The label lie – stop letting numbers define you

Clothes are meant to fit you.

Not the other way round.

Let’s talk about clothes – and more importantly, how we feel in them.

You open your wardrobe and there it is: a size 10 hanging next to a size 16, a Small squashed up beside an Extra Large. 

(It’s certainly what mine looks like)

And yet… they all fit you. 

Sort of. 

Kind of. 

Enough to wear out in public anyway.

Sound familiar?

Here’s the thing,

It’s not you. 

It’s the sizing system.

Sizes are inconsistent. 

Wildly so. 

One shop’s 14 is another shop’s 10, and even clothes in the same shop can vary depending on the cut, the fabric, or frankly, the mood of whoever was in charge of sizing that day.

Clothing sizes were never designed to celebrate or accommodate the beautiful variety of real human bodies. 

They were built for convenience. 

They are, at best, a rough guide – and at worst, a sneaky little way of messing with your confidence.

Our bodies change. 

That’s just life – age, hormones, seasons, lifestyle, all of it. 

And yet we often treat the number on the label as if it defines our worth or health or attractiveness.

Your body is not the problem. 

The label is.

Find what feels good

It’s much more helpful to have an average size you work from, and then go up or down depending on what suits your shape, mood, and the particular cut of clothing. 

There’s no gold star for squeezing into a smaller size – and no shame in choosing something bigger that fits like a dream.

When you let go of the number, you make space for something more important:

• Comfort – can you move? Breathe? Relax?
• Confidence – do you feel like you in it?
• Expression – does it match your energy or who you are right now?

The label doesn’t define you

Of course, if we really wanted to solve the problem, we could all just get our entire wardrobes tailored to fit perfectly and slap our favourite number on the label – ‘Oh this? Just a size fabulous, thanks.’ 

Or go rogue and call everything a size 42¾ because it sounds mysterious and European. 

Honestly, it’d make just as much sense as the current system.

One last thing… changing room lighting

Let’s not forget the unflattering doom of the changing room. 

Those overhead spotlights are designed for visibility, not self-love.

That harsh lighting beaming straight down is enough to make anyone second guess their reflection.

Want to feel better instantly? 

Try on the same outfit at home with soft lighting and a bit of movement. 

You’ll probably see a very different version of yourself – one that’s a lot closer to reality.

Wear the clothes. Don’t let them wear you.

At the end of the day, clothes should work for you. 

They should move with your body, reflect who you are, and make you feel comfortable and confident.

Forget the label. 

Choose what fits.

Wear what feels good.

Because you’re not meant to shrink to fit clothes – 

Clothes are meant to make space for you.

Sam ‘currently a size – feeling good’ Hobbs