As most of us already know, clothes and shoe sizes aren’t necessarily the same wherever you go. Depending on the designer and manufacturer, they can vary from one store to the next - and the more ‘unusual’ our requirements, the more we are made to feel ‘odd’. 

Mail order companies have long served ladies with a fuller figure or shorter stature, but today it is possible to find fashion via the internet for all of us, whether we are tall, short, petite or simply big ladies. To some extent, this has rubbed off on high street stores in that it is now possible to find a wider range of sizes on their websites than in actual branches of their stores.

Undergoing a mastectomy poses fashion problems of a different sort and until now choice of bras was limited. That situation, too, is changing.

LINGERIE & HOSIERY

Curvy Kate for bra cup sizes DD-J and back sizes 28-40 www.curvykate.com Tel: 020 8861 3111

Little Women for cup sizes AAA-A and back sizes 30-40 - grown-up styles, not teen bras! www.littlewomen.com Tel: 01455 208855

Tights Please for hip sizes 31- 60ins and heights 4ft 9in - 6ft 1in; also knee-highs for ladies dress size 20+/shoe 3-8 www.tightsplease.co.uk Tel: 0845 365 1221

Di Murini for stylish post-surgery bras and lingerie in gorgeous fabrics www.dimurini.com Tel: 0845 840 0025

SHOES AND BOOTS

Duo Boots for sizes 2-10 in 21 different calf sizes www.duoboots.com Tel: 0845 070 5588

Joules for wellies size 3-8 www.joulesclothing.com Tel: 0845 606 6871

Linzi Shoes for shoe sizes 3-8 www.linzishoes.com or visit Linzi stores in Essex

Piccolo small shoes for petite feet sizes 13.5/1-2.5 www.piccoloshoes.co.uk Tel: 0844 870 0246

Suzanne Constantine for shoes sizes 2.5-9 (some styles smaller/larger) Also for satin handbag and shoe dyeing service www.suzanneconstantineshoes.co.uk Tel: 07751 692592

TALL

Tall Girls Main Collection sizes 8-22, jeans and trousers in 34in, 36in and 38in inside leg, shoes 9-11, hosiery for extra tall, socks size 9+, swimwear for the tall torso www.tallgirls.co.uk or visit their showroom near Alton, Hampshire Tel: 01420 561947

Long Tall Sally Main collection 10-20; shoes 7-11 ; jeans 26in-32in waist/inside leg 34in or 36in www.longtallsally.com Tel: 0844 573 6885

Lankybird Sizes 8-18 for women over 5ft 8in. Inside leg length 36in. Extra long sleeves and torso on shirts www.lankybird.com Tel: 01603 713890

PETITE

Précis Petite Sizes 6-18 for women 5ft 3in and under www.precis.co.uk Tel: 0191 521 3888

Petite Affair Sizes 6-16 for women 5ft 3in. Some trousers start size 4, trousers inside leg 27in and 29in; jeans 28in, 29in or 30in www.petiteaffair.co.uk Tel: 01275 474484

WOMENSWEAR

Anna Scholz ‘curvaceous couture’ for dress sizes 12-28 www.annascholz.com Tel: 020 8964 3040

Box2 Pretty draped linen, jersey and chiffon fashions for sizes 12-30 www.box2.co.uk Tel: 01444 882588

CC Petite for sizes 8-18 for women 5ft 2in and under www.ccfashion.co.uk Tel: 01845 573120

David Nieper Clothing and nightwear 10-22/24 and underwear 30AA-46H. A bespoke service for longer sleeves/ hems is offered at £15 extra www.davidnieper.co.uk Tel: 01773 836000

Dents for colourful and classic gloves in sizes 6-8.5 www.dents.co.uk Tel: 01985 212291

French Dressing Jeans for US sizes 4-18 - equivalent to UK sizes 6-20 Tel: 020 7323 6598

Gina Bacconi sizes 10-26 www.shubette.com Tel: 020 8438 2000

Kettlewell Colours for tops sizes 8/10-20/22 www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk Tel: 01460 282917

Windsmoor sizes 10-24 www.windsmoor.co.uk Tel : 0191 521 3888

AND NOW FOR THE HIGH STREET

High Street chains that also sell online will often have a broader range of sizes on their website. Remember to buy as early as possible each season - January and September - for maximum choice.

Marks & Spencer Main collection 6-24 (Petite 6-20, Tall 5ft 8in+ 8-22, Plus 22-30); hosiery 4ft 11in/6ft; shoes 3-8; lingerie 28AA-42G/44F/46E/40J plus a range of postsurgery styles www.marksandspencer.com Tel: 0845 302 1234

House of Fraser Main collection 8-18; shoes 2-9; lingerie 30AA-48GG www.houseoffraser.co.uk Tel: 0845 602 1073 Debenhams Main collection 6-22 (Petite and Tall ranges available); shoes 3-9; lingerie 30AA-48FF; also range of pretty post surgery bras www.debenhams.com Tel: 0844 561 6161

Next Main collection 6-22 (Petite 4ft 11in/5ft 3in 6-16, Tall 5ft 10in+ 8-18, Plus 24-28); shoes 3-9; lingerie 32A-38G www.next.co.uk Tel: 0844 844 8000

BHS Main collection 10-22 (Petite 5ft 3in and under 8-20); shoes 3-8; lingerie A-FF cup www.bhs.co.uk Tel: 0845 196 0000

Dorothy Perkins Main collection 6-22 (Petite 5ft 3in and under, Tall 5ft 7in+); shoes 3-8 www.dorothyperkins.co.uk Tel: 0844 984 0261

John Lewis Main collection 8-18; shoes 3-8; lingerie 28A-44H (nursing bras up to 40L) www.johnlewis.com Tel: 08456 049049