6 inches !!!

[historymystery]

Miss G, A lovely post - thank you. Don't desert us, but if you decide not to post until after Chrimbo, then have a lovely Christmas and a very Healthy & Happy New Year.:mysmilie_3:

Mediastar made me very nostalgic for my university days when I knew exactly what size every garment was because it was a standard with the inch measurements she gave. And in my favourite chain, dresses were 39/11 and skirts 19/11.

Has anyone noticed the deliberate changing, not just of measurements, but of shapes? Because the young generation have boyish figures, straight up and down, manufacturers are now cutting garments to be the same measurement at the bust and the hip. There was a time when garment manufacturers used to cut pear and inverted pear... garments for the British market were two inches bigger round the hip, for the Continental market two inches bigger round the bust. Now we are all boys with big shoulders, no indentations and the waist and slim hips, as far as manufacturers think.

The curse of the androgene has hit Centigrade, one of the only two brands I ever bought from QVC. The coats used to fit perfectly my two poached eggs up top, vast spreading bottom, with a Princess cut that flared out magnificently from a shaped-in waist. The last couple of coats were cut like the cardboard tubes inside paper kitchen rolls.

I still buy Kim because her pull it, bend it, stretch it, fabric still fits. But of course, from auction websites as I cannot afford her prices on Q any more.

And now this is my last post until after Christmas. No matter what show I flick over to for a moment, it's to see a set decorated with candles and tinsel. We are still in October, for goodness sake. I shall not watch until New Year, well, a few days later when the New Year New You stops trying to flog us useless and dangerous exercise machines.

So Merry Christmas to all, nearly two months early in the spirit of QVC. I hope all of you who have had health problems, or like Shopperholic, had family members with health problems, have a happy and healthy Christmas.

 

[historymystery]

Comments made by brissles, shopperholic and thatu are spot-on about Q's so-called fashion. I don't buy it either, but find it quite embarrassing when you can see a model or presenter who looks as though they have been poured into an outfit through a funnel. Nothing looks worse - do they think we watch with our eyes shut, or something? And if one more presenter says "I'm a medium in this" or "this one's a small size" when they are plainly splitting their drawers to break out of the garment they have been dressed in, I will chuck something. It's all of a piece with the way they assume viewers are stupid (lost count of the number of times one of them claims the piece of "clothing" they are wearing is "so comfortable", "a great fit" or whatever .....but they stand rooted to the spot, don't walk anywhere, and don't turn round - painfully obvious it's because their limbs are so restricted they couldn't do it without looking unnatural or showing all the bulging biceps or whatever.

 

[shopperholic]

W

Mediastar made me very nostalgic for my university days when I knew exactly what size every garment was because it was a standard with the inch measurements she gave. And in my favourite chain, dresses were 39/11 and skirts 19/11.

Has anyone noticed the deliberate changing, not just of measurements, but of shapes? Because the young generation have boyish figures, straight up and down, manufacturers are now cutting garments to be the same measurement at the bust and the hip. There was a time when garment manufacturers used to cut pear and inverted pear... garments for the British market were two inches bigger round the hip, for the Continental market two inches bigger round the bust. Now we are all boys with big shoulders, no indentations and the waist and slim hips, as far as manufacturers think.

The curse of the androgene has hit Centigrade, one of the only two brands I ever bought from QVC. The coats used to fit perfectly my two poached eggs up top, vast spreading bottom, with a Princess cut that flared out magnificently from a shaped-in waist. The last couple of coats were cut like the cardboard tubes inside paper kitchen rolls.

I still buy Kim because her pull it, bend it, stretch it, fabric still fits. But of course, from auction websites as I cannot afford her prices on Q any more.

And now this is my last post until after Christmas. No matter what show I flick over to for a moment, it's to see a set decorated with candles and tinsel. We are still in October, for goodness sake. I shall not watch until New Year, well, a few days later when the New Year New You stops trying to flog us useless and dangerous exercise machines.

So Merry Christmas to all, nearly two months early in the spirit of QVC. I hope all of you who have had health problems, or like Shopperholic, had family members with health problems, have a happy and healthy Christmas.

Aw thanks Miss G for your thoughts that's very kind, but please don't stop posting, be like me, I very rarely watch I just channel hop, granted I watched for twenty years before I closed my account two years ago, but just channel hop now for a minute here and there but I still comment. Hope you reconsider but if you don't change your mind, take care and have a lovely, peaceful but enjoyable Christmas to you and yours.

 

[Turandot]

I channel hop too and watch just enough to get an idea of what's on but not too much more. I know that now all channels are going to be awash with Christmas stuff so its very hard to avoid.Maybe Miss G can keep posting in response to anything on here non Christmassy. If not seasons greetings in advance.

 

[Eleanor]

I agree about these sizings being misquoted or difficult to interpret. Has Julia Roberts ever confirmed her bra size so we can get an understanding of the fit, as she often wears Ronni Nicole and appears a similar size. She does seem to try and fit into too small a size.

 

[maymorganlondon]

I think the retailers are complicit in our growing average size, and have been for decades.

Problem is that the sizes - 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 etc are all relative sizes, not absolute, unchanging measurements. I wear a size 16 generally, but in some brands I'm an 18, and in some brands I'll be a 14. Thing is, if I've got older items (and I do tend to keep things a long time) then a 14 in something from 10+ years ago is definitely smaller than a 14 now from the same store.

We're all doomed to be confused as to what our "true" size is... only the inches or centimetres on the tape measure can ever help you out.

QVC went through a period of trying to convert most of their clothing brands to using UK dress sizes, however they seem to be not only slipping back more to the S, M, L, XL,2XL, but also going more and more for brands where sizes are not really defined.

Given how much of QVC's fashion seems to be essentially manufactured by QVC and then a name tag slapped on it to give us "choice" surely they have the clout to get some consistency going? If they could be bothered, that is. Of course, if they are welcoming all these new customers they don't care 2 hoots for the longer-standing customers. I think they most have a "most profitable" period in a customer's life with QVC. I know my spending grew and has now peaked and is in decline... not only am I aware that the quality isn't always there, but even more painfully aware that the value is very often lacking. I've sent the search party out for the convenience - it's never really been there in my own experience. I'm not done with QVC as there are still some brands and products that are competitively priced, but I'm definitely over the peak of my enthusiasm. So much of what attracted me to shop more is disappearing at an ever-increasing speed.

 

[alter ego]

Ooh! I remember the pre-Phillip Green days. Hard to believe in those days, most of those brands had quite nice, well-finished clothes. I also knew what size I was in each of the brands.

Then we had the M&S clothing survey where they promised to sort out sizing issues. As far as I was concerned, that's when M&S sizes started going wrong. These days, I can happily go in and pick up several pairs of trousers, all in the same size and expect only one pair to fit, whilst almost guaranteeing that that particular pair will be two inches shorter or longer than the length it's supposed to be.

And don't get me started on bra sizes - in every brand! Even if we knew JR's bra size, we'd still be none the wiser as it would be different to all the other brands out there.

I understand that there'd be a problem with all brands getting together and standardising sizing. After all, we're all different and there's a brand size out there for just about every body wearing around a size 8-16. One gal's 14 is another gal's 16 and all that. I was grateful in the "old" days when Levi's used to odd sizes like 13.

However, I can't forgive shoddy finishing and the awful cuts they use for larger people, though. I'll echo what everyone else has said about us getting larger. I'm the larger side of big these days and don't look great in most things, but the shapeless sacks most places sell in anything other than a 16 is really bl**dy annoying!

Because some of us are over a size 16, it doesn't mean we're a second-class citizens! I think some manufacturers are waiting for the miracle of the sugar tax to kick in and miraculously shrink us all so they'll save a bundle in material :mysmilie_13:

 

[boffy]

i dont think we will get the sugar tax i wish we did

 

[maymorganlondon]

Here's a thought for Julia "I'm in a Small" Roberts - if a small equates to a UK size 10... she's been getting bigger and like the rest of us not noticed - lulled into a false sense of security by continuing to be able to get into "her" size. I dare say she'd get an almighty shock if she tried to get into an older size 10 from 15-20 years ago.. .as would we all, whatever our size!

 

[Brissles]

I mourn the loss of Richard shops - I bought my first work suit from there in 1965, little grey jacket with a pleated mini skirt. Considered a 'posh' shop back then, so it was either there or the teen dream of Lewis Separates (later to become Chelsea Girl) ! Those were the days.

 

[maymorganlondon]

I think as you get older the choice gets narrower.

I do think, though, that a lot of the range of choice for younger women has also narrowed drastically. There are far too many where the quality they were renowned for has all but disappeared.

Back in the 1970's and 1980's I would be frequently shopping in Dorothy Perkins. My mum and gran (who were John Lewis and M&S devotees) were happy with the quality, whereas they wouldn't let me shop in some of the other fashion-oriented stores. There was Tammy Girl, Etam (same group, I think), Miss Selfridge, Chelsea Girl, Top Shop, Dorthy Perkins... I used to love C&A. I also used to go into Richards (remember the advertising jingle for them to this day) and Principles (now resurrected and in Debenhams, designer in charge is Ben De Lisi).

I do still sometimes browse in River Island, but haven't bought in there for over 10 years. I have shopped more recently in H&M.

Nowadays it's mainly Sainsburys, Tescos, Asdas, M&S, Debenhams and Wallis for me. I also like Matalan, when I can get there. Occasionally HoF, JLP and Fenwicks. The occasional Primark item. If I think about what I pull out of my wardrobe to wear - trousers from Sainsburys, tops from M&S is the most common thing in my wardrobe.

I've never really been a Next fan. I have 2 jackets from years ago, but I have always found the quality lacking - most of what I bought from their catalog went straight back.

But the bottom line is that it becomes very frustrating that most clothes are cut for a younger woman's (normally pre-pregnancy) figure. Even those of us who don't have children find our shape changes (middle age spread is not just a figure of speech). Where are the affordable clothes which are cut to suit our figures? Where are the adaptations which allow us to hide or emphasise what are better points in our figures as we get older.

The other thing every shop seems to forget is that just as our figures change, so does our skin tone. Regardless of hair or skin colour, the warmth of our skin tone does tend to change as we get older. Where are the colours which reflect back the warmth we've lost? No - the solution would seem to be to plaster ourselves in makeup to compensate.... We don't want pastels, necessarily, but some of the patterns and colours are very harsh and cheap-looking. When you see models looking dire, the jig is really up on the "would suit anybody" claims.

Much as we criticise a lot of QVC fashion, it's often no different from the offerings on the high street - horrible clashing colours, dire patterns, and too short/too tight/too long/too low in all the wrong places. Where the high street scores is that you can go in, try on as many items as you like, and leave without giving them any of your money.

And forget that specious argument QVC say about travel, fuel and parking costs. We can go to the high street, park and shop and leave with groceries, housewares, clothes, shoes and a myriad of other items for one single cost!!! If QVC were to give a single shopping basket cost for a shop, then it would have some credibility as an equivalent expense... for now - no way!

 

[Brissles]

You hit the nail on the head in all areas there MML.

Ladies, I salute you all - every one of your comments on this thread would not be out of place in the fashion columns of newspapers and magazines. So instead of these 'trained' journalists/columnists pontificating their thoughts on High Street and couture fashion, the Editors are missing a trick in not getting Joeline public to have their input !!!!

 

[historymystery]

Eleanor, the last time I watched her (for longer than 2 minutes!) she looked like a sausage trying to get out of its' skin in what she was dressed in - an awful look. Personally, I'd rather see someone in something a size too big than the skin-tight 2nd-skin effect Q seem to expect them to adopt. I could try to squeeze into a 10 or 12, but (apart from the fact that I'd split it anyway long before I got it on), I wouldn't be able to breathe. To me, it makes the piece they are flogging look like a piece of tat. How the manufacturer can be pleased with some of these presentations, I do not know.

I agree about these sizings being misquoted or difficult to interpret. Has Julia Roberts ever confirmed her bra size so we can get an understanding of the fit, as she often wears Ronni Nicole and appears a similar size. She does seem to try and fit into too small a size.

 

[Caroleanne]

what I don`t get is that RN is an American brand whose natives are known world over for being not just over weight but obese!! So why do they insist on trying to sell us dresses that are far too short for their target market with unrealistic sizing that in reality would only cover three sizes if you have a 2 inch size difference!! We aren`t all 5ft and slim!!

 

[Anna]

I remember all those shops you spoke of MML. Happy days - when I was thinner and younger! I used to shop in M & S a lot but haven't bought anything from there in ages. I try items on and they just look terrible on me, either too short or small/big, or in particular the chesticle area where the bodice of the dress comes up far too high for my figure! I am a size 14/16 on top - oh and don't get me started on trying to buy bras! I can get quite depressed by it all.

 

[Brissles]

I loathe buying underwear - from anywhere ! to me its like putting petrol in the car, necessary but waste of a few minutes. The bra's never fit properly, I'm 42DD but most sizes end at a 38HH ! Manufacturers have clocked on that womens busts are getting bigger, whether enhanced or not, but don't take into consideration BROAD BACKS !!! when I do find one that fits I buy half a dozen at a time (if they have the stock). Biggest bugbear is the underarm fabric, the elastic invariably is so slack to be any good, - only a few brands do really good support in this area.

 

[boffy]

I loathe buying underwear - from anywhere ! to me its like putting petrol in the car, necessary but waste of a few minutes. The bra's never fit properly, I'm 42DD but most sizes end at a 38HH ! Manufacturers have clocked on that womens busts are getting bigger, whether enhanced or not, but don't take into consideration BROAD BACKS !!! when I do find one that fits I buy half a dozen at a time (if they have the stock). Biggest bugbear is the underarm fabric, the elastic invariably is so slack to be any good, - only a few brands do really good support in this area.

i bought a bra on amazon and its from germany they may have your size takes a while to come 7-10 days