In a recent post, a student recounted her frustrating experience while shopping at H&M. Sarah Williams was excited to discover a pair of jeans on sale, but her enthusiasm quickly faded when she tried them on.
“I was shopping your sale section in your Leeds store and found these kick flare jeans. They were only £10—what a steal! They were labeled as size 16. I usually wear a size 14 on my hips (sometimes a 16 for trousers), so I figured I’d give them a go,” she shared on H&M’s Facebook page. “Unfortunately, it did not end well.”
The size 16 jeans, the largest available in H&M’s regular line, wouldn’t fit over her hips. To add to her frustration, Sarah pointed out that her shirt, a medium, fit perfectly. “As you’re likely aware, size 16 is your maximum size at regular stores (excluding your limited plus-size range),” she continued. “I don’t consider myself overweight (though that shouldn’t matter), and while I’m 5’11”, my body is quite average. It’s already a challenge for me to find clothes that fit well due to my height—why are you producing jeans that are unrealistically small?”
This raises a valid question: Why do retailers like H&M insist on using such tiny sizing? Clearly, these jeans don’t align with the true measurements of a size 16.
“Am I too large for your standard range? Should I just accept that trendy high street fashion isn’t meant for people like me?” she asked. H&M replied, “Hi Sarah, thank you for your feedback. We apologize for your recent in-store experience.” How thoughtful! It’s unfortunate that you couldn’t fit into our size 16 jeans. “We strive for our customers to enjoy their shopping experience and to leave feeling confident.” Too bad that wasn’t the case for you, considering our patterns seem to be designed by body-shaming elves. “At H&M, we create clothing for all our stores globally, so sizing may vary based on style, cut, and fabric. We appreciate all feedback and will take your points into consideration.” They then directed her to a size chart.
The post garnered thousands of comments, with many individuals sharing their own frustrations regarding H&M’s sizing. Sarah criticized H&M’s justification about fabric cuts, labeling it a “cop-out.” She told Buzzfeed News, “If H&M believes I’m too large, too tall, or that I occupy too much space to wear their clothes, then they are the ones who need to change.”
This article was initially published on June 15, 2016.
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In summary, Sarah Williams’ experience highlights the ongoing issue of unrealistic sizing in clothing stores, particularly at H&M, where shoppers often find that the sizes do not correspond to their actual body measurements. This situation prompts a broader conversation about body inclusivity in fashion.