Woman shames H&M for its 'unrealistically small' sizes

The woman vented her frustration on the H&M Facebook page. Photo / Getty Images

We've all been there. A size 10 in one label, a size 14 in another - like shopping for jeans isn't stressful enough. But one woman, so fed up with inconsistent sizing while attempting to purchase a pair of threads at an H&M store in Leeds, decided to call the retail giant out on their "unrealistically small" clothing items.

Ruth Clemens, a university student from the UK, vented her frustration on Facebook after not being able to squeeze into a pair of size 16 jeans, despite normally being a size 14.

"As I'm sure you're aware, size 16 is the largest size you stock (apart from in your plus size range, which is very limited in store and does not offer the range of styles for the fashion-conscious that are available in smaller sizes)," Ms Clemens, 25, wrote in the post which has now gone bonkers on social media.

Dear H&M, I was browsing your sale items in your Leeds store and spotted this pair of kick flare jeans. They were only...

Posted by Ruth Clemens on Monday, 13 June 2016

"I am not overweight (not that that should matter) and although I'm 5 foot 11 my body is pretty average shape-wise. It's already difficult enough for me to find clothes that fit well because of my height, why are you making jeans that are unrealistically small?," she challenged.

"Am I too fat for your everyday range? Should I just accept that accessible and affordable high street and on-trend fashion isn't for people like me?"

In the post - which is accompanied by a photo of Ms Clemens in the fitting room unable to zip up a pair of jeans in the store's largest size - the disgruntled shopper mentions that the singlet top she is wearing was also purchased at H&M.

"You might recognise the top I'm wearing - it's one of yours and it's a size Medium. Sort it out would you," she writes.

H&M was quick to respond to the complaint.

"Hi Ruth, thank you so much for your feedback," the company wrote. "We are sorry to hear about your experience in store recently. We always want our customers to have an enjoyable time when shopping in store and to leave feeling confident in themselves. At H&M we make clothing for all our stores around the world, so the sizing can vary depending on the style, cut and fabric. We value all feedback and will take on board the points you and other customers have raised."

Ms Clemens' gripe has already been shared more than 10,000 times, with over 8,000 comments from customers offering up similar experiences.

One Facebook user wrote: "It comes as no shock that many people including children/teens have low self esteem when it comes to their body. Will H&M sort this out?? I highly doubt it, and that is the upsetting thing!!! Fantastic that you have posted this."

Another posted: "This so rediculously (sic) true!! I am typically a size 12 and some of the size 16 clothing didn't even fit me. I am never shopping there again because I will not be made to feel bigger than what I am!"

A male customer commented: "Doesn't just happen to lasses, they don't do clothes to fit me in h&m, think max size in jeans is a 34, and I'm a xxl shirt and they never have them, (that's if they make them at all.)"

Last year, the Swedish clothing retailer came under fire for having mannequins in their UK stores with a waist size of just 23.5 inches - in a country where the average woman's waist measures 34 inches.