12
Can squeeze into the odd size 10 but no way would I get a size 8 on

Oh here we go. Competitive sizing. Just buy what fits you. As you’ve said every shop is different so the actual size doesn’t mean anything. There is plenty of choice for all shapes and sizes.

I'm five foot 1 and capri trousers fit perfectly 🤣
Short length used to be perfect but now it's far too long!

I think the oversized trend doesn't help.
Everything is so ridiculously huge and baggy. Which is supposed to be the look, but feels wrong if you're not used to it, not looking for that particular look, or are shorter than average.

Same here, thereabouts (in fact 2/3 inch taller & 10lbs lighter). I’m in proportion, fairly toned, maybe slightly apple shaped. These threads always show that women at certain dress sizes are huge range of heights and weights, it never ceases to amaze me.

Yes. I’m 5’4 and 7 stone 12 and I can’t buy clothes in Monsoon and various other places because they don’t do small enough sizes any more. Monsoon 8 is about a 12. But then don’t do petite! Boden and M&S sizing is particularly massive.

French sizes have stayed the same.

Yes, I have a pair of size 14 jeans bought off the market c. 1986. I only wear them to do the gardening now but the quality is comparable to really quite expensive jeans now. I wish I hadn't downgraded them to gardening clothes because they're finally back in fashion. They fit beautifully, even though I'd buy an 8/10 now.