Is Zara sizing really small, or am I fatter than I thought?

[pleasechange]

I'm a 12 on top and 10 bottom half. BUT in Zara, the Medium is really tight and the large just about fits

i'm thinking it's not just me, because they've always run out of Large, with just mediums and small sizes left

Why on earth do they do this? Maybe it doesn't help that I'm big-chested?

Yes it's very small but not as small as Jane Norman....

Our Zara seems to be staffed entirely by Spaniards too...is that a policy?

I like Zara. A lot. In fact, I might try to nip in there after a meeting today .

I agree sizing is a bit haphazard in there but it generally fits ok IMO. I like it because their trousers are nice and long.

It's true Spanish women are generally slimmer. Also true they tend to wear their clothes tighter. I'm not afraid of wearing v tight clothes myself .

Not sure it's true about the baby clothes being cut smaller. Dd had a 9-12 mo top from there which she was wearing right up to 18mo and she's not especially small.

Yes way too small, for both women and men.

I really don't like the XS, S, M, L type of sizing either.

Going into Zara is depressing.

Not as depressing as a few years ago though when I went to Milan. I was about a size 12 (now a size 12-14) and went to a boutique. I didn't understand the sizing so asked the guy behind the counter.

He looked me up and down and just said "for you - large"

Things are definitely different on the continent.

I love Zara... tis the only place I find trousers that fit properly.

Zara definitely aimed at the slender Amazonian customer. Shelves are way too high for me to comfortably see what's on them and there's most certainly no vanity sizing.

Doesn't put me off though. I love Zara and buy from there regularly and don't mind having to take up the trousers.