Clothes sizes?

[Thin in 2012 :)]

Does anyone share my belief that clothes sizes have got bigger over the years?

When I was in my late teens/early twenties I weighed the same as I did now cry and had to wear size 22/24, however now I can wear size 18/20?!

 

[eddiesmum2002]

I read an article about this... they call it 'vanity sizing' or something along those lines.. you're right, the materials and guide size for most clothes have changed! Xx

 

[goingtobeskinnysoon]

Yep sizes have changed but also it depends on the shop and the age of their target market. So for example a miss selfridge size 12 is smaller than somewhere like L K Bennett x

 

[interested92]

this is something I had to get used to when I started making my own clothing. vanity sizing has not been done to most make it at home clothing patterns, even though ready to wear clothing has it. for instance I'm an 18 in most shops, but a 22-24 in most sewing patterns and a slightly adapted 26 in Burda sizing (I have big boobs in ratio to my waist size so for most patterns I have to go for the bigger size and reduce the waist, but burda seemsto be the mostpronounced difference and for that reason, I kind of hate burda patterns. too much maths.)

I should say here I don't make a lot of my own clothing. just bits and pieces.

 

[Beautiful.XTC]

Yep sizes have changed but also it depends on the shop and the age of their target market. So for example a miss selfridge size 12 is smaller than somewhere like L K Bennett x

I find h&m the worst. I'm a size 10 atm but i cant even get in a 14 in most of their clothes. :cry:

 

[Majella86]

Clothes sizes have definitely got bigger. I love vintage clothing but it's a bugger to finD something that fits as an 18 is waaaay smaller than it is today. Also I bought a 50's dress from a dress maker who sea original 50's dress patterns and she uses a size 20 pattern for a modern day 18. As the measurements just don't match with today's sizing. Also H&M is THE worst shop. I remember a few years back having fitted in a size 14 dress from asda, going into h&m and crying in the changing room because an 18 didn't fit me!!! No wonder skinny girls think theyre fat if they shop there! Lol

 

[goingtobeskinnysoon]

I HATE H&M! Well ok I love them really but they're sizing makes me wanna cry. Size 16 shirt in DPs and the 20 that you sometimes find in h&m hasn't got a hope of doing up. Awful! X

 

[MadameLaMinx]

All shops operate to a different sizing mechanism, DP definitely vanity size, I loved going in there when I was losing.

Primark are the worst, they don't even bother to size their range from one item to the next in a similar fashion. I tend to go by guesstimate in there, I can usually work out if its likely to fit without looking at the size any more. I'm sure they just randomly apply labels wearing a blindfold.

 

[interested92]

I like H+M for dresses and jeggings, and only ever when they're on sale or I have a voucher... but have to go a size up. I avoid primarni now unless it's knitwear. I don't go in DP because of price, but will buy second hand. I <3 sainsbury's Tu for shirts, their t shirts are great. they wash and wash and wash and stay comfy and good looking.
I tend to stick to these rules when looking for second hand too lol!

for making my own clothing, I tend to avoid tops a lot of the time as they normally require darts etc, and as I'm short and wide, have an odd stomach and wierd spine it makes for difficulty! but I have made tops that fit and look good. just not as professional looking as my skirts.

 

[Rosielea]

All the Uk sizing patterns were done in 1957-a few years after the ware ended and women were small still due to not having variety in food and imports.
I remember that you could buy outsize clothes but the sleeves were too tight because the shoulders were too small and sleeves sewn on to them which made the sleeves were uncomfortable and constraining.
In the 80s a national statistics of women's measurement was carried out (I took part in that) by one of the stores who sells outsize clothes. After that new patterns were offered to all clothes manufacturers. Some used it and others stuck to old ones, hence different sizes on the market.
Also in the later years zero size/stick models came on the scene and all young people followed them and became trendy to be skiny and clothes manufacturers took advantage of this. that is the reason young people's shops sizes are must smaller.

 

[BuzzyBee]

I do think that sizing has got more generous over the years.
Surprisingly, I can fit into smaller things in H&M!
French connections and topshop are less generous.. Next and DP are very generous.

 

[sparkledpixie]

I think it also makes a difference where you carry your weight... I can get in a size 10 top in most places but am struggling with size 12 bottoms at the moment used to be an 8!

 

[Beautiful.XTC]

I HATE H&M! Well ok I love them really but they're sizing makes me wanna cry. Size 16 shirt in DPs and the 20 that you sometimes find in h&m hasn't got a hope of doing up. Awful! X

It's really depressing :/ ESP when your proud of losing weight and dropping a dress size but you have to buy bigger cos the shops sizing is awful!!

 

[ThatBubbs]

I've found the opposite way in some places, I have jeans from New Look / Evans from 3-5 years ago in a 22 / 24 that got no wear and fit fnie, but then when I went to buy new ones (pre SW) the exact same cut / fit etc I had to go up to a 26. I think plus size stores / ranges can sometimes be guilty of that, so either they were vanity sizing a few years ago or they're doing the oppposite now trying to push ppl into buying higher sizes so they aren't left with a glut of the top / bottom sizes and nowt inbetween.

It's pants tho, and I'm sure as I lose weight I'll agree that it's hideous and troublesome!

 

[Shirleen]

I've found the opposite way in some places, I have jeans from New Look / Evans from 3-5 years ago in a 22 / 24 that got no wear and fit fnie, but then when I went to buy new ones (pre SW) the exact same cut / fit etc I had to go up to a 26. I think plus size stores / ranges can sometimes be guilty of that, so either they were vanity sizing a few years ago or they're doing the oppposite now trying to push ppl into buying higher sizes so they aren't left with a glut of the top / bottom sizes and nowt inbetween.

It's pants tho, and I'm sure as I lose weight I'll agree that it's hideous and troublesome!

Specialist shops like Evans and Simply Be etc have a vested interest in making you think you're bigger, after all the do corner the market! I've found that I fit into a 24 from Simply Be but a 22 from Sainsburys! However a 22 from Matalan (I forget which dept it's a fruit name I think, ahh Papaya perhaps?) is quite tight but still fits.

So all those of us who are getting to a 24 and less need to take a wander through the High street as you may be pleasantly surprised!

 

[JezVonSavage]

My Mum kept a skirt from when she was at her thinnest and I swear it will not fit over my head (she was like a rake in the 80's) yet it's supposed to be a size 12!!