Vanity sizing

[writergal28]

Does this bother you? Why do you think people do it? Just to tell someone who is really a size 10 that she's a 6? What about really small people who are being SIZED OUT?! I have a skirt from J.Crew that is 10 years old. It's a size 2. The waist is SMALLER than most of the size 0Ps I buy now!

 

[just_me]

?

I don't really understand what this post is about.. maybe you should be more clear.

 

[writergal28]

?

I don't really understand what this post is about.. maybe you should be more clear.

Clothes being resized so that the numbers appear smaller. For example, something that was a labeled a size 6 in 1996 might very well be a size 4 (or even 2) today. The actual shape/proportion of the outfit doesn't change, only the numbers. You know how they say that Marilyn Monroe was a size 14? Well, she'd be a size 8 or even 6 today.

 

[Belle Princesse]

I can't stand it personally because I'm likely to be outsized!

 

[silk skin paws]

I don't see the point in vanity sizings. It makes shopping for clothes confusing. By the way is vanity sizing only meant for womens clothing?

 

[masquerade]

i dont know if its neccessarily vanity sizing, i just think the sizing is changing in america, does that make sense

 

[Hipkitten]

I know exactly what you're talking about, writergal28, and I hate it! Vanity sizing drives me crazy. It makes it virtually impossible to buy clothing off the internet (if you're unfamiliar with the brand) because you never know. In my experience, Banana Republic is one of the worst offenders. I wear a "small" (and sometimes "XS") in Banana tops - there is no way I'm a small (or XS!) - I'm a D cup I also wear a 2-4 in Banana trousers - it's ridiculous! (J.Crew is similar.) I'm curvy. I know I'm curvy. I love being curvy! The tag in my trousers, tops, etc should reflect that!

In a nutshell, vanity sizing makes the shopping experience frustrating and confusing

 

[_ladybug_]

I agree with all that's been said. Even going from one store to another at the mall can cause trouble, like from something like a club monaco or banana republic to an upper-scale store like bcbg, I've noticed a difference.

 

[djork]

how about the fact that i cant find a size 36 suit nearly anywhere? i agree with you 100%.

 

[Organic]

yes, i find it annoying. i know damn well i'm not a 0 or a 2, and where am i to go if i lose another few pounds.

 

[writergal28]

I don't see the point in vanity sizings. It makes shopping for clothes confusing. By the way is vanity sizing only meant for womens clothing?

I'm hearing that guys' clothes are beginning to be "vanity sized" too. I read somewhere that a guy who normally buys 34s in pants ended up buying a pair of 32s and he didn't even lose any weight.

I definitely agree with the person who said that Banana Republic and J.Crew are the worse offenders. I'm a size 2P according to Banana's charts, but am really between a 0P and 00P (!!!) And since J.Crew does not have 00P, I can't even wear some of their bottoms!

 

[tangerine]

I am guessing that soon there will be size 00 and 000 if there aren't already; I can't see the businesspeople involved leaving money on the table.

The problem doesn't seem to be nearly as bad in men's clothing, but there was already such discrepancy in sizing between brands that it's hard to tell. Shirts, jackets and shoes especially.

To answer the original question, I do find it confusing and annoying and it does complicate shopping.

 

[Hipkitten]

^^ I definitely think vanity sizing is a problem in men's wear. Mr. Hipkitten is quite thin and is "sized out" of most mainstream brands - the "smalls" are too large and most brands don't even offer an "XS" in men's.

 

[preppy_beat_boho]

oh I know! I can't wear ANYTHING from J.Crew. Well, no, I can wear shoes, or ribbon belts that can fit anyone, but aside from that, everything is just too big! I hate it, cause they have really cute preppy basics. Also, I really dont like this long long shirt trend. All these shirts are now dresses on me, it's really getting rediculous, I find myself going to Gap Kids more than regular Gap for basic tee's now. And I'm not even that short! I'm 5'5" and short waisted, but things really shouldn't be cut that long.

 

[Uchina]

I know what you mean! My work pants from J Crew are 0's and they're falling off of my ***. I tried to find some from Banana Republic but they don't go small enough. I'm not even that skinny- just petite. Don't get me wrong- I know that people ARE getting bigger and I think that they deserve to dress just as nicely as us little people do. I just don't want to get sized out.

 

[Velouria]

I have the same problem with j crew. their zeros literally fall off me. express is also a problem...i have to wear a 00 in their jeans and i really don't think i'm supposed to be that size.

 

[chanelnumber5]

grrr this really annoys me. most shops dont even sell a uk size 6 here but when i do find them some of the same size as uk size 8. this is extemely annoying as idealy i'd buy uk size 4/6 clothes but know where here sells uk size 4. so in the end i have to buy stuff from kids section which is extreemly annoying and embarassing, esp if someone asks me where i got my top, jeans etc from.

 

[astatine]

^ Look on the bright side...kids' clothes are cheaper

I guess this might be the reason I've gone down a size in my jeans in the last month, though

But does anyone else think that vanity sizing is also about height? I mean...people nowadays are so much taller than before...my 13-year-old cousin is nearly my height...

 

[writergal28]

^ Look on the bright side...kids' clothes are cheaper

I guess this might be the reason I've gone down a size in my jeans in the last month, though

But does anyone else think that vanity sizing is also about height? I mean...people nowadays are so much taller than before...my 13-year-old cousin is nearly my height...

I don't think height has increased all that much. The overall average has gone up less than one inch.

 

[Hipkitten]

^ I agree. Height isn't the issue. But we are "expanding" in another direction. Personally, I think the way women's clothing is sized is ridiculous in the first place - 2,4,6...what does it all mean?! Why can't we just get the actual measurements?! It would make shopping so much easier.

Vanity sizing doesn't make any sense to me. Back in the day Marilyn Monroe was a size "14" which translates roughly to a size "8" today. Would she have been any sexier had her tag read "8" instead of "14"? I think not.