If there’s one thing that’s really bothering me recently, it’s clothes sizes. I’ve been out and about shopping quite a bit trying to pick up some new bits and pieces for my summer wardrobe. The problem is that nothing seems to fit right. Now I wouldn’t consider myself to be overweight. I’m a UK size 12, I’m around 5ft 4, and I weight about 10st 5. I eat healthily, I exercise, and I drink lots of water. This is why I find it so disheartening to walk into my favourite shop, to pick something out in my size and for it not to fit. It’s confusing and it makes me feel fat. Girls shouldn’t have to deal with this.
I think the main problem is that clothes from different shops in the same size have different measurements. For example, I can go into New Look and buy a top in size 12, and then go into Primark and have to buy a size 14. I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with either of those sizes, but why does this happen? Why isn’t there just a universal measurement for each size?
Another problem I often find is that women’s clothes seem to be made for women who have a straighter figure than myself. I consider myself to be quite curvy, and find it ridiculous that there doesn’t seem to be many clothing stores that accomodate for my figure. I understand that some women do have straighter figures, but instead of completing discriminating towards women with body shapes like myself, why can’t there be more of a choice?
Buying jeans is my least favourite task. They never seem to fit right both in the leg length and around the waist; it’s always either one or the other. Luckily, I’ve found somewhere which does seem to accomodate for both in Dorothy Perkins. In their petite section you can buy a size 12, and gasp, it actually fits well.
Possibly the worst thing about women’s clothing are when they come in sizes such as S, M, L etc. Both H and M and Forever 21 do this, and it drives me crazy. I’m quite petite, but because of my curves, cannot fit into a Small, meaning that the Medium completely drowns me in some places and then is too tight in others.
Online shopping is a complete pain, as due to the fluctuation of sizes, I prefer to try on before I buy. The amount of times I’ve ordered something online and then had to send it back because it’s nowhere near the size it said it is!
I just think that the fashion industry needs to be a bit more generous towards women of ALL shapes and sizes. The average clothing size of women in the UK is a 14, and yet what even is a 14 anymore? We don’t deserve to feel rubbish about ourselves for something that isn’t accurate and that isn’t fair.
Does anyone else have this problem?
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