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

[IKnowAPlace]

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?

I find you can't generalise. You can take 5 types of jeans from them and guarantee some will be too big or too small.

I find them to be large.

Far too large in the smaller sizes

I find them generous for most things , particularly jeans / jeggings

I like Boden for longer trousers

I'm 5ft 10
I have a pair of trousers from them in a size 22 and a pair of jeans in a size 14
I'm neither of those sizes
Tops and jackets I find more accurate but trousers very variable

This is what I have found too. Next are the same.

It depends where in the store you buy from. Usually the holiday stuff is always massive. Mum's a size 16 and I often have to size down to a 12 to get some things like wide leg trousers to fit.

Their high end and workwear / partywear ranges can sometimes be a good fit but they still only really work for apple shaped women - if you're a pear it might be tight.

I find M&S sizing chaotic - some things are massive, some things are spot on and some things are tiny. The exact same skirt in two different colours is hugely different despite both being “the same size”. I can’t ever tell what the item will be - I’ve been about 4 different sizes in M&S.

I also find their bra sizes are all over the place too!

I always buy my jeans in M&S. I know now, however, that the darker the colour, the larger they need to be!

I can buy pale blue skinny jeans in a 20, but the black pair has to be a 22 and then they only just about fit the same, despite being the same style with just different colour choices.

But, buy a pair of M&S shorts and I can barely get my bum into the 22! Yet, I bought a size 22 pair of Craghoppers walking trousers via M&S and I've had to pull the waist in as they're so big.

It's so annoying that much of what they sell can't be tried on in store so you end up ordering online and hoping for the best!

I read that with own brand clothing often it's because they are made by different manufacturers, even if the style/pattern is the same, so blue and black skinny jeans are made by two different companies.

It's bloody frustrating though.

M&S sizing is always on the big side. I’m a 12 everywhere but in M&S I’m a 10.

It’s a great marketing ploy really as if I had the choice of two dresses I’d always get more of a thrill being a smaller size.

Where do you shop? Because that must reflect the demographic of ginormous twats.

I bought a pair of 16 trousers and then had a panic that they'd be too small because they weren't elasticated waist but they fit really well and I'm a 16-18 .

Generally larger but some inconsistencies!
I'm a size 18 with J cup boobs and received an M&S delivery today. The wrap tops are massive and gaping but the plain t-shirts are fine. I generally size up in jeans from any brand, so I did the same with this order- but they are far too big and going back.

I’m a 6.

They sometimes have some nice scarves.

I usually buy size 14 short and they are the best fitting trousers/jeans I can get but I bought the brown wide leg jeans and could only just get them over my thighs! It was a problem with their suppliers and they were withdrawn from all stores. Don’t get me started on the various shades of ‘almond’ knickers when you are trying to put together a matching set of underwear.

All over the place!

I have a pair of black jeggings in a size 10, just fine. A dark red pair, way too big despite the same size.

Some plain t shirts in one colour size 12, another colour size 16…

I bought some wide leg trousers over the summer size 12 short… and they were so long I couldn’t wear trainers as they’d ruin the hem, scraping along the floor. I’m 165cm so not really short.

Tried on a cord mini the other week, size 8 was the best fit.

I don’t find them great for my shape tbh- I have skinny thighs and bum, and I’m straight up and down at the waist. I find a lot of clothes (not just m and s), fit my lower half but give me a muffin top… or fit my waist but are hanging off me and baggy on the bum. It’s a bloody pain.

I’d say all over too and pretty much everything I wear is M&S.

pale blue flared jeans bought in a 14. I lost 2.5 stone and they were miles too big, so went to get a new pair in a 12 exactly the same shape and style. Only the 12 was too tight and the 14 fit nicely.

only difference was the place of origin and the newer pair were slightly stiffer.

goodness knows who provides them with their sizing templates.

I used to buy all my jeans from M&S. Being 6ft and a size 20 restricts shopping elsewhere. This year I haven't found one pair there that fits properly.

@IKnowAPlace - you might have better luck with wide leg jeans and other clothing from:

www.landsend.co.uk (It’s an American company with an excellent reputation for quality)

I used to say their sizing was generous but not on recent trousers. I've got a size 6 wide leg jeans that I bought in the summer that fit well and have a bit of space. Wide legs jeans in a darker denim purchased a month or so ago - bit tight but ok. Metallic wide leg jeans tried on a few days ago - about 3 inches between fastenings with not a hope in hell of the two sides meeting. Jumped from 6 to 10 for them to fit.

I have found trousers long enough for me in Zara strangely enough. Not all, you have to try them on, but I’ve had luck with both trousers and jeans there recently and I’m 6ft.

The sizing is erratic. I'm a size 18 to 20, and usually get size 20 jeans there. I loved their wide leg animal print jeans and ordered them in a 20. Not a chance of them fastening, which was very annoying as for once the short length was actually short. I also got the Sienna Miller jeans in the summer in a 20, they were a lovely fit. Another pair came back into stock a few weeks later and I decided to get a second pair. I can barely zip that pair up. So it's definitely not just you!

Interestingly I have always found them huge until I bought something online this week for someone else and when it arrived it looked tiny for the size so maybe they are making things smaller to save on costs?

When I was young and slim I found that their sizing was on the large size. However, now that I am bigger and have fluctuated from an 18-22 for the last few years I've found that their sizing is all over the place. I regularly have to go up to 24 in their trousers, and even then it's hit and miss. Everything else I have to try on multiple sizes but it's usually a total waste of time. Other brands I'd be able to get away with a smaller size.