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The World of Women’s Dress Sizes

Tuesday, 6th April 2010 Written by: The Girl in the Pink Shoes

Ever been completely baffled by the fact that you’re one dress size in one shop, and a different one in another?

You can guarantee that when I leave a women’s clothing store, I will be in one of two moods. Either really depressed or extremely pleased with myself. This is all to do with whether or not whatever I have decided to try on fits or not because, believe it or not, women’s clothing sizes are not all what they seem.

Now being a size 14, (I think?) I expect to be able to fit in that size in tops, jeans, shirts, trousers, dresses, you get the picture. Does this happen? No. And why does this not happen? I haven’t the foggiest. Why aren’t all UK size 14s universally a size 14? Don’t get me started about going to the US and trying on a size 14, confusing or what!

It seems very bizarre to me that a High Street buzzing with women coming and going from various shops could end up leaving with a size 12 top from one shop and a size 14 from another. I’m 21 and still can’t get to grips with it. Its funny, but I don’t seem to have this problem with shoes, I seem to be a 6 1/2 everywhere. Its safe to say that I am completely baffled by this.

Woe betide anyone that crosses me if I have to leave a store with something in a size bigger!

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Comments (5)

I think this is because, as you mentioned, if upon finding a garment in a shop that is a size smaller than you thought you were, you would leave the shop feeling extremely pleased with yourself.

The relabelling of items in fashion shops is adapted to try and recreate this feeling. For example, Marks and Spencers might label their clothing a size smaller than it is, so a size 14 would become a 12, a 12 would become a 10, etc. Then all the ladies who go in there and realise they are actually an M&S size 12, leave feeling really pleased and decide that rather than shop around in other shops where they may go back to being a 14, it is worth shopping at M&S more often, to rekindle the feeling of delight, and to then be able to remark that they are a size 12.

I’m pretty sure this is the reason, but I’m not very good at explaining. I think its caught on at most shops now, so they’re all completely crazy with the sizes, some shops have adapted their sizing from already adapted labels in other stores, so the sizes are actually two sizes smaller, etc.

I studied fashion and a “standard” size 12 in fashion is actually an 8.

Hope this helps!
x

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