OT - Shops and their sizing (and my despairing)

Austineer

Full Member
I was reading in a daily paper that a size 10 today would've equalled a size 14 in the 1950's - ie shops have increased their sizes to accommodate Britain's changing body shapes.

Well, I think SOME shops have changed their sizes. I live in a small town in Somerset where we have two clothes shops - a Peacocks and a New Look.

I work in a garage and wear jeans at work, all day every day. I also wear jeans at home, and out and about - so I get through a lot of jeans (there's only so much battery acid you can drop on denim before it starts to give in).

I've been wearing New Look's Hula jeans in a size 18 for some time now. Because of the way my lower legs are deformed from lipodema I need a jean that doesn't taper at the knee like so many do - most boot cuts, even boyfriend jeans do this.

I popped in a couple of weeks ago and bought the last pair of size 18 Hula's that were on display, and asked if any more were coming into stock - imagine my dismay when the assistant said that the Hula range was discontinued!

The manager, who's a friend of mine (I even did the official ribbon-cutting when the shop was refurbished a few years back ;) ) then grabbed me and led me out to the office where the new range of jeans was hanging on a rail, ready to be launched the following week.

"Don't worry" she said "the new range is different stitching and a different colour blue with new labelling, that's all - the cut is exactly the same. They're not launched yet but you can buy a pair early and give us some feedback"

Yippee! I thought, and gaily purchased the old Hula's and one pair of size 18 in the new range.

I didn't bother to try them on - I know the Hula fit me and if the others were the same cut, what's the bother?

Got home and thought "hmmm, let's give them a trial run" - so I popped on the Hula's - great fit, nice "new jeans" feeling.

THEN I tried the relaunched range. I couldn't even get the bloody things up to my thighs. They were TINY. I meausred the waistband up against the Hula's and there was at least a 1.5" difference in the flat width. And the legs - well, the legs can only be described as skinny.

ARGH! I know there's a credit crunch and loads of companies are downsizing but why did they have to downsize my favourite jeans?

(this is also the reason I stopped shopping in H&M - I can't get their size 20 trousers above my knees)
 
Oh dont i know how u feel!!!

i have always bought my work trousers from newlook as i like the material and they have always fit right! Before i got PG i was a size 14 and was able to get in to some size 12's aswell.

During my PG i had to buy size 16 PG trousers as they 14's were too uncomftable.. i thought nothing of it as i was PG and probs growing in a weird shape!

So after when i went to buy some new 14 (during the sale, to save for after pg) and they seemed a bit tight.. again i assumed it was just me.

Now.. ive lost almost 2 stone in weight and i can fit i to my OLD 14's bought a good few years back but not in to the NEW 14's!! they are just made too tight! the waist is smaller there is less bum room and the legs are defo tighter!! That really annoyes me! I dont like NEXT trousers for the same reason they have always been a tad too tight and I hate to buy a bigger size as it makes me feel bigger!

Im also a bit annoyed at their LACK of tops. there is nothing decent anywhere at the moment!!

anyway thats my 2 bit! and im in an all rant mood today! lolz
 
New Look is a funny old shop. Sometimes I fit their clothes, sometimes I don't.

Some of their jeans - oh, I despair of them. I used to get the Hula jeans too. They were the only ones that used to fit me. Their boyfriend jeans etc etc were the just a no go. I could only fit their jeans that have stretch in them.

Sometimes their leg length is ridiculous!

Next do an online plus size range that you might want to have a look at - they go up to a size 28. I've not tried them but it might be worth a look, the might have a bit of stretch. They had an online sale just at the weekend.

Why can't all the shops DO THE SAME SIZE????? Consistency people!
 
Hi, I found a way around this....

Buy your jeans from ebay - I can only wear Jasper Conran - they fit me perfectly but the new range are ****!

I see the pics on ebay - can tell by the stitching they are the old range and I only pay about £10 instead of £40.

Occasionally i get a pair that are "weird" but i just put them back on and sell them.

Give it a try, I have about 10 pairs at home now and they are all perfect, my comfy old jeans are just a click away.

I know they will run out eventually but I will have a wardrobe full by that time!!

Julie x
 
I agree that shops have changed their sizes. I went to London to buy a dress for a Summer Ball a while ago, and it was a 50's style dress, like the ones on Grease, and the girl in the shop measured my waist and said I'd need a size 24(?!), whereas I usually wear a 16-18. She said they used the 50's style sizing so the dresses were 2-3 sizes bigger than they are now.

For me though, New look and Dorothy Perkins are my favourite shops, but even those shops can be a bit iffy for their sizes occasionally. Jeans shopping is an absolute nightmare. I haven't been shopping recently to check if the sizes are getting smaller, but I'm not planning to buy any more new clothes until I'm a few sizes smaller! Haha x
 
if my sis has problems and she's a size 8 and has clothes in her wardrobe ranging from a size 4 to at size 14 then there's no hope for any of us and theres nothing of her lol!!! It is scary thought how there can be such variation in sizes there should be a universal sizing chart. That said i do tend to find DP, Debenhams and New Look are ok but then i haven't gone shopping for a while
 
I love dorothy perkins jeans!

Has anyone tried the supermarkets? They do larger sizes and are quite cheap - All of my work trousers are from either Asda or Tesco.
 
I love Dorothy Perkins jeans too, and New Look. I get pretty much all of my clothes from these two shops. Has anybody else noticed the size differences in Primark? That shop is ridiculous! No two sizes are ever the same! I can pick up an 18 in two different tops, and one will be too big and one will be too small haha x
 
I bought jeans from asda n tesco too as i refuse to pay too much for a bigger size that im trying to actually get out of! I got some 16s from asda and 14s from tesco they both fit the same! although the 16's are now worn with a belt as they too lose but VERY comfy! it shard to let go when they are sooo comftable!! lolz same with my work trousers from new look.. i love the material and they are comfy.. baggy but comfy! im gona have to let so soon but im gona wait till im in the 11'stone range first!
 
Well I must say that I`m a classy bird ;) and live in Tescos stuff :D

I have real problems finding clothes as my tummy is my problem area so my legs/thighs/waist are a lot smaller but I need the big size to fit my fat tum!!

I nearly got into a size 14 in tesco the other day (jeans) shocked wasn`t the word!! 16 are now comfy :D

They`re very cheap too, £6-£8 for some nice jeans tho I think they also do value ones for about £3-£4!!!

LiSe x
 
I've never really thought about looking in the supermarkets for clothes, it's just never crossed my mind when I've been shopping. I'll have to give them a try though, because my size 18s are getting a bit big and I don't want to spend a fortune on new clothes when I'm hoping to go down a couple more sizes lol x
 
Yeah, get your butt down to george/asda! They're pretty good quality, unlike some high street discount shops - primarni anyone?
 
Yeah, get your butt down to george/asda! They're pretty good quality, unlike some high street discount shops - primarni anyone?

Haha there's a separate thread specifically for Primark! It's absolutely rubbish lol. I'll definitely have a look in the supermarkets next time I go shopping :) x
 
I went hunting for some nice, wide-leg trousers for a wedding last year and tried H&M. DISASTER! The clothes look great on the hanger but, same old story, couldn't even get the size 20's above my knees.

I asked a sales assistant if the sizing was definitely UK sizing and she said "yes, they fit most people" - thanks, love!

So I tried Principles - the clothes cost a fair bit more but I found a smashing pair of lined, cream trousers that fitted in a size 16 - yep, busting out of size 20 to comfortably fitted in size 16 within an hour.

Bet that's a record, eh?
 
H & M are rubbish for their bigger sizes. You need to go anywhere from 2-4 sizes bigger to get anything to fit properly. Doesn't do much for the self esteem! My H&M combats are a size 24. I, however, am an 18-20!
 
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