Women’s size 14 clothes vary by several centimetres in different high street chains, a consumer group announced today.
A Dorothy Perkins size 14 bust measurement is 97cm compared to 93cm at Marks & Spencer, according to Which? magazine.
Waist measurements vary from 76cm at leading high street fashion chains Next and M&S to 77cm at Tesco and 78cm at Dorothy Perkins.
Tesco uses the biggest hip measurement at 103cm compared to 101.5cm at Dorothy Perkins and 100cm at M&S.
But the current system for UK women’s clothes sizes could become a thing of the past, according to Which?
The consumer group says new EU guidelines could mean bust, waist, hip and height measurements replacing traditional labels including the coveted size 10 and 12 because statistics no longer match up.
The news comes just months after research revealed that fashion companies across the board are flattering their customers’ vanity by understating the true size of their waistline.
This means that a size 12 or 14 differs greatly from store to store, with women finding that they would fit a certain size in some shops and not in others.
Frank Moore, who chairs the team at the European Committee for Standardisation which has proposed the new measurements, told Which? magazine: “It could be the end of the size 10. It will take some time but will mean better sizing for consumers.
“The sizing will happen on the Continent first and UK consumers will get used to it after seeing it there.”
An M&S spokeswoman told Which? the chain updated its sizes every 10 years following research.
Shropshire slimming consultant Paula Porter believes it is vital to give women the reality of the situation rather than flattery.
“Women do judge their weight far more by their dress size than their actual weight. Their concerns can rest on what dress size they are and they will often have to reach a certain size before they will consider doing anything about their weight.”
By Women’s Editor Tracey O’Sullivan
3 Comments
Men have the same problem as well with, boxer shorts, shirts, and trousers.
It is about time that we all knew that a size x meant 32 bust, 26 waist, y 34,28 and so on. Shops change their sizes all the time - when I was 16 I had a waist of 23 inches and a size 8 in most shops was too small. 16 years later my waist is 26 inches, yet in next a size 6 is often on the large size, and a size 8 (the smallest they do) in monsoon won’t even stay up. It would help put an end to all the confusion, and stop vanity sizing. Your waist is the same size, no matter what label is in your clothes!
I am fed up being made to feel a freak. I have had measurements of 34-26-34 for over 20 years. Was always a size 8. About 10 years ago, suddenly size 6 appeared as 8 became bigger. Now size 6 is increas1ng and size 4 is beginning to appear, even size 0 in gap is now too big. We desperately need HONEST sizing and not sizes that fool women into thinking they are a size 8 when in reality there measurements reflect an 10-12!! (Of the old days)