In a surprising turn of events, a student shared her experience of shopping at H&M, where she encountered an astonishingly skewed size interpretation. Emma Thompson walked into an H&M store, excited to discover a pair of kick-flare jeans on sale for just £10. However, her enthusiasm quickly faded as she struggled to put them on.
“I was in your Leeds store and spotted these jeans in size 16,” she recounted in a post directed at H&M on Facebook. “Normally, I wear a size 14 on my hips, and occasionally a 16 for trousers, so I thought, why not give it a shot?” Unfortunately, her attempt to fit into the size 16 jeans was a disaster.
Emma went on to explain that the size 16 jeans—H&M’s largest size before entering the plus-size range—wouldn’t even slide over her hips. To make matters more disheartening, she shared that she was wearing a medium-sized shirt at the time. “Size 16 is your largest option, not counting the very limited plus-size section,” she stated, “and I’m not overweight. At 5’11”, I have an average body shape. I already struggle to find clothes that fit due to my height—why are your jeans so unrealistically small?”
This raises a valid point: Why do retailers like H&M create sizes that seem so unreasonably small? “Am I too large for your regular range? Should I simply accept that fashionable, accessible clothing isn’t meant for people like me?” she questioned.
H&M responded with a seemingly generic reply: “Hi Emma, thank you for your feedback. We apologize for your recent experience.” Their response felt a bit hollow, considering it was an issue of sizing. “We aim for our customers to enjoy their shopping experience and feel confident,” they added, which clearly didn’t resonate with Emma’s experience. “At H&M, we produce clothing for all our stores globally, so sizing can vary based on style, cut, and fabric.” They provided her with a link to their size chart, which many found unhelpful.
Emma noted the overwhelming number of comments on her post from others sharing similar frustrations about H&M’s sizing. She dismissed H&M’s explanation as a “cop-out,” asserting, “If H&M thinks I’m too large or take up too much space, they’re the ones who need to rethink their sizing.”
This article was originally published on June 15, 2016.
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In summary, Emma’s experience at H&M highlights a significant issue within the fashion industry regarding sizing standards and inclusivity. Her candid feedback has sparked a conversation about the need for brands to reevaluate how they approach clothing sizes, ensuring that all body types are represented and catered to.