A Primark shopper has sparked a debate after noticing size 16 jeans were “several inches” longer than smaller size eights.
Kelli, a diet consultant from the UK, said it was something she had noticed in a number of clothing brands, but decided to film the video while in Primark.
Post to TikTok with your username @kellithedietladyKelli said: ‘I’m 5ft 2 and used to be 5 stone heavier. By Primark’s logic, when I weighed almost 16 stone, I should have also been around 5ft 8in!’
She was left baffled by the phenomenon and left many in the comments wondering why clothes are made this way.
Kelli explained: ‘Tell me this, I’m in the Primark changing room right now and I need you to tell me why clothing brands think the taller you are, the taller you are. Just look at this.’
Kelli on TikTok sparked a debate after noticing that size 16 jeans were ‘several inches’ longer than smaller size eights.
Kelli compared a pair of size 16 cargo jeans to a pair of size 8, showing that the former were several inches longer.
He then compared a pair of size 16 cargo jeans to a pair of size 8, showing that the former were several centimeters longer.
Kelli asked: ‘Why is size 16 about two or three inches longer in the leg?
“It shouldn’t be because you have a bigger butt, you take more material, because it’s a size 16, so it should be made for a bigger butt.
‘Why do they believe in larger sizes or larger size clothing, why do they believe that you are taller or that you also gain height as well as weight?
‘Does anyone have an answer to this?’
People soon flooded the comments with their theories and their own complaints about clothing sizes.
One explained: ‘Due to the ‘mathematical’ ‘grading’ process. Otherwise, you would have to make a separate pattern for each size.
‘When you ‘upgrade’ a pattern from the size 8 it was designed in, you add x cm to each measurement to get to the next size. This doesn’t actually work, but it’s cheaper to make.’
Another explained: ‘It all depends on the way they graduate between 8 and 18 years old. the increase will be greater by about an inch. and the leg will grow in length because when the fabric stretches it also reduces its length.’
Sharing their complaints, others wrote: “They also think you have longer arms”;
People soon took to TikTok to share their concerns and complaints about clothing sizes.
‘I definitely need a universal size… depending on the store, I’m between a 16 and 20. When you’re losing weight it’s very demoralizing.
‘This drives me crazy! I can’t adjust the waist without the legs being 2 feet too long and baggy’;
‘Why are there rarely small sizes in stores? My daughter struggles to find jeans that fit her leg length.’
It is generally accepted that pants lengthen as sizes increase to provide a longer fit that can cover the hips, but sizes are not standardized across stores.