Midsize

[Anonymous]

Can someone help me understand what "midsize" means and if it's an actual thing?

I am in my early 40s and see a lot of fashion reels and a lot of the women in them call themselves "midsize." Like, "As a midsize woman, here's what I wear to brunch/on a run/on vacation!" The thing is, these women are typically size 12-16, which is totally fine but I don't understand how that is "midsize."

I first started seeing it and thought "Oh! I'm kind of midsize!" (meaning I wear about a 6, often a M) but then I realized that's not what it seems to mean and we do not wear the same size at all. I am confused. Is the "mid" referring to between regular and plus? Is it suggesting that this is the new M? Is this a thing? Or just a random narrow subset of reels I am seeing (that don't actually pertain to me, which is odd.)

[Anonymous]

The bar has changed a lot for what is considered overweight, so yes a lot of people consider 12-14 to be “medium”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bar has changed a lot for what is considered overweight, so yes a lot of people consider 12-14 to be “medium”.

I get it but it's literally an XL.

By no means am I trying to size-shame but why the language gymnastics and not "As an XL..."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bar has changed a lot for what is considered overweight, so yes a lot of people consider 12-14 to be “medium”.

I get it but it's literally an XL.

By no means am I trying to size-shame but why the language gymnastics and not "As an XL..."

NP - because the distribution of size in this country is very different than it used to be. There's a huge difference between being a size 14 and a 24. And if roughly two-thirds of American women wear a size 14 and above then, yes, a 14 would be considered "medium" at least in terms of distribution of sizes across the population.

The DC area tends to be fairly slim, so many people don't realize that's not the norm in America. It's not language gymnastics so much as reflecting reality.

[Anonymous]

I am size 10 - 12 and most of my clothes are size M. I am definitely overweight but I don’t shop in plus sized stores. I think midsize is meant to connotate women on the upper end of regular sizing.

[Anonymous]

Plus size is now 18/20+

The most common U.S. female clothing size is 14/16 I recently read so it’s not considered an “abnormality” per say and is the norm no longer plus size

[Anonymous]

To answer your question- yes, it refers to women who don’t really fit in regular sizes but also don’t really fit in plus sizes. Personally, I still consider these large sizes but I see why they have made the distinction. It must be frustrating to not really have stores that target you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To answer your question- yes, it refers to women who don’t really fit in regular sizes but also don’t really fit in plus sizes. Personally, I still consider these large sizes but I see why they have made the distinction. It must be frustrating to not really have stores that target you.

That's true in a variety of places on the size spectrum. I'm smaller than a 00 for tops and dresses (thankfully not for at least some bottoms), and there's definitely no stores targeting me either.

[Anonymous]

I'm a size 6/8 and that's M so I've been told I'm midsized. Literally medium

[Anonymous]

The average or middle of the sizes of women in America is a 14, so mid-size is sizes around 14.

[Anonymous]

I have zero idea.

[Anonymous]

Remember you are seeing this term on social media. I think these people are using “mid-sized” to distinguish themselves from the size 4-6 influencers who dominate the landscape.

Also, to the poster who said she is a M which of course means “medium,” but remember that sizing often goes xs, s, m, L, xL, xxL and sometimes 1X and 2X.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Remember you are seeing this term on social media. I think these people are using “mid-sized” to distinguish themselves from the size 4-6 influencers who dominate the landscape.

Also, to the poster who said she is a M which of course means “medium,” but remember that sizing often goes xs, s, m, L, xL, xxL and sometimes 1X and 2X.

Sizing often starts at XXS these days due to size inflation. At teen stores it's even XXXS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone help me understand what "midsize" means and if it's an actual thing?

I am in my early 40s and see a lot of fashion reels and a lot of the women in them call themselves "midsize." Like, "As a midsize woman, here's what I wear to brunch/on a run/on vacation!" The thing is, these women are typically size 12-16, which is totally fine but I don't understand how that is "midsize."

I first started seeing it and thought "Oh! I'm kind of midsize!" (meaning I wear about a 6, often a M) but then I realized that's not what it seems to mean and we do not wear the same size at all. I am confused. Is the "mid" referring to between regular and plus? Is it suggesting that this is the new M? Is this a thing? Or just a random narrow subset of reels I am seeing (that don't actually pertain to me, which is odd.)

It's the bold. Between regular sizing and plus sizing. So anywhere from sizes 12-18.

It's not about median sizes.

[Anonymous]

Of course the fat bashing started already. It's to help women find clothes that fit well in a very tricky size category. If you are a size 6 and Medium, it's not for you. Because you can walk into any store and find clothing.

Over size 14, it's incredibly hit or miss. Especially in person shopping. So many of these people help women who have similar bodies find clothes.

If you don't like it, scroll past it. It's NOT FOR YOU.