Men v Women (clothes sizes)

Maximus

Gold Member
Does anyone, or can anyone explain (approximate) similar sizes for clothes between men and women.

Obviously I know men's sizes, waist for trousers, chest for tops, collar/neck for shirts (inches or cm).

What are the female equivalents? not that I'm trying to make any revelations here, or turning "light in the loafers"

It's just when I hear the ladies at work saying these numbers I am lost to what sizes mean.

They range from 6-24+
 
It varies massively from shop to shop but this is Next's

So a size 8 is 26inch waist.
 
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Well obviously the higher the number the larger the lady. :p

Sizes vary from retailer to retailer as well so you could be say a 16 in one shop and a 14 or an 18 in another. It's all very hit and miss. :eek: I'd suggest going on the M&S website (for example) and looking at the womens size guide - that will tell you what their size 16 translates into in inches (bust/waist/hips).

Historically these sizes were set back in the 30's/40's I believe and a lot of women now have trouble with those sizes as we have changed shape since then with improved diet and so forth. Women now are generally bigger, bustier, hippier and taller.

"Normal" is such an odd notion but I guess the small end of normal would be a size 8-10 and the higher end 16-18. But it's all subjective - Vanessa Feltz swears she's a size 12 yet she looks more like an 18 to me...but then TV does pile the weight on.

Things have improved in shops lately. It used to be tough to find anything above a size 18 outside of recognised "outsize" shops like Evans or Ann Harvey (my mate calls them "the fat shop" and "the posh fat shop" :D) but these days Monsoon does upto a 22 as does M&S and most places will do up to a 24 or 26 although the range might be limited.

About as helpful as a chocolate teapot I know...
 
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