If you are quite slender, where do you shop?

[Yuja]

I've moved to the UK recently and am having real trouble buying clothes. I am quite a slim build, but I would not say exceptionally so. My height is 5'6 and I weight between 52-53 kilos. My waist is 26 inches and my hips 34. I'm nearly 38 year old. By these measurements I should fit comfortably in most XS or 6-8 depending on the shops. I check the size guides really carefully, order and then almost everything is too big. Today I ordered a next skirt in a 6, where they say a 6 is a 25.5 inch waist and 34 inch hips - the skirt is really big, I can't wear it. I ordered a pair of Zara jeans an 8 which matches with their 26 inch waist and these are also very big on me. See also, Boden trousers in a 6. So, I figure that the guides are not very accurate but I don't have a lot of time to go shopping and would like to be able to order with some reasonable confidence online. So I am asking any mumsnetters that fit a similar profile where they shop? What shops work well for your shape and size? Thank you

That is a perfectly healthy weight/height for someone of East Asian origin, which I'm supposing on the basis of username.

It's weird how everyone decries BMI, but when used as a stick to beat slim people with, it apparently works just fine.

Thank you I'm definitely going to see what Hobbs has to offer

Hollister, Jack Wills, H&M, Urban Outfitters, Zara, Crew.

I'm about the same measurements as you. 5'6 26 inch waist but I'm bigger on the hips.

I've found that sizes are getting bigger due to vanity sizing, which obviously suits some people but leaves us folks at the other end of the scale with nothing that fits.

I've got clothes from Zara, Tesco, quiz and new look recently. I still try on in store as sizes can still vary. I got a jumpsuit from vesper247 (online) recently which was gorgeous and fitted like a glove. Lavish Alice sizes also seem to be spot-on.

I also buy kids clothes sometimes. I like Tommy Hilfiger kids stuff as it doesn't look like kids stuff with a big mermaid on it or whatever. I usually get a 12-13. The sleeve length as seemed fine.

BTW - XS is usually and 8 - you might be better looking or ordering XXS.

Jeans and trousers in Hollister are great

19 years I've been here so thanks very much I know how it works

H&M ,Mint Velvet, Arket, White Stuff .

Sezane can be quite inconsistent. I
tried on some items in their stores and some were too big and some too small. I think the issue is that they run small on hips, so anything very fitted with no give on hips, I need to size up. But if you have slim hips that won’t be a problem.

Not at all, just saying that being in the ‘underweight’ or very low end of normal is very unusual in Britain atm so shops don’t really cater for it. Not implying at all that it’s a negative thing, just OP’s saying that it’s not that unusual - I reckon it is! (I’m 5’7’’ and 60kg and I know just how ridiculous it is when I am a size 8 or smaller sometimes in shops!!)

I’m 8 stone and 5.5 inches and do nearly all my shopping at Madeleine which is a catalogue. Everything I order in size 8 fits like a glove. Compare this to M and S whose size 8 is enormous! Clothes are definitely getting bigger.

M&S are a joke, who do they think they're helping with their delusional sizing? It's not fat people and certainly not thin ones. 😒

I used to be a similar size re hips and waist, though slightly shorter so I could get away with the teen clothes more easily. I found you had to go either slightly more expensive (so Whistles and All Saints were good - cheaper high street like Next not so much), or cheaper but aimed at younger people. TK Maxx is also great as they sort their clothes by size, so you can just pop in and have a quick look at the smallest end of the rack.

The problem with waist sizes on jeans and trousers, apart from vanity sizing, is that unless they actually sit on your waist, it's more like 'the size we imagine your hips would be if your waist was 26 inches' - I have narrow hips like OP so had to massively size down in waist sizes to find anything likely to fit.

I put the OPS measurements into the NHS bmi chart and it says she is a healthy weight.

Whistles, and recently Reiss. Desigual I have found to fit more to size too, I just don't love a lot of what they do, but a similarly slim friend swears by them.

Didn't Karen Millen always run small? But I haven't been in there for years, it could have totally changed.

I'm 5'3" and 48kg and I shop at Muji. I've found that Japanese brands fit me the best. For the record, at Muji, I'm an S in trousers and t-shirts.

Zara use good for trousers but jeans are always so long, I buy from Uniqlo and Gap online for jeans.