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Clothes sizes

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I went shopping for a pair of trousers yesterday, spent six hours in Birmingham's bullring and couldn't find any to fit! I have a 25.5" waist, which according to most tables should make me a size 8-10. I tried on trousers in a siz six that were hangin off my hips and one sharp tug would have had them off. Now, I think this is pretty rediculous and must be due to clothing downsizing, one of my m other's skirts from way back when is a size 10 a more than a snug fit on me. I undrstand some of the shop's motivations for this downsizing but it leaves us size '6' people in a bit of a dilema...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I thought 29 inches was a size 10 and 26 inches a size 8, so it looks like you probabley are more of a 6-8.
    All shops sizes are different though which is annoying, i always find Miss Selfridges sizes quite big, but most shops now do go down to a size 6, i think it's more an unfortunate case of hunting around and trying different things on. Back in the day when my size 8's were to big for me, i just used to wear belts a lot :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i've actually had a look at a few size charts today, and the measurements for standard sizes seems to have changed.

    a standard size 8 is now bust: 33" waist: 25.5" hips: 34.5". that's a good couple of inches bigger than it used to be. they'll have to start making a size 4 soon :/
    beans wrote:
    I thought 29 inches was a size 10 and 26 inches a size 8, so it looks like you probabley are more of a 6-8.

    the 26 on jeans generally refers to the waistband size, rather than the natural waist size. most people wear their jeans low rise these days, so the waistband measurement is bigger than it would be if they wore them around their narrowest parts.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    these days

    different in the good old days, kaff? ;)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    According to that i should be a size 8. Waist 25, hips 34, but im a 10.
    Guess it depends what shop you're in.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    omg hi wrote:
    different in the good old days, kaff? ;)

    you may jest, but you will be saying the same in 10 years time :p
    Sikorah wrote:
    Guess it depends what shop you're in.

    It really does. The difference can be quite spectacular.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have a brand new pair of trousers! Yippee! Instead f whinging on the internet I thought i'd give the high-street another try... Went to the Merry Hill Centre and found a gorgeous pair of woll lined black trousers from Gap. Gap incidentaly has the weirest sizing scheme ever imaginable.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    gap uses american sizing. :yes:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    gap uses american sizing. :yes:
    nice to think youre a few sizes smaller isn't it? :p
    i got some size 6 trousers from french connection and they use american sizing :D
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Which makes sense as they're an american company but the label on the trews I bought says UK: 2, FR: 32, US 0. When you ask the shop assistants they tell you that the US 0 is a UK size 4, which is what makes it confusing so if you ask an assistant to get you a size 6- what size are they gonna bring you? bit of a gamble? I can't see that it would take that much more effort to just put different labels in the clothes intended for the uk. Shouldn't whinge too much though because "I Love Gap"- seeing as they ended my trouser hunt...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote:
    Which makes sense as they're an american company but the label on the trews I bought says UK: 2, FR: 32, US 0. When you ask the shop assistants they tell you that the US 0 is a UK size 4, which is what makes it confusing so if you ask an assistant to get you a size 6- what size are they gonna bring you? bit of a gamble? I can't see that it would take that much more effort to just put different labels in the clothes intended for the uk. Shouldn't whinge too much though because "I Love Gap"- seeing as they ended my trouser hunt...

    the smaller the number on the size label, the more likely it is that it will be bought (apparently). gap's sizes do run big, but the assistants are trained to bring you the equivalent size (so if you were a UK 8, they'd bring a size 4, if you were a UK 12, they'd bring a size 8) because then when people try them on, they almost always find they're a wee bit too big, and need a smaller size bringing (unless they're being optimistic about their size). this makes people more likely to buy too.

    (can you tell i worked for gap once?)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Lol. Can you do "have a nice day" too? If I had the time, I'd do a stint in a clothes shop- must be worth it for the staff discount!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    the smaller the number on the size label, the more likely it is that it will be bought (apparently). gap's sizes do run big, but the assistants are trained to bring you the equivalent size (so if you were a UK 8, they'd bring a size 4, if you were a UK 12, they'd bring a size 8) because then when people try them on, they almost always find they're a wee bit too big, and need a smaller size bringing (unless they're being optimistic about their size). this makes people more likely to buy too.

    (can you tell i worked for gap once?)
    because people like to think they're smaller than what they are?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm a man and finding and my size is a fairly normalish 36-32 yet I struggle to find what I want in my size.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    because people like to think they're smaller than what they are?

    also known as vanity sizing.

    it's been shown that if a woman who normally takes, say, a size 14 finds something in a 12 that fits, she's more likely to buy it than if it were the same thing in a 14.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    what about little people though! i'm a size 8 and its taken many years of hard work and chocolate cake eating to finally be able to shop in places that don't do size 6. i'd be so gutted if i thought i was shrinking!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hehe, thank you for this thread. I have exactly the same problem! I usually wear S6/L34 jeans from Topshop and have one pair of black trousers from them and one from Miss Selfridge.

    Am dying to go to Gap now to see what I can find! :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    also known as vanity sizing.

    it's been shown that if a woman who normally takes, say, a size 14 finds something in a 12 that fits, she's more likely to buy it than if it were the same thing in a 14.
    true
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    there is definitely an argument for all of the British fashion industry to follow a standardized sizing system for clothes, but i don't see that happening any time soon so here's to changing rooms and refund policies!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sizes have definately got bigger. A size ten is definately like a size 12 was 10 years back. I can normally tell by looking at something if it will fit me. Shoe sizes are the same they are definately getting bigger. Companys are trying to sell more clothes by making a normally size 12 person think they can fit into a 10 clever bit of selling really.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru

    Am dying to go to Gap now to see what I can find! :)

    I wouldn't get too excited if I were you... They had three styles, low, medium and high cuts, each of which came in two colour choices- that's a choice of six pairs of trousers, four really when you consider that only a loon would go for the high cut ones! I went for the low ones because as they're still a little big, it's better to have hipster ones as it just looks like it's part of the style, and the fabrics were better quality too.

    Anyone been in Mango recently? I seem to remember them having little sizes?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    When I was in Mango the smallest size they seemed to have was an XS with equated to an 8. Not much use. :|
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katrella whats your secret in keeping nice and slim??
    i used to be a 26'' waist n now im like 29.5'' not good is it? lol
    i was going to recomend gap to you but you already went there..x
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is there any reason why some makes of clothes are bigger than others even if they do both say on the label that they are both the same size?

    Probably not explained that too well, but this is what I basically mean:
    I wanted an Addidas tracksuit but it was far too big for me. I then tried on a nIke tracksuit in the same size which actually fitted.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Is there any reason why some makes of clothes are bigger than others even if they do both say on the label that they are both the same size?

    because standardised sizing has gone out of the window, and now manufacturers pull sizes out of their arse.

    at one point you would have found that the shops with the most generous sizes are aimed at a more mature figure. M&S and Next have had massive sizes for years. But since younger and younger kids have been worrying about their weight, a lot of teeny bopper shops have inflated their sizes too, so it's a tricky one to call.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    its probably because generally we're becoming a fatter nation, so if people still ''think'' they're fitting into the same old size they're more likely to buy it?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    it's been shown that if a woman who normally takes, say, a size 14 finds something in a 12 that fits, she's more likely to buy it than if it were the same thing in a 14.

    True... speaking from the experience.

    Went shopping the other day with a budget of 11 pound (weird budget yes, but with student discount it'd bring my 11 pound total down to roughly 10 pound depending on the shop). Saw a top i liked for 14.... decided to try it on. Now, im currently going through a weird weight gain for no apparent reason so i tried on a 12. it drowned me. I tried on the 10 (the size i should be). That drowned me. Confused, I tried on the 8, thinking it'd be too small for my stomach, if not my bust. Fited perfectly. So despite the the extra money, I bought it :blush:

    How naughty.....
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ballerina wrote:
    its probably because generally we're becoming a fatter nation, so if people still ''think'' they're fitting into the same old size they're more likely to buy it?

    Seems that way...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kaffrin wrote:
    M&S and Next have had massive sizes for years.

    And I tried on a really old st michael's skirt in a size ten a couple f months ago and it was tight. too tght to wear confortably... now their sizes b huge!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes... this does my head in. Mark & Spencer are the worst followed closely by Miss Selfridge. They are clearly all designed for fat mingers. It is socially ok to make fun of skinny people but never fat people. I mean like Heat magazine has loads of articles look at this celeb (shocking! A size 6... only 7st) but rarely look this fatty is gross.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Randomgirl wrote:
    Yes... this does my head in. Mark & Spencer are the worst followed closely by Miss Selfridge. They are clearly all designed for fat mingers. It is socially ok to make fun of skinny people but never fat people. I mean like Heat magazine has loads of articles look at this celeb (shocking! A size 6... only 7st) but rarely look this fatty is gross.


    not all fat people are "mingers" (no im not fat and trying to stick up for myself)

    Sizes are bigger so that larger people are more likely to buy stuff, if they can fit into a size "14" when they normally would need a 16, then it is a confidence boost and they will probably buy it

    About magazines though, i dont tend to read them but when i have flicked through i always see pictures of larger women and comments about cellulite, wobbly bits etc, so i dont know where you get the idea that it is socially ok to make fun of skinny people!
    Skinny people are more readily accepted in society. I remember at school the larger people were always getting the piss taken out of them but never skinny people.
    Whenever i go shopping the things that i want always seem to be in a size 8, or 14 and above. (im 12..)
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