What Size Are You?

I was invited to speak with a fabulous group of women last night and one of the topics we discussed was size.

I think one of the most loaded questions you ca ask a woman is "what size are you?" because the answer is: I’m not a size and neither are you! It took me years to understand this, but the truth is that I wear clothing that has size labels attached that vary, from a 10 through to a 16 (depending on the garment) and I take very little notice of that number when I’m purchasing clothes, because it’s about what fits and what looks and feels good rather than the insignificant number on the label.

Like a lot of women, I gained weight through my fast-paced, indulgent lifestyle that involved 4am kebabs, fine dining around the world and too much alcohol. I had 3 babies and gained more weight, then I lost a little, then plateaued, but regardless of what I was, or what I want to be or what I currently am, my body shape is unique and I need to dress for me, as I am, right now.

We women have such varied bodies that it’s impossible for mass market clothing manufacturers to make garments that fit all of us perfectly. There are no standards, across countries, let alone across the world and of course stores will have their own pattern blocks which are based on a set of arbitrary measurements. Not to mention that when we gain or lose weight, it doesn’t come off or on in an even manner, so you may be an 8 on top and a 12 on the bottom.

My point is this: If you're forced to try a different size from the size you "think" you should be, simply think of the label as a very vague guide to a kind of approximation of how large or small a garment is. That’s it.

I've had plenty of women tell me that they’d like to see me for a consultation, but feel that they're not worthy of spending the money on themselves at the moment because they're not the size they want to be and therefore, deny themselves the pleasure and valuable information they would gain - which is completely size irrelevant!

Know that you can be stylish no matter what that label says. If you don’t like the number on the label, cut it out! Don’t put your life, or finding and creating your personal style, on hold until you are a certain size!