Size variations in shops – interactive webpage

Scarinae

I thought this was really interesting – someone has checked the actual measurements a range of shops use to determine their sizing and has plotted them all – check it out here. You can put in your measurements and it will tell you what size you would be in each shop; it’s amazing how different it can be, depending where you are shopping. Since it was a UK-based programmer who did this, they are UK high street shops, but a lot of them are in Ireland too!

They have a piece about it on the Guardian website:

What's your perfect fitting top, skirt and dress on the highstreet?

We all know that there's no such thing as a size 10. But I'm a computer programmer as well as a fashion fan, so I built a website to beat the sizing madness

Last month, I was browsing the LK Bennett sales, and picked up an indigo pleated skirt in what I vaguely hoped would be the right size. But as I headed for the changing room, I had a feeling it would be too small. And as I struggled with the zip, I raged for the millionth time that a size 10 should be a size 10.

As everyone who's ever bought clothes knows, high-street sizing is completely mad. You can easily be a size 8 in one store, and a size 14 in another, and it's impossible to guess your size without lots of zip-wrangling. However, I am a computer programmer as well as a fashion fan, and so I decided to do something about it.

I collected the official size data published by many different stores - LK Bennett, like many others, publishes its sizes online. Then I built a data visualisation to help the women of Britain and the US find their best sizes at different shops. It's called What Size Am I?

My app lets you put in your measurements (bust, waist and hips) in inches and cm and see your most perfect fit in tops, skirts and dresses at shops from ASOS to Zara. If you're using a modern web browser, you'll see a nice interactive graph of where you fit in.

I tested the app with friends, and while some felt that fit also depends on fabric and cut, we were all interested to see the variation between shops - "I knew M&S sizes were large!" said one. I also adapted it to display nicely on mobile phones, so you can use it on the move.

The data I collected confirms that sizing is indeed madness. In the UK, a size 16 at Jaeger has a bust of 108cm, waist of 88cm and hips of 114cm: a size 16 at Banana Republic has a bust of 98cm, waist of 77cm and hips of 103cm. That's a 4-inch difference, and it's not unusual.

I assumed that the pricier stores would size smaller, but that's not actually true. Counter-intuitively, a size 10 in upmarket Whistles, Zara, or Reiss is actually quite a bit bigger than a size 10 in ASOS, Monsoon, or M&S. And mass-market Next consistently has the smallest sizes on the high street.

I was particularly interested to see the different body shapes flattered by different stores. Broadly, M&S, Karen Millen and French Connection look the most pear-shaped: Banana Republic and Warehouse are best for the top-heavy: LK Bennett and Zara are cut for a fitted waist, while Oasis and TopShop seem most up-and-down.

I'm surprised no-one has explored the data or built a similar site before, but then being a computer programmer and a fashion fan is… unusual. Coders get an unfair press in some ways (I find most are articulate and charming) but when it comes to fashion, the clichés are largely true. Tech conferences are a sad sea of baggy black T-shirts.

And therefore, programmers do not often write interesting fashion apps, and the fashion world ignores those of the dorky persuasion. This is a shame, because I see potential fashion hacks everywhere and hear about few. And too many fashion sites are bloated, Flash-heavy nightmares that hinder rather than help users.

But really, fashion and programming should have a natural affinity: at their best, both are about craftsmanship, invention and delight in the new. So, fashion firms, don't turn up your noses at the nerdy, despite their black T-shirts: seek out the geeks.

Malari

Interesting! I don't know my waist size, etc but will measure and see how it matches up

I bought a pair of jeans though in Next and there was about 2 inches difference in the waist size of the same size and same style of jeans. So I don't know if it can be totally accurate for different items.

Valentina

Very interesting! I put in my own measurements and according to the graph I vary from a size 10 (Reiss) to a size 14 (New Look)

Shops should be more consistent in their sizings, there should be a standard for each size. I remember a couple of years ago trying on shorts in H&M - I'm usually a 12 in their trousers/skirts and the only shorts that fit me were the ones marked size 18.

jam_mac_jam

I have a size 8 skirt that is too big for me and clothes up to a size 14, that both fit, doesnt really make sense. I would be a 10/12 but the website tells me I am from an 8 to a 12 depending on shop. I hate trying on clothes so end up shoping in the same places all the time because I cannot be arsed.

Snoopy1

It annoys me that im so different in some shops. I know im a 12 in most places but the minute i go to Zara or H&M i have to go for the size 16.

aristocat

This is a very interesting concept and it does seem strange that no-one had done it before. In general, I tend to find Mango, Primark and Zara smaller. New Look is quite good for a cheaper brand and M&S is usually spot on (except for skinny jeans as I am a pear shape!). German made clothes are really well proportioned and always appear to be the size they say they are. But after years of fighting this, I have eventually given up on being 'one' size and I just buy to fit. It really doesn't bother me if a garment is three sizes bigger than I actually am if it fits well. It's all just about how the clothes hang and look. No-one can see the size label inside. Also, if such a disparity in sizes exists, then what does it matter if the size is 'wrong'.

Malari

OK, I measured myself last night and I seem to be a perfect size 10 in Next...except in my wardrobe I don't have any size 10 stuff from Next. In general, my wardrobe sizes seem to be smaller than the graph results suggest. And I'm not bate into all my clothes either :pac: promise!

mysteries1984

This is great - I'm dying to try it out properly. I saw it a few weeks ago and have been meaning to explore it properly (and actually measure my hips!)

Apparently I fit best into French Connection, but my budget is more New Look

Ilyana

I seemed to fit right in the middle of 10-12, which is pretty accurate when you look at my wardrobe. It's interesting to see the size variance between shops though!
But (I'll try not to go OT), some women tend to get a bit hung-up on clothes sizes when it comes to body image. If I found an amazing dress that fitted me that bit better in the 12 rather than the 10, buying the 10 just to prove a point is kinda counter-productive! I'd rather look good in it than be struggling to breathe, all in the name of a size 10 :rolleyes:

mysteries1984

EmilyO wrote: »

I seemed to fit right in the middle of 10-12, which is pretty accurate when you look at my wardrobe. It's interesting to see the size variance between shops though!
But (I'll try not to go OT), some women tend to get a bit hung-up on clothes sizes when it comes to body image. If I found an amazing dress that fitted me that bit better in the 12 rather than the 10, buying the 10 just to prove a point is kinda counter-productive! I'd rather look good in it than be struggling to breathe, all in the name of a size 10 :rolleyes:

Oh, I'm one of those. I'm hung up on clothes size. Sadly not in the name of a size 10 though More than once I've put something back because the label doesn't say what I think it should...even though I know it's stupid. This should help though, a visual of the sizes. It'll also make it easier to shop...probably. Something my bank account doesn't need help with

borderlinemeath

I haven't tried it yet but I have a fair idea of what size I am in different shops, and there's some I won't even look at certain things in because of the cut of the clothes. Take Zara and Mango trousers - cut for slim hipped, skinny legged girls, but not me!

I don't get hung up on size labels but I have friends who do. My take on it is that the label is on the inside so nobody else gets to see it.

Novella

I seem to just be a standard size 10 everywhere. I got, "Your closest fits are probably Topshop size 10, Oasis size 10 and Jaeger size 10". Although Gap seems to think I'm a size 6, which I am not! Otherwise, pretty accurate for me.

Corruptedmorals

There seems to be little variation at the smaller end of the scale. My best match is Topshop size 8, which is dead on, I find that a great fit..except too expensive so I don't bother buying stuff from them anymore.

stargazer 68

Im generally a 14 however I have a top from top shop (bought on sat) which is a 10! Go figure!

I also find though that the same size in the same shop can differ too - i.e I always take 2 14's into the changing room as sometimes one fits perfectly and one is too small - especially in M&S

Malari

Novella wrote: »

I seem to just be a standard size 10 everywhere. I got, "Your closest fits are probably Topshop size 10, Oasis size 10 and Jaeger size 10". Although Gap seems to think I'm a size 6, which I am not! Otherwise, pretty accurate for me.

Have you tried on much in the Gap? I do find their sizes extra large! Dresses in particular seem to be floating on me...

ladhrann

Malari wrote: »

Interesting! I don't know my waist size, etc but will measure and see how it matches up

I bought a pair of jeans though in Next and there was about 2 inches difference in the waist size of the same size and same style of jeans. So I don't know if it can be totally accurate for different items.

One thing totaly left out from the article though is the tyranny of one size fits none. Essentially a standard sizing regime was developed for the convenience of large clothing manufacturers. Particularily for the female body shape an attempt at standard sizing is only of very limited use to the consumer.

Also as the average body has increased in height and girth since the 1950s so the average sizes used by manufacturers have increased as well.

mysteries1984

ladhrann wrote: »

One thing totaly left out from the article though is the tyranny of one size fits none.

True, but do shops even use that anymore? The only place I've come across it in years is in cheap online shops.

ladhrann

mysteries1984 wrote: »

True, but do shops even use that anymore? The only place I've come across it in years is in cheap online shops.

Essentially any 'standard size' is this as it cannot take into account the differences in shape between individuals even with the same 'average' measurements.

Novella

Malari wrote: »

Have you tried on much in the Gap? I do find their sizes extra large! Dresses in particular seem to be floating on me...

I tried on a pair of jeans once, didn't buy them though but I can't remember why. I actually must go try something else on there just to see. That would be crazy if their sizes are sized 2 sizes bigger!