How Clothes Sizing Has Changed Over the Years (And Why It’s So Confusing Today)
Introduction: What Was a Size 12 in the 1960s?
If you walked into a shop in the 1960s and bought a UK size 12, the chances are that the same labelled size would be far too small today — despite you not gaining an inch. That’s because the numbers on clothing labels have changed dramatically over the decades, driven by shifts in fashion, body norms, marketing strategies, and industry standards (or lack thereof).
In this article, we’ll explore how clothing sizes have evolved over time — and why modern size charts have become so inconsistent. We’ll also explain how Tellar.co.uk, the UK’s leading free sizing tool, uses your actual body measurements to bypass this chaos and give you a real, brand-specific fit recommendation in seconds.
Decade-by-Decade: How Women’s Clothing Sizes Have Shifted
🕰️ 1950s–60s: Made-to-Measure and Department Store Uniformity
In post-war Britain and the US, most women still had clothing tailored or home-sewn. Ready-to-wear sizes existed but were loosely standardised. Department stores offered numbered sizes based on bust, waist, and hip measurements — e.g. a UK size 12 might have meant 34-26-36 inches.
But this early system wasn’t universally enforced, and brands interpreted numbers differently. Importantly, sizes were smaller than modern equivalents.
A 1960s UK size 12 is closer to today’s size 6–8 in many brands.
🕰️ 1970s–80s: The Rise of Vanity Sizing
As high-street fashion expanded, brands began appealing to customers’ self-image. The solution? Vanity sizing — labelling larger garments with smaller numbers.
This practice flourished in the US and UK, where a woman with a 28-inch waist might have worn a size 14 in 1970, but by the 1980s, the same garment was labelled a size 12.
This size inflation helped customers feel slimmer, but over time it created deep inconsistencies.
🕰️ 1990s–2000s: The Globalisation Effect
With fast fashion booming and global production moving overseas, international sizing systems collided. Brands like Zara (Spain), H&M (Sweden), and Mango (Spain) entered the UK market, bringing European sizing conversions and their own brand-specific cuts.
Shoppers were now dealing with:
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UK sizes
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EU sizes
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US sizes
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Brand-specific ‘fit’ strategies
And no two charts matched.
🕰️ 2010s–Now: No Standards, Just Confusion
Despite greater demand for inclusivity and transparency, there is still no legally enforced sizing standard in the UK. Brands publish their own sizing guides — if at all — and the range between a size 10 in one brand and another can span multiple inches.
Some high-street brands cater to petite frames and slim cuts (e.g. COS, & Other Stories), while others run larger or more relaxed (e.g. M&S, White Stuff). Meanwhile, influencer-led brands often use fit models that don’t reflect national averages.
How Modern Brands Create Their Own Sizing Logic
Unlike shoes, where a UK 7 means something relatively fixed, clothes have no agreed baseline. A UK size 12 can vary by up to 4 inches in hip circumference between brands.
Why?
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Fit models differ: Brands base their sizing on real people during development — and those people differ in shape.
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Marketing strategy: Some brands deliberately cut larger to flatter the customer, while others maintain a “slim fit” identity.
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Material stretch: Knits, jersey, and elastane-rich fabrics alter the size range perception.
Result: The Same Body = 5 Different Sizes
A woman with a 36-29-39 inch figure might wear:
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Zara: Size L
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H&M: Size 12
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Mango: Size M
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Reiss: Size 14
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White Stuff: Size 10
And that’s just for tops — bottoms are often even more unpredictable.
Why This Matters in the Age of Online Shopping
Returns due to incorrect sizing cost UK retailers millions every year. Over 60% of online fashion returns are due to poor fit.
As more shoppers go online — and as fast fashion brands reduce the availability of in-store fitting — the lack of consistent sizing becomes a serious consumer problem.
How Tellar.co.uk Solves This Problem — Free & Instantly
Tellar.co.uk was created to eliminate sizing guesswork by giving users brand-specific recommendations based on their actual body measurements.
Unlike other tools that rely on averages or crowd-sourced reviews, Tellar uses a fully standardised database of 1,500+ brands, each mapped by clothing category (tops, bottoms, dresses, etc.).
✔️ How It Works
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Measure your chest, waist, and hips (in inches or cm)
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Get real-time size matches for any supported brand
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See multiple size systems (UK, EU, US) all converted
No more guessing. No more vanity sizing traps.
You can even look up a brand right now to see if your favourite label runs small or large.
Visual Example: How One Measurement = Many Sizes
Let’s say your measurements are:
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Chest: 92cm
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Waist: 74cm
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Hips: 99cm
Here’s how those map across brands:
| Brand | Recommended Size |
|---|---|
| Zara | L |
| Massimo Dutti | M |
| Mango | M/L |
| Uniqlo | L (Japan sizing) |
| COS | 14 |
| White Stuff | 12 |
Tellar automates this logic in seconds. You just enter your numbers once.
Explore Tellar.co.uk’s Free Sizing Features
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Create a Profile – Save your data for instant size results
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Login to Update Measurements – Adjust any time
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Store Size Lookup Tool – Get answers without creating an account
Follow Us for Brand Fit Tips
Want weekly fit comparisons, new brand additions and real-world sizing case studies?
Connect with us on:
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Instagram: @Tellarsizing
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Twitter (X): @Tellar100
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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/TellarUK
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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TellarSizing
Final Word: Labels Have Changed — Your Body Hasn’t
Sizing labels have been shrinking for decades, but your body hasn’t changed. What’s changed is the data behind the tag.
By using accurate, brand-specific measurements, Tellar.co.uk cuts through 60 years of sizing chaos — helping you buy better, smarter, and with zero returns.
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