I know we all have different build and sizing but really?

Ashtree I do find that the Tu range at sainsburys do quite nice tops but when I popped in yesterday there was a sale on and it was all grabby and horrid so I left. M & S a bit mixed; their trousers generally ok, jeans (per una) lovely fit and on the waist. Like you, never wear skirts, rarely dresses other than black frocks for the odd evening out.

I bought a leather jacket yesterday. I am a 14 sometimes and a 16 sometimes. I usually go for a 16 in a coat or jacket with a view to wearing thick jumpers etc underneath. I tried a 16 jacket and couldn't even do it up, likewise an 18. DH said I should try a 20!! but I declined. I tried another 16 in a similar jacket, slightly different style. It fitted beautifully and was not in the slightest tight. Very odd.

The Simon Cowell look, FlicketyB . Yes I can see why you'd want the low-rise trousers.

Ah, but I love low-rise trousers because I am quite narrow between crotch and waist and low rise, for me are a nice comfortable fit at waist level. 'Regular' fit is an uncomfortable fit under the armpits.

Ashtree agreeing so much about the change in style of trousers,those low rise fitting where awful and even though I could find trousers that I liked it was the waist line that was wrong all the time,I much prefer high rise waist or even back to years ago when elastic waists solved the problem all waists fits all lol

US womens clothing sizes are not the same as UK ones. A size 12 in the US would be a size 14 in the UK.
www.usatourist.com/english/traveltips/shopping/shopping-womens-sizes.html

I find it depends on the current fashions, GillT, whether or not it's difficult to find stuff. This year there seem to be plenty of tops in Sainsbury and M&S that I like and that fit comfortably (and look not too bad!). I got fed up with all the crop tops that dominated the stores a few years ago. Nobody wants to see my belly - not even me
Trousers can be tricky, because they need to fit more accurately. But thank Heavens there are now more 'sits on the waist' trousers, after the years of having to endure nothing but low-waisted or out and out hipsters. Now in my youth I used to love them but now? I don't think so! I rarely wear skirts or dresses these days, but think I'd struggle to find something I liked.

I find it annoying too; I look at the pictures of women who have lost weight and are now 'a size 12' and weigh the same as or more than me. I always think they must be about 6' 8" tall!

I had to buy a size larger this year in some trousers - however, last year's still fit! (they're skimping on fabric again.)

I am glad I am not the only one to be irritated by the silly claims in these articles, I was beginning to worry that I looked like the person I was talking about......I know I am a tad deluded about how many inches I have to lose, but surely not that much! Ashtree not your win my dear, although we could share clothes by the sound of it! Do you have trouble finding stuff? I do. I have just dug out and washed last years linen trousers and glad to say they all fit or are a little too loose.

I have just read through all the posts and it very interesting. I am the same height and weight as a person here but easily get into a size smaller than they need of MandS clothes. I too vary the size I buy depending on the shop and 'look' I wish to try and achieve. I came a bit unstuck with that recently - bought a cardigan in Asda so got the next size up as usual - never tried it on - got back to France and came the day I decided to wear it put it on and am swamped in it with sleeves almost covering my hands!!

I see a lot of these articles about people losing weight which say 'so and so has lost ten stone and has gone from (whatever size) to a 10'. I look at the pictures and I think (as my DH would say) 'never in the reign of pig's pudding' is she a 10 unless it is a bad photograph.

I've just tried on three M&S skirts bought in the last two years, all similar style, same fabric and all size 14.

The first falls straight off me when done up
The second fits well
The third is a bit tight snug

All fitted when I bought them, none has been washed because I forgotten I'd bought them and they were in the back of DH's wardrobe.

Very peculiar or what!

I tend to try on a larger size, if I'm buying something from a supermarket. They are cheap because they skimp on fabric. You can get tremendous bargains though, especially in summer clothing made of cotton or linen. x

I bought a couple of cheapy summer dresses from Asda and they are size 18 and they are still a bit on the nippy side! I am usually between a 14 and 16. It jut depends on the manufacturer I suppose.

Yes, I also often wonder about the dress sizes they claim in magazines. I will see someone my height, my weight, or sometimes even between 7lbs - 14lbs more and the article will say that they now get into a size 8 - 10 and I boggle. I am size 10/12 above the waist and size 12 below.

I agree with you Gill, and often find myself refusing to believe the dress size of people who have lost weight in magazines. you can just see that if it says they can now wear a size 10, the truth would be a size 14.

A sound thought Gill Although we talk about wanting to lose weight I think deep down we mean inches.

Lets face it, you could lose weight by chopping one leg off (might make standing on the scales a tad awkward) but it's the inches that usually matter.

When clearing out drawer I found the notes re. my waist, hip and thigh measurements taken in June 2010 when I started Slimming World

GillT I think you are my twin. I am 5'5", weigh 14.2, wear mostly size 18 but sometimes a 20. Are you also going to be 65 in July?

It is certainly true that sizes differ hugely from manufacturer to manufacturer and even within the same range from the same shop, but honestly, this person was 5 foot and 17 stone, so very very round.....no way that a size 18 would fit, it hardly fits me at 5inches taller and almost 3 stones lighter. I do not understand the logic. I am not going to weigh myself anymore, I shall cut down until the right size of jeans fit.......

Actually loopy that is the only upside of having been at the back of the queue when the bosom fairy was bestowing her bounty. Practically zero droop. A "friend* once commented, "well, they may be very small, but they are rather pert" !

I don't weigh myself any more, once I reached my goal size 12. (Height 5.4) If I find things tight I cut down on the calories.

But I do find that any dresses with side zips do not fit. I think this is because having children widens your rib cage! I'm sure I read it somewhere?

I cannot reduce the wobble area either! That's courtesy of having children, as well.

Some clothes are made in styles that are aimed at young shapes, regardless of size. x

phoenix

That's a brilliant image I have! My boobs behave independently to the rest of me; I avoid running unclad as could end up with two black eyes

5' 2" no idea what I currently weigh as the scales need a new battery, and have done for nearly a year have no bosoms (all hail the gel bra, or the Primark air bras, take them off and my bust goes with them) always tended to be a bit heavy in the thigh, but I have recently developed this awful stomach. Try to run past the full length mirror most of the time, but when I do catch a glimpse I seem to be all belly and bum! (I actually hate the word "belly")

The problem with running past that mirror is that when my feet stop moving, various bits of my body don't.

I'm 5'7" and weigh 9st 5lb. Most size 12s fit me, top and bottom.

I do have trouble believing that someone in a magazine article who is roughly my height and has trimmed down to 11 stone is now a size 10/12...

I'm 5'6", weight 12.12 and wear 16/18 bottoms, 18/20 tops. No bum but need the sizing for my apple shaped middle.

Many magazine articles refer to sizing that is like a fairy tale.