Comments on: UK Readers: Did You See this Crap?

By: Robz

Robz — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:09:11 +0000

Us sizes are 2 sizes different from Australian sizing, and UK sizing is 1 different – Hence a size 14 in Australia is a size 16 in the UK and size 18 in the US.

I really don’t think the Australian fashion industry realises the sizing difference sometimes. Plus size models in Australia are usually Australian size 14 (AKA US size 10). I fail to see how that is plus size considering that most clothing ranges go up to size 14 or 16 in Australia.

Regarding the bouncy castle comment: my fiancee says that some of her customers should come and jump on her like a bouncy castle :)

I also like this idea: “someone could put a deflated bouncy castle through her letterbox, then pump it up from the outside so it filled the entire store.” Nice Buff! Hilarious.

By: buttercup

buttercup — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 16:19:55 +0000

The difference between plus sizing and misses’ sizing is like the difference between juniors and misses. Junior sizing is very straight up and down, not much allowance for curves. Misses sizing allows for some curves, especially at bust and hip. Ostensibly, women’s sizing allows for even more curves at bust and hip although in many cases they’re actually just upsized misses.

That’s the official explanation of course, YMMV in real-world experience. I think most clothing designers, especially the off-the-rack sort, are just flying blind anyway and do what they want whether it’s practical or not.

(former clothing store manager/merchandiser who loved the job but hated the pay)

By: nuckingfutz

nuckingfutz — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:18:49 +0000

Yeah, that’s because US clothing manufacturers do this weird thing at sizes 16/18. A straight 16 or 18 is completely different to a “plus” 16 or 18. I’ve never really understood what the difference is or why it’s there, but it’s definitely there.

By: apricotmuffins

apricotmuffins — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 12:03:59 +0000

US sizes tend to be 1- 1 1/2 sizes bigger than UK sizes, in my experience.

A US plus 12 is too big for me, but im a UK 16. I think a US 12 fits me fine, however, when its not a plus size.

By: viv

viv — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:46:04 +0000

Julia,
It was fantastic!!! I loved working with the sassy ladies and I almost went into plus size clothing design and even started fashion design school. But I got side tracked and ended up doing other than fashion design. I am happy to see more people designing for the average and bigger sizes and making them much more attractive. But some of the cute clothes are really expensive.

By: nuckingfutz

nuckingfutz — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:34:50 +0000

Actually, you’re slightly off. The sizes are only one size different – a UK 10 is a US 8, etc.

But yeah, as a (US 18/UK 20), I have to definitely agree with you – most shops stop at 16, if you’re lucky 18. As a 20, I find this very frustrating, because I’m juuuuuuuuust outside the limit.

By: Rachael

Rachael — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:50:47 +0000

Someone might have pointed this out already, but that’s a UK size 10 which is a US6 I believe. A US 10 would be a UK14, which is the top size that many mainstream stores sell here. Some have a 16, few go up to 18 or further.

By: Bree

Bree — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:32:03 +0000

Ha! Love the bouncy castle!

By: Julia

Julia — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:11:15 +0000

@ Viv
When I worked in retail as a teen, my favorite customers were the larger women (both black and white) because they were usually super nice, open, pleasant, and just fun. I learned a lot from these ladies. I used to have stylish plus size regular customers that used to come regularly to check for new styles and to chat with me all the time. We would be so happy and pleased with a new stylish outfit that we could put together for our ladies. Good times!!!

That sounds fantastic!

There isn’t a Torrid near where I live, so when I go home to visit my parents I insist on making a trip to the local Torrid. My mom, out of the blue, announced that she really liked the staff at Torrid. They were nice, friendly and not pushy. She even made some pointed comparisons between them and the staff at Hot Topic (the skinnier sister to Torrid).

By: woodscolt

woodscolt — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:08:54 +0000

I saw this and I’m sort of in the middle between the comments above. Although the shop owner was horrific and offensive (there was a telling moment when Mary Portas said ‘well, what is normal?’ and she laughed gaily and trilled ‘I am!’), she was painted as also being totally wrong, narrow-minded, offensive and deserving to fail right the way through the programme until she learned to treat her customers with a bit of respect. And what she learned was to behave with respect, but not really to feel it – she was still, in the ending scenes, referring to her customers rather distastefully as ‘them’, and what she’d learned was to keep her mouth shut, not to respect women of all sizes. She struck me as someone who had body issues of her own, but that’s a snap judgement which might be unfair.

Mary Portas, the retail expert, was absolutely aghast at her attitude (I think at one point she turned to camera and said, sotto voce, ‘I really want to give her a slap’) and pointed out that the women Amanda was catering to were in fact the average in Britain, where a majority of women are size 14 (US size 10) +. She also pointed out that the fashion industry fails older women of all sizes and disproportionately caters to 16-25-year-olds who are sizes 6-12 (US 2-8).

It was definitely worth watching for the humour, I think, especially the point when they wheeled a supply of her stock onto the street and asked passing women to comment and Amanda stood there aghast as the women (of all sizes) pissed themselves laughing at the grotesque drab sacks. Particularly the woman who picked out a specially hideous pair of trousers and said ‘Well, they’re shitcatchers, aren’t they?’