Changeroom frustration as one size does not fit all
These two young women may have a similar body shape, but there’s an obvious difference between them — and the problem is an increasing frustration, especially among female shoppers.
Lifestyle
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Women can drop three dress sizes simply by switching brands, a new study has found.
A look at Australian clothing sizes has found 10cm or more difference in clothing labelled the same size.
Karen Platt compared the dimensions of nine popular brands including Target, Country Road and Witchery.
She found size 16s vary by up to 11cm across the hips and size 12s vary by 8cm across the waist.
“Every woman in Australia has probably noticed the obvious variance between clothing sizes,” Ms Platt said.
“You might be a size 10 in Cue, a 12 in Witchery and a 14 in Target.
“There is no standard size these days and it is just confusing and annoying for time-poor women who want to a wardrobe of clothes that fit and make them feel good.”
Making matters worse, the average woman doesn’t fit into one dress size, with one third varying by two or more sizes across her body.
“We can see that 72 per cent of women are never one true size from their bust to waist to hips with 36 per cent of women with a size 12 hip have a size 14 waist,” Ms Platt said.
Ms Platt’s One P clothing label measured 630 women as part of the Measured for Change campaign in conjunction with the Whitehorse Institute of Design.
There is no agreement on the dimensions of clothing sizes for Australian women and men, which means designers are left to make up their own sizes.
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The most recent Australian clothing standard for adult men and women was withdrawn in 2007 because it was out of date.
Intimo stylist Casey Grant said fashion companies “have adjusted their sizing to make us – the customer — feel better about ourselves which is short-lived once we step into another boutique with original sizing”.
Ali Moshopoulos, 19, a musical theatre student from Balwyn, is a size eight, but can wear size six to 10.
“It depends on the brand – in Country Road or Witchery I am a six but in some of the cheaper fast fashion labels I am a 10,” she said.
The average Australian woman weighs 71.1kg and is a size 14-16, according to recent ABS data.
One P is inviting women of all ages and sizes to submit their measurements.