fashion in US and the UK

[USArmyWifey 2]

PS I am yet to find a shop in America that knows what to do with tall women! For my big feet I'm living in sneakers but Torrid do some bigger sizes!

Apparently by american women standards i have big feet lol! My hubby loves to remind me of that.. I dont know what size you are but i got some fantastic boots from Old Navy when i went to visit for thanksgiving last year, they were very expensive but luckily i got them in the sale Apparently my feet are a weird size aswell (to americans..lol!) so i had trouble getting my shoes for my husbands ball but i went to a great store in the mall in Lake Charles and they were fantastic with helping me, i cant remember the name though, ill see if my hubby can

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Honestly I find it harder finding clothes over here in the US as a very petite (4'11") woman. And by "clothes" I mean "clothing that doesn't make me look like a 50-something hausfrau," which is a LOT of what you get in the petite section over here. Hey, short ladies, you would look AWESOME if you were wearing something with a big pussybow made out of polyester!

The petite sizing over here sucks. For some reason, designers think a woman who is around 5ft tall somehow has a 30" inseam. Or J. Crew, who scales down their regular size clothing so much that I go from a size 8 in their normal-people stuff to a size 16P (!!!) in their petite coats, but a size 10P in their skirts. And so much of petite stuff is internet -only (Gap, Old Navy, J Crew) so I can't try it on first. Ann Taylor is consistent but can be spendy. I may be pushing 40 but I will never be old enough for Talbots.

I miss just popping into Marks or Next or Top Shop or Monsoon or Dorothy Perkins (RIP) and there was a panoply of petite and cute clothes to try on. And every t-shirt wasn't so unbeLIEVably long (as they tend to be in the US) that it went down to my ankles.

Edit: apparently you cannot type p.ussy-bow!

Edited February 16, 2012 by Honey Crumpet

[Adriene H 89]

PS I am yet to find a shop in America that knows what to do with tall women! For my big feet I'm living in sneakers but Torrid do some bigger sizes!

I used to love Target and Avenue when I was in the US

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Honey Crumpet - I'm quite surprised, seeing as you're in California! I live in San Jose and it seems so many of the local clothing stores cater to the petite crowd. There are a huge number of quite short and slender Asian ladies here - I feel like an absolute giant at times (I'm 5'7). I've seen a cute dress in a window and gone on to try it on (in the largest size, naturally) only to have the hem barely cover my backside, and the bust to be up around my armpits!

I actually quite like Target for cheap shopping; it also appeals to my vanity, as I'm a size smaller in everything there. But the majority of my clothes still come from UK stores - most of my shopping is done at ASOS and H&M. All of my shoes come from the UK, too!

Also, I've ordered things from US sites before (i.e. ModCloth), only to find the dresses come from a UK designer! So even when I'm not trying, I end up gravitating towards UK fashions.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Honey Crumpet - I'm quite surprised, seeing as you're in California! I live in San Jose and it seems so many of the local clothing stores cater to the petite crowd. There are a huge number of quite short and slender Asian ladies here - I feel like an absolute giant at times (I'm 5'7). I've seen a cute dress in a window and gone on to try it on (in the largest size, naturally) only to have the hem barely cover my backside, and the bust to be up around my armpits!

The problem is that I am short but not Asian-slender. I'm nowhere near being full-figured but I do have biggish boobs and a not-so-Asian rear end. Petite women come in more than just very slim and in the UK the sizing was far more along the lines of what a short British woman is shaped like, which more often than not includes having largeish ta-tas. I have to wear a 16P in coats in J Crew because of the bazongas and trust me, they are NOT so big that I'd put someone's eye out with them. It's so puzzling why designers don't realise that short girls have boobs too!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

The problem is that I am short but not Asian-slender. I'm nowhere near being full-figured but I do have biggish boobs and a not-so-Asian rear end. Petite women come in more than just very slim and in the UK the sizing was far more along the lines of what a short British woman is shaped like, which more often than not includes having largeish ta-tas. I have to wear a 16P in coats in J Crew because of the bazongas and trust me, they are NOT so big that I'd put someone's eye out with them. It's so puzzling why designers don't realise that short girls have boobs too!

Not just short girls have the big ####### issue either. Apparently only "big girls" have big boobs. I'm a 36 rib cage (I'm talking bras here) but if I don't want something that makes me look like I'm TRYING to get a job at Hooters (which my hubby doesn't like of course ) I need to get more like a size 44 which just look like I'm wearing a fricken TENT! Don't get me started on jumpers/sweaters either 'cause I have the same issue. I look enormous if I want something that zips up or buttons up without stretching so it's bulky at the bottom so you have to get a belt or something but again with big boobs you look weird and again like you're trying to draw attention to your boobs

I'm 5'7" and I have size 9.5/10 feet (I was supposed to be 5'9 according to my feet size as a baby... however that works.. it's in my baby book:P). I know my height is average so I usually do okay height wise. Feet wise my size seems common as well 'cause it's usually the size missing (or maybe they just order less or something??).

I get my jeans from Kohls and only Sonoma fits me how I want. Apparently it's a "cheap" brand but as someone with child bearing hips, not flat but not huge belly and a small waist it's the only jeans I've found that fit me well without being insanely expensive. Either they think bigger sizes = big bellies so I end up with that "faux #######" look, or they sit too low or the legs are too small.

Fun fun huh! I must admit the thing I like most about the US is people tend to be less small (I don't feel like a giant here size wize, I feel a bit small and closer to average actually). There is a large Asian (chinese specifically) population in Australia so clothing tends to be on the smallish size. I really liked having "average size" clothes in the regular shops rather than having to go to the "big girls" store. Blegh.

Edited February 16, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Fair enough! I certainly know how tricky it is to find clothes - even for taller ladies - that accommodate curves. That dress would have actually fit a short, curvy lady (it was just a matter of the length being too short on me), but certainly not all the clothes are like that.

I loooove this article on women's clothing: http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-7-most-baffling-things-about-womens-clothes/

[Alex & Rachel 78]

The whole 'huge waist' has to stop!

I'm not THAT hourglass-y, and I wouldn't say my waist is tiny, but... I have tried on dresses where the waist is actually bigger than the bust. And last year I ordered a dress from ASOS - looked beautiful on the screen - and it was tight across the shoulders, about 5 inches too small in the v-neck bust, far too tight in the hips and yet... I managed to do the waist up. I should've taken a photo of it just to show how ridiculous it looked!

It says something that I'm pregnant, with a reasonably large bump, and can still squeeze into some non-maternity clothes...

The best fit I have had comes from two vintage 40s dresses my vintage-mad friend found for me. She's actually a petite and curvy lady herself, and pretty much her entire wardrobe is vintage; from the 30s to the 70s.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Do NOT get me started on the huge waist phenomenon. I have a pair of jeans that I adore -- right length, makes my bum look pert and high, good colour -- BUT the waist is for some woman with a gigantic mid-section (or large hips?). When I sit down, down they ride. Ugh. I used to love the DKNY jeans but they changed the fit. Meh.

Rachel -- I do better with dresses in general. And I lovelovelove ModCloth too! My top dress from there is this one: http://www.modcloth.com/shop/dresses/stealth-forces-dress It looks amazing and IT HAS POCKETS!

Vanessa -- I know what you mean about having to buy something way too big to accommodate my chest. I would be a size small in shirts if it weren't for the girls. Oh well! And believe it or not my estimated height at birth was also 5'9" -- they were only off by 10 inches.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

You know you can buy clothes from the US portal of Next and the Top Shop right? I've bought a few things from the US side of Next. Being a rather slim and tall individual, UK sizes fit better.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I think what makes UK clothes shopping a bit different from US is more styles across more prices ranges. It is easier to find trendy clothing in all sizes and all prices.

I've never tried shopping for jeans over there so I've no experience with that. I'd almost rather put my eye out than shop for jeans in the US. It's not just the waist/butt proportion issue. It's the cut in the thigh and calf. Apparently you need legs like a pencil (something I don't have). Vanessa mentioned Sonoma from Kohls so I might give them a try. For my bubble butt, I've had a lot of luck with A.N.A. from JC Penney.

The UK is sweater heaven and I always come home with loads. Accessories are way cute and cheap. And coats...OMG....I haven't got a big enough suitcase........

[lovelyalex 99]

Apparently by american women standards i have big feet lol! My hubby loves to remind me of that.. I dont know what size you are but i got some fantastic boots from Old Navy when i went to visit for thanksgiving last year, they were very expensive but luckily i got them in the sale Apparently my feet are a weird size aswell (to americans..lol!) so i had trouble getting my shoes for my husbands ball but i went to a great store in the mall in Lake Charles and they were fantastic with helping me, i cant remember the name though, ill see if my hubby can

I'm too big footed for Old Navy! You're looking at a ladies US 12 on a good day. I'm actually a bit bigger than a UK 10, but that is like 12 and a half US womens and apparently that doesn't exist in America. Lame.

[ceresa 3]

I am loving reading all your replies and its making me feel somewhat normal again, knowing its not just me with the whole jeans, big boobs and clothes not fitting issue ! When we went back to England for Christmas just gone, all I talked for months leading up to it was how I was gonna buy jeans jeans jeans.. it drove my husband nuts ! I agree that here, if they think you have a bottom then for some reason you have no waist and have a big belly too.. (haha @ Vannessa&Tony re the "faux ####### look"... I full understand that one !)

@ HoneyCrumpet "in the UK the sizing was far more along the lines of what a short British woman is shaped like, which more often than not includes having largeish ta-tas." - My husband, bless him, the first time he came to England to visit me, he told me he was embarrased but couldnt help but notice that most women have big boobs there.

@ RebeccaJo - I bought my first pair of ANA jeans from JC Penny today and they actually fit, which I am reallly pleased about. But I still don't like them as much as my Dorothy Perkins pair I brought home.. I should have brought more. And you are right.. it easier to find more trendy clothes in UK at all prices. It seems here if you want trendy you gotta pay a bit higher. Today I went shopping (first time in probably a year !) and I bought jeans, a top, a cardi and a new bag (Im tired of the diaper bag Ive had for 15 months and want to go back to a nice handbag) and it all came to $175. Doesn't that seem a little pricey? For this stay at home mom it is anyway.

Anyway, all the suggestions of the shops youve all mentioned Im gonna write em down and check them all out !

Now Im off to look at the Next website to look at the shoes

[Marilyn. 340]

back in Canada I fit the majority of size 10 shoes.. here I rarely fit into a size 10 and 11's are too big and I find it hard to find a 10 1/2.. and I am not a person who likes to spend 50 bucks on a pair of shoes

[Alex & Rachel 78]

You know you can buy clothes from the US portal of Next and the Top Shop right? I've bought a few things from the US side of Next. Being a rather slim and tall individual, UK sizes fit better.

It'd be better if Top Shop prices weren't just doubled and then a $ sign parked on the front! Sites like ASOS have a much better exchange ratio.

There seems to be a real stigma here attached to having large boobs - if anyone claims to be above a D cup, they're either assumed to be boasting or obese (not entirely my own observation; I've had a few American women tell me this). I know at least three women who clearly have much larger busts than me who claim to only be a D-cup... I'm just afraid they're squeezing into far too small bras! I've given up even trying to find bras here; I just budget $200 for bras on my trips back to the UK and buy a year's supply at once.

As for men's clothes... I feel sorry for any slim men in the US! Pretty much all of Alex's clothes from Japanese and Korean stores.

ceresa - ASOS is pretty fabulous, they carry an enormous selection, have very frequent sales, and have a good return policy (necessary as they're an online store, so you can't try things on except by buying first). I have had the occasional problem in the past, but they've always resolved things pretty quickly.