Is M&S sizing a bit small or all over the place?

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Just received an order of 2x wide leg jeans, 3x dresses and a blazer. I got everything in a size 24 because a) I've gained weight and gone from an 18/20 to a 22 and b) I've always found M&S items a bit short on me (I'm 5ft9)

The jeans had absolutely no hope of fastening, one of the dresses was basically a top. The other two dresses fit pretty well (but like a 22 from Next or Fat Face - one is stretchy, one is not, both quite fitted styles) as does the blazer (also fitted style).

I have linen shirts, tops and knitwear from M&S in a 20/22 and they fit great too. Bottoms are not my friend, clearly!

Does anyone else experience this?

They are generous in their sizing when ever I've bought anything, except for bra's and they are spot on in their sizing.

Loads of people are probably going to say M&S sizes are large, but it'll be people at the smaller end of the size range. I suspect it's probably something more like they base their designs on a size 14 or 16, and then the increments between sizes are small. So anything below a 16 will come out too big, and anything above will come out too small. There's probably someone in the middle for whom the sizing is perfect! But it's a bit discouraging when this happens and everyone is saying 'no they're massive' and you can't do them up - it won't be just you OP.

Not bought much from there for a wee while but always found it generous size wise. Quality has gone down though.
Are you maybe wearing a brand that's quite generous already so underestimated size? TBH it's shocking how much variance there is in women's sizing, it's a pain in the bum! Hope you find something you like and that fits well soon though.

True.
I was referring to around the 10 to 14 mark.
I do think their quality has gone down.

I went shopping on the weekend. I was very easily getting into 14 in Zara, Jigsaw, Hobbs, went to M&S and I couldn’t fit into a 16.

Definitely all over the place. I worked there briefly and when ordering staff uniform they suggested ordering your normal size, a size up and a size down.

That coupled with the recommendation to buy Hotter shoes as their own brand 'fell apart too quickly' summed up a lot of their care and concern over quality and standards.

I think they usually come up quite big. But you’re quite tall so it might be distorting things.

I bought cords last year as a 16, no hope of doing up around my apple shape tun despite always wearing size 16 marks jeans. Forgot to take then back.
This year I have lost 2 stone and now a 14 marks. Tried on the cords, still nowhere near doing up.
As a short arse, their trouser leg length for short length is anywhere from 27" to 28.5"

I find the length all over the place - I could be petite, regular of longer length depending on the very specific product.

I would say all over the place. I have items from there that range in size from 10-14 and tops that range from XS to medium.
Yesterday I tried on black velvet trousers that ranged in size from 10 short to a 16 regular. The 10 short did zip up but were far to short but the 10 regular wouldn’t fasten at all
The 12 short zipped but were more like a long length and the 12 regular which I ended up buying were fine but slightly longer than I really wanted. Before I decided I tried on the 14 short which to me looked and felt the same as the ones I bought. What I thought to be 14 regular were size 16 regular on the wrong hanger and whilst they were definitely a bit loose on the waist they weren’t 2 sizes bigger than the 12 and the length was perfect

I'm a size 20 in most shops but need at least a 22 in most M&S trousers. I carry my weight on my stomach (rather than hips/legs) and the waists always seem very small but thighs are baggy. I've always thought they're cut for pear shapes, which would make sense as it's the most common British shape. Like a previous poster, I find Next jeans better for my shape. I also find M&S Regular a bit short sometimes, and I'm only 5" 5'.

It is a bit all over the place in M&S though, sometimes I'll try on a top that's weirdly huge, or weirdly skimpy. I also bought some size 20 knickers recently that are way too big and keep falling down! I wonder if the straight sizes in clothes are generous but the plus sizes run small, based on the comments in this thread?

This is really interesting to hear. I have a large tummy so expected the jeans might be a struggle but not to the extent they were! I have very similar jeans (style/shape) from FatFace in a 24 and they're enormous (appreciate FF jeans can be big) with no stretch.

The dress was shocking - floaty style, came to the knee in the photos. Barely covered my backside!

The blazer is excellent, though, so I'm not too disheartened! One of the dresses also looks really good.

I mainly buy my clothes from H&M, M&S, Fatface, Joanie, Lucy & Yak. I know the last three are really generous but I usually size down with them.

I find them short usually and large fitting. I’m 6ft and even the long length trousers can be short.
On the size, I bought jeans this week from Zara, the size 10 were perfect there, I had tried M&S also, size 8 fitted there but too short.

Yes, fat face jeans have tended to be bigger on me too. M&S doesn't cater to women with larger bellies and smaller hips/thighs. Try one of these other shops you've already found work for you. I have had luck with Next in the past.

I ordered 2 pairs of the wide legs cords to be sent to me, arrived yesterday different colours but both 12. One I can't do up and the other is slightly too big.

It's ridiculous.

I find their sizes are inconsistent. You can buy 2 pairs of the same style jeans in different colours and one will fit and one won't. Sometimes it is the length that varies and sometimes the waist/hips.

Definitely on the larger size. I tried on some size 16 trousers that were hanging off me yesterday. I've lost weight, but no way am I a 14 in most sizes (yet!)

I am fairly cetain this has to do with factories and/or dying processes. I had a similar siutation with leggings from M&S, exactly the same ones just in different colours. When I read the labels, one had been made in China and one in Bangladesh. I assume that impacted things.

M&S runs large across all ranges, the bras are comically out of step with other lingerie suppliers.

Always too big for me. I often go a size down and things still don’t fit

I am size 16 for shorts and Jeans .I bought linen cropped trousers and cargo pants this year and I cannot do the waist up !All my previous size 16 do fit. So definitely a problem for me!

Totally agree, just ordered 2 pairs of trousers
one cord ( huge and so thin fabric)
pair of black trousers with pockets same size tiny on the waist, I don’t particularly like marks anymore but desperate for long length trousers they’re not long length anymore in fact one of them the black ones was really short, who on Earth sorts out their sizing

Anyone out there know who does long length now ( not long tall sally)

I’m going to say all over the place.

Im a standard size 8, from sezane, agolde, Levis, to H&M and Stradivarius. Sometimes need to size down if anything. I generally still buy a size 8 from M&S but I have a pair of wide leg jeans in brown in a 10 and they still feel snug. Their pants I’m currently wearing in a size 12.

Edit- I also find their bra band sizes large and their cup sizes small!

All over the place. I'm a 16 in most places, a 14 in m and s and sometimes an 18. The length is ridiculous though, I'm 5ft 8 and have had to return trousers because they are too long.