Is size 12 seen as "big" generally?

[piperoo1095]

Hi all,

Not trying to cause controversy here as I am genuinely interested. But do most people consider a UK size 12 to be "big"? I only ask because I see a lot of posts online at people "horrified" that they reached a size 12 and to me it's never seemed bad at all. Perhaps I've been living under my nice little rock of ignorance. Of course I'm sure height and build plays a massive role too!

Average is size 16 so size 12 is quite a bit smaller than average.

so no.

I mean it's not a huge size by any means on anyone. However, I'm quite tall with a largeish build and am definitely still a bit overweight at a size 12 (I've had to lose quite a lot after meds related gain). But, I'd say there's a lot of scope for variations in build and height with this one in terms of whether it looks 'big'. My friend is a 6ft athlete and looks slim and toned at a 14. The term 'midsized' is useful I think for perspective when dressing.

No,size 12 is not big.

IMO size 12 is medium and 14 is large

It definitely depends on the brand and country. I bought a pair of ski trousers from a French company.....size 12 UK was an XL which came as a shock (it had cm on the size guide).

When younger size 12 would have felt big but I was a natural stick insect until kids and then it all changed!

Shape is very much a part of it. I’m pear shaped & it took some work for me to fit into my desired jeans. Thank God for elastane!

Medium sized, I'm 5'8 and a size 12 for me is still on the higher end of healthy bmi when I was in my 20's
I'm now a 14/16 and obese

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“At this point in time it definitely feels like there's been a shift of UK 6-8 being ideal” OP@piperoo1095 im sure you are aware that perception of body size is individual and many people lose track as to what is normal and healthy for them. My 16 yr old is size 6-8 , when you are a mature woman who has had kids, is this ever going to be a realistic goal? I have been a size 12 for all my adult life , never been overweight, never had eating problems, coming from a family of eating disordered people i have been strongly motivated to avoid my kids going down this comparison avenue that only leads to unhappiness …(I know this is the weight loss chat section but it’s coming up in trending.) edited because I hadn’t read your post properly!

Im a size 6-8 in my head but im really a large size12 most likely bigger who cares i dont because i love myself.
I take good care of my self and couldnt care what anyone as to say about my size if i get bigger ill get bigger clothes.
Im just full of love for me because when you love your self you shine.
After a while you see a difference.
So all my girls out there start loving yourselfs more.
Wear them shorts wear them tank tops dance in baggy jumpers and boxers own it and if anyone as anything to say well just feel sorry for them because they just want our confidence.

I'm currently a size 12. BMI is within the normal range, but on the high side, so it feels big to me. Aiming to get back to a 10 (once I've finished the Christmas chocolates ).

And in the 1990s, Kate Moss, super waif, and heroin chic poster girl had a 22" waist, so was a size 10. Although size inflation had already started then so she was probably an 8, I had similar measurements and bought an 8 when one was available.

Size 6 wasn't a thing, size 8 wasn't available in all shops, mainly just those aimed at younger women like topshop or warehouse.

A 10 was considered thin, a 12 was considered pretty much ideal, 14 was curvy / slightly plump, 16 was the biggest size you could buy in most mainstream shops. If you wanted an 18 you had to go to Evans.

As a teen in the 00s, size 12 felt fucking huge, but attitude to size was horrific then. Looking back at all the women that the papers called fat that were perfectly normal
sized, circling their cellulite in red and then slamming anyone who lost “too much” weight.

I’m a size 18/20 now and objectively am actually quite fat, but have never FELT as fat and awful as I did trying on size 12 jeans as a teenager.

I am size 12 and when I walk down the street, the majority of women are way way bigger than me.

No, but as someone who always used itto be 8-10, I personally struggle with being a 12 now I'm getting older. I know that's a me issue.

I'm size 6-8

I would look dreadful at size 12.. but I'm 5ft 1

I probably look best at a 9

I'd like to be a size 9

I’m a size 12 at 5 ft 4, and 10st 7lbs. My BMI is just in the healthy zone and I think I look average - not thin or fat. My ideal weight is just under 10st but I like food too much to be motivated to lose more once I’m in the healthy BMI zone!

I think thats partly down to age. As a young teenager, a size 12 would likely make you larger than most of your friends. Lots of teen girls are an 8 (I know I was up until my mid 20s) so size 12 would feel big at that age.

However it's much more normal in a 30+ year old woman.

Agree with PP re pelvis size. In the 80s at 5 ft 6 I weighed 8 stone 4, yet still couldn't get into size 12 jeans

When I was a teen I was a size 14 and I felt I was chubby but not huge! (I did wear oversized clothes, so I think realistically I was a size 12).

Fast forward to my 30's and I became a size 4 (all down to becoming a competitive runner) and I did look underweight. However, I still think I look my best as a size 6. I'm currently and 8/10, so still smaller than when I was a teen.

I’m 5’9” with quite wide shoulders and hips. At a size 12 I am skinny, not just slim but skinny and my bmi would be 23. I’ll be happy to get back down to a 14.

Since my late teens I've always been either size 14 or 16 despite being slim. I am tall with broad shoulders and long arms, wide hips. Last year I lost a load of weight and was down to a BMI of 17.5 yet I still could only just fit into size 14, although to be fair I don't have the boobs to fill out a size 16 now despite putting weight back on (nearly 10 st now).

The answers on this thread are ridiculous and what feeds poor body image among women! I see sizes 10, 12, 14 and even 16 (depending on height and build) as average. What really matters is what is right for you. If you have a healthy BMI then you are the right size, not too big or too small.
FWIW I'm 5ft 7in, weigh 10 stone and I'm a size 12. My BMI is in the middle of the 'healthy' range. Should I really be trying to lose weight because some people on the Internet think that's 'big'?

Totally get that- a very reassuring take!

It's wildly dependent on height and people don't pay enough attention to that.

If you're 5 feet tall you're overweight if not obese at a size 12. If you're 5'10" you're likely low healthy weight/underweight at a size 12.