A WOMAN who buys size 12 dresses has shamed fashion chain H&M for making her choose a size 20.
Marianne Gray?, from Glasgow, visited the H&M store in the city’s Braehead shopping centre last Sunday.
The 29-year-old bought a size 12 dress but was shocked to discover it barely got past her knees when she tried it on at home.
Marianne returned the dress and decided to try the bigger sizes of the dress. It was not until she reached size 20 that the dress fitted perfectly.
She was shocked because a typical size 12 woman has a 37 inch bust, 30 inch waist and 39 inch hips compared with 46, 39, 49 for a size 20.
Marianne posted a picture of herself wearing the dress inside the changing room with the size 20 label clearly visible.
She told H&M: “I am relatively secure in my body but I can only imagine the psychological impact being a size 20 could have on a young impressionable girl.
“I was quite upset myself. I am a 12 and you made me a 20. I have never seen such irresponsibility in this day and age.
“I am ashamed of you, horrified by you and will not be shopping in H&M again unless this is resolved.
“I know your excuse will be that your sizes vary – perhaps you should take measurements of individual items and label them differently.”
Her viral Facebook post, which has racked up 3,100 likes, nearly 600 comments, and a further 500 shares, added: “That dress is not a UK 20. Do not blame manufacturers for your issues, it is your company who label these items and it is your company who clearly has issues with everyday women wearing your clothes.
“It is disgusting behaviour on your part. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”
Facebook users were quick to respond to Marianne’s post.
Emma Cavine wrote: “These things can really affect people there should be far more standardised sizing in shops . This could have been a young teenager shopping with her friends and this could have done genuine long term damage to her self esteem.”
Alexandra Rose Scott commented: “I’ve had the exact same problem with that kind of dress, utterly shocking. They certainly know how to make girls feel insecure about their bodies.”
Whilst Sophie Layton Simpson added: “H&M is horrendous, I nearly broke down in tears trying to fit into clothes on my birthday.”
According to Marianne, the firm told her: “It may be a labelling issue and they will investigate.
“We also understand that our sizes do not always equate to standard UK sizing but this is because we base our sizing on European sizes which can sometimes cause variation in our garments.”
Speaking today about her experience, Marianne said: “The fact that a women previously racked up 65,000 comments on unrealistic sizes by H&M previously in which the company said it would take onboard the points she and other customers have made shows that H&M is a company that does not value or respect the feedback of its customers.”
H&M are a Swedish firm with more than 250 stores in the UK and nearly 4,000 worldwide.
Last summer they came under fire after a Facebook post showing a size 14 woman struggle to get into a size 16 pair of jeans went viral.
They have also been criticised for ultra-skinny mannequins in their shops. They measured at 23.5 inches but the average British female have a waist size of 33 inches.
