The Average Woman Will Change Dress Sizes 31 Times in Her Lifetime

There are certain times in every woman’s life when you know your clothes are going to feel that little big snug. But did you realize that the average woman will change dress sizes a staggering 31 times during the course of her life?

According to new research, there are key times when women are more likely to see significant weight gain, including having children (baby weight), moving in with a partner (happy weight), and during the first few years of marriage (post-wedding crash weight?).

On the flipside, women will likely see some major size drops pre-wedding (gotta-fit-in-the-dress weight loss), after losing a loved one (grief weight loss), and following a relationship split (the classic breakup weight loss).

Regular weight fluctuations are likely to occur during the holiday season, during the winter, and post-vacation. (Umbrella drinks are so delicious and, sadly, so unhealthy.)

And men don’t escape the weight merry-go-round either. Research reveals that men go up or down a clothes size on 24 occasions as an adult. A third of the men credited stress at work as the reason for the change.

The research of 1,000 women and 1,000 men was commissioned by Fits Me, a fit tool that helps shoppers find their perfect size — something that many of us struggle with. According to the data, six in 10 women said they aren’t happy with their clothes size — compared to 45 percent of men who feel the same way. Of course, some of that fault lies with designers and manufacturers and the rise of vanity sizing. Recently, a 27-year-old realized that she owned a broad range of garment sizes — from 5 to 12 — but that they all fit her the same way!

According to Fits Me, three-quarters of women own garments that no longer fit them properly, with around 16 ill-fitting items found in the average woman’s wardrobe.

And 61 percent of males have clothing that is either too big or too small for them — on average keeping 14 items that don’t fit.

Half of respondents said they hang on to clothes that don’t fit because they want to get back into them one day, and a fifth have a sentimental connection to the items.

The typical woman is most happy with her clothes size at age 28, and men are most content at 29. In contrast, women are most dissatisfied with their proportions at 38, while males feel similarly at 39.

A quarter of men and almost half of women have avoided going clothes shopping because they were concerned they wouldn’t find garments that fit as they would like.

Four in 10 respondents have been shopping for clothes only to find that their size has gone up, while more than a quarter have seen their size go down. Maybe that’s why three-quarters of females and almost half (44 percent) of males said they worry about finding something that will fit well.

Around a quarter of men said they experience a drop in confidence when clothes shopping, and two in five women said the same.

Stuart Simms, CEO at Fits Me, said of the findings: “Getting clothes that fit can be very tricky at the best of times, and changes in size aren’t necessarily due to life events.”

“Ultimately, whether your clothes size changes or not, the important thing is feeling confident in yourself — and getting the fit right is a key part of this.”

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