Be honest with me, do I look extra-large to you?

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XL T-shirt, Size 12 jeans

*EDIT: BECAUSE OF TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES THE PICTURE WON’T SHOW UP, SORRY 😦

Because this t-shirt says I am. In this picture I am wearing size 12 jeans, and an XL T-shirt. I have two major issues with this:

  1. Women’s clothes sizes are not consistent! I can go into one shop and be a dress size 10, yet go into another shop and need an XL. How does that make sense?! I understand that some clothes will be slightly smaller or bigger due to fabrics and design but surely there cannot be that much difference! Yet my boyfriend can go into any shop around the UK and buy any Medium sized clothing and he’s fine. I found a website where you put in your measurements and it tells you what clothes size you are in a variety of shops. My sizes ranged from an 8-12. I then worked out what size I’d be in America and I’d be a size 6-10. So am I meant to try on each piece of clothing in 3 different sizes until I find the right one? This is why women spend so long buying clothes!!
  2. As a teenager I am so self-conscious of my body. A year ago I was wearing a size 16/18 and I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs. But then I started taking care of myself a bit more, I started running and stopped eating takeaways 4 nights a week and I lost 2 stone. I love my body now and I’m so proud of myself. I am now a healthy weight for my height and age, and I’m happy too 🙂 But it’s a massive blow when you walk into a shop as a healthy teenage girl, and then have to buy the biggest size they have. How can we encourage young girls to be happy and healthy when we say their healthy body is too big? I honestly felt so fat when I bought this, and I came home and sat down and cried. How pathetic is that? But it felt like I was back being size 18 when people used to stare and point and laugh. I worked so hard to eat better and move more so I could take care of myself and this knocked my confidence massively. No wonder so many teenagers have eating disorders, they have such an unrealistic view of what their body should look like and that’s not okay. I’m not calling for mass uproar but I am so angry that one of my favourite clothing companies (David And Goliath) would promote an unhealthy body image.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic, and if any of you reading this have had the same problem I’d love to hear that I’m not the only one! After this I’m also planning on writing a post about tips to get a healthy body, would anyone be interested in that or does anyone have any tips for me? Thank you! And even though I’ve just had a massive rant I love this T-shirt (and it glows in the dark!!)

International conversion rates- I’m typically UK size 12

57 thoughts on “Be honest with me, do I look extra-large to you?”

  2. Don’t label yourself based on a shirt label. Whilst living in Korea the xxl’s would be a tight squeeze for me! haha. It’s all relative. You’re totally fine… Being at a weight that you are happy with and that you are supposed to be at for your height and age is nothing but good! To often I find people get caught up in semantics as they relate to “how we are supposed to look” instead of giving the body the proper nutrition it needs. We live in an interesting world!

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    • Thank you for your comment 🙂 I know I shouldn’t worry about clothes size, but unfortunately I’m growing up in a generation that’s obsessed with it 😦 But you’re right, as long as I’m healthy I shouldn’t worry about it! Now all I’ve got to do is put that into practice 😛

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    • Opps forgot to finsih. I’m quite a big girl, I wear size 14/16 pants, and a size 18 shirt because nothing will fit my big shoulders. Australian sizes are bigger than others which I hate. I have to shop in the mens section to find a good fitting shop because no nice shops here sell curvy clothes. And it just make you feel worse about your body. But trust me man, your body is beautiful. I would kill to have your body.

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      • I’m sitting here grinning like an idiot. No one has ever said to me that they would want my body. Like, ever. And I didn’t write this post to fish for compliments, but you’ve made a young girl very happy! I understand, it’s so frustrating that shops don’t sell clothes for curvy women. Thank you again, your comment has actually made my day 🙂

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  5. Frankly your body shape in that picture should probably be the ideal and then everyone can happily fall on either side as “slenderer” or “curvier” (or whatever words remind us that all shapes are beautiful). I blame the fashion industry and the magazine industry that goes with it. The former cares not one whit about bodies, treating them like skinny mannequins for their overly expensive drapery. The other wants you to know that whoever you are, whatever you look like, you’re not good enough and need to buy magazines that will tell you how to look/feel better. Bollocks to both of them.

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    • I agree! I honestly think my body is a “happy medium” I’m always going to be on the curvier side, but I run 3-4 times a week and eat okay and I’m healthy. I blame the fashion and the media industry too, women have such unrealistic “role models” that we base our body on. When in reality everyone is different, some people struggle to put on weight whereas others put on weight easily- but both can be healthy! Thank you so much for your comment, it made me smile 🙂

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  6. I wouldn’t worry about the top. It looks baggy on you anyway. I am similar with certain clothes. I have one pair of shorts that are a size 8 which fit me and a pair that are size 14 which are tight. Xx

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  7. Pingback: SHAPELY | iamericaicare

  8. You are beautiful, in and out. A manufacturer cannot capture that. They can sell you stuff that will make you feel one way or another, but nothing that can hide the truth of who you are. So embrace your truth, ignore the tag, and shine. That is what you were made to do! ❤

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  10. Noo! You don’t look XL. You’re perfectly fine. You have nothing to be upset about, your body is something you should embrace. Screw the shirt manufacturer, you’re beautiful.

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  11. There is no way you are an extra large. Screwy 😛
    I want to congratulate you on taking care of yourself so well! I’m amazed at your dedication—I have a hard time keeping myself to such a healthy routine ❤

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  14. There is nothing wrong at all. I hate how people make the size of someone’s pants a representation of the person. The XL sizing is so much smaller in women then it is for men. It’s sad to see.

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  15. I am going to be truthful with you, I am the exact way as you i am now a size 16/18 but I am trying to do a lot more exercise and sit ups and so far it is doing okay. You look perfectly fine! Don’t go on the size a t shirt tells you because as you said it all depends on the fabric and where it is made! Don’t worry you are a healthy size and don’t be self conscience because you have an amazing body! I am very jealous !

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  16. No way! You look totally good and healthy. Stupid shirt sizes 🙂 but seriously I do agree they need to fix this up a little. Because if a healthy size is the largest a shop has got then that’s going to do a lot to people’s self esteem.

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  17. This is why I hate shopping. I could be wearing a size 11, but when I try on the jeans in the store I’m always a size bigger it seems. Then I get so frustrated. Sizes are discouraging. I really wish we would seriously change it to Special K’s commercial idea and be labeled by confidence boosting words. It would make my shopping enjoyable.

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  19. Now 31 with 2 children I can honestly say I’m the happiest I’ve ever been with my figure. I’m still ‘curvy’, around a 12/14 depending on where I shop, but I’ve stopped caring! I run, I do pilates, (amazing btw!), and I also eat cake. A lot. Life is too short. No matter how small your dress size, there will always be a shop that considers you big. Well done for improving your fitness, that is all that matters, don’t waste years worrying about how you measure up in shops etc, I did & I regret all that time I spent feeling crap about myself for not being a size 10. Find clothes that suit your shape & make you feel good & screw the size in the label! Love the tee btw! 🙂

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  21. The fact that you wanted to lose weight and you DID is what matters. You should definitely feel good about that! And I’m so happy that you feel good in your own skin now. Your weight doesn’t define who are, your heart does and it’s a good one. So don’t fret. 🙂

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  22. it really doesnt matter. Everyone is beautiful in their own ways. It isnt just the exterior that matter, the interior too.Just have confident with your body. Everything will fall into place. Not to worry too much:) xx

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  23. I had the same problem trying to buy a prom dress. After being measured, some parts of me were size 8 and others were 12 (UK sizes). There’s been times when, in the same store, size 12 has fit smaller than a size 10 -which makes no sense

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