Size 12 student criticises H&M after struggling to fit into size 16 dress

A student at Plymouth University has criticised H&M over its dress sizes.

Lowri Byrne says she's a size 12 but found it uncomfortable to wear one of the store's size 16 outfits.

The 22-year-old's Facebook post has now been shared hundreds of times.

"Please sort your sizes out because this is absolutely ridiculous. I'm a size 12 and small busted and today in a H&M store I had to ask if this dress came in a size 18 (it didn't...)," she wrote directly to H&M.

"The dress I have on in these photos is a size 16, and I could barely breathe.

"Not only was this annoying because I wanted to buy this dress, but so many women take what size dress they buy to heart. If I was one of these girls (thankfully I'm not) requesting a size 18 dress would seriously devastate me.

"When I asked if this dress came in a 18 the store assistant said, 'Ahh, yeah, you have to go up a couple of sizes with these.'

"A couple?!? Going up three to four sizes surely should make you realise that you need to seriously sort out sizing."

Lowri, who's from Swansea, has now finished her Police and Criminal Justice Studies course in Devon.

Her shopping trip took place at H&M's branch at Drake Circus in Plymouth last Thursday.

She's told Newsbeat that H&M could be putting younger shoppers off buying outfits from the store.

"I personally would not have been offended having to buy a size 18, if that's the size that would fit me then so be it," she says.

"However, if women with curvier figures want to buy something from the store they would simply not be able to due to their extremely small fit and it is that fact that made me post on their page.

"I honestly think it's unfair that they are essentially pushing some shoppers away."

Lowri says she'll carry on shopping at H&M but just wants the chain to rethink its sizing.

"My message to H&M is to consider the effects of this issue on women who are size 16 and above and do have issues with their body image," she says.

"I am a size 12 and had to ask for a size 18, so what would a woman who is a size 18 do in that situation?"

Other shoppers have also sent the Swedish firm complaints via their Facebook page.

Claire Coleman said her 14-year-old daughter's adult size 12 jean shorts were only big enough for a child half her age and Charlie Wale from Birmingham said some of the firm's slim fit size 12 trousers would only go up to her knees.

Ellis Bull is a size 10 but says she had to buy size 16 shorts.

In a statement, H&M said: "It is only ever our intention to design and make clothes that make our customers feel good about themselves, any other outcome is neither intended nor desired.

"H&M's sizes are global and the sizes offered in the UK are the same in all the 66 markets in which we operate in and online. As there is no global mandatory sizing standard, sizes will differ between brands and different markets.

"Our dedicated, in-house sizing department works according to an average of the sizes and measurements suggested by the markets we operate in. H&M sizes are continually reviewed by our in-house sizing department."

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