Dress size rants!

capriqueen

Today at the store, I tried a size 6 and a size 8 dress. While the size 6 felt snug, it looked really odd and killed the effect of the dress. The size 8 was a better fit, less snug but is wayyy too large for my shoulders! Clothes shopping is such a pain!

What are some of your rants about dress sizes?

HealthyVitamins

How men get a choice from waist size and women just get a random '6, 8, 10' etc

makes no sense to me.

women's clothing sizes are different in every single shop whereas the men can never go wrong because all they need to look out for is their waist size!

capriqueen

I know! Men have a lot more to choose from!

I always end up getting my dresses tailored. I have narrower shoulders and waist as compared to my hips, so if I pick a dress that fits my hips it ends up being large enough to fit another person inside on the top.

LordOberon

How men get a choice from waist size and women just get a random '6, 8, 10' etc

makes no sense to me.

women's clothing sizes are different in every single shop whereas the men can never go wrong because all they need to look out for is their waist size!

The trade off is that men just wear pants. It might be jeans or khaki, but its basically the same thing. Women have a much larger variety so designers have much more leeway in sizing. It does suck and most designers don't really care about accuracy, only selling. I have read numerous stories on how some high end stores will have sizes smaller and how bargain stores sizes are larger than average.

rml_16

How men get a choice from waist size and women just get a random '6, 8, 10' etc

I went shopping with my SO last month and he bought shorts. Depending on the style and brand, he was anywhere from a 30-34-inch waist.

They aren't exactly uniform, either.

Honestly, I don't seem to have an issue with sizes. I'm pretty across-the-board with being somewhere between a 6 and an 8, but certain styles do not work on certain body types. Some women have broad shoulders, some have narrow shoulders.

I'm an hourglass. Regardless of sizes, I am not going to look the same (or even necessarily fit into) styles that someone who is an apple can wear and vice versa.

donnace7

I have trouble with skirts and some shorts b/c my waist is a size 10 and my hips are a size 12!!!

saxmaniac

How men get a choice from waist size and women just get a random '6, 8, 10' etc
makes no sense to me.
women's clothing sizes are different in every single shop whereas the men can never go wrong because all they need to look out for is their waist size!

Wrong. I have in my closet 4 pairs of pants that all fit me, 31, 32, 33, and 34. My waist is 32" but pants sit at different places on my waist. Jeans at the hip, dress pants higher, and so on.

Once you are in decent shape and care about how things fit, then it's just as much as a pain in the butt to find clothes. Most men just don't give a crap and it shows.

And don't even get me started on dress shirts. Shirts have an unstated waist size. Good luck finding a dress shirt that fits my shoulders and doesn't produce a tent of fabric over my belly that makes me look fat.

I know! Men have a lot more to choose from!

I know! I can wear: pants, pants, pants, or maybe pants.
For shirts, I can wear: dress shirts, polos, maybe a T-shirt.

What a choice!

Wilhellmina

I so agree with you! I wanted to buy a nice dress, size L but my boobs didn't fit in, way too tight! Don't they get is that bigger women also got bigger boobs? It felt horrid I had to take a size larger just because of that, around my waist way too loose...

charlenequinn94

A lot of companies I think go with a generic sized pattern. I have always liked having my mom make my dresses when I was growing up. Partly, because I always got some awesome comments on the dress.

JeffersJJ

While this is sort of true, we also have to worry about inseam length, and more importantly, whether or not said pants can fit us in the legs and butt area. I mean, I realize most guys don't like to work legs, but c'mon....why punish the ones who do? Jeans/pants shopping is very frustrating. Ladies who have an issue with a dress have an easy solution; go get it altered. How many tailors will alter jeans? Really.

JoelleAnn78

I was so excited to get back into my size 12s and medium shirts after losing all my baby weight and then some....... went shopping for my wedding dress and had to get a 14. Apparently wedding dresses are always a size bigger. Had I know that I might have waited til I was in a size 10! LOL I know it is just a number and the important thing is that it fits and looks amazing -- my body is still the same size whether I am wearing a 10, 12, 14. I just still think of 14 as extra large.

lizbess1

that's why I have given in and started buying my Jeans from the men's department because they fit better than women's but as I lose more of the weight I am finding myself in the young men's section now as they no longer seem to have a size smaller than a 30 waist in the men's department (I am within 10 pounds of my goal after 25 years of being overweight/obese) and I don't buy dresses for the same reasons that you have all mentioned I buy skirts and tops still I guess it comes from all the years of trying to hid the figure which I am still doing at times...

DaniettaF

I have the most ridiculous body. I've figured out the current sizes of my body:

Size 8 - Shoulders
Size 10 - Waist
Size 14 - Bum
Size 12 - Hips and Legs

Buying a graduation dress was a nightmare! I have to go with baggy options so many times to encompass my silly pear figure!!
And I have also given up buying high waisted shorts, it's impossible to find something that fits both my waist, hips and bum!

laserturkey

How men get a choice from waist size and women just get a random '6, 8, 10' etc
makes no sense to me.
women's clothing sizes are different in every single shop whereas the men can never go wrong because all they need to look out for is their waist size!

Wrong. I have in my closet 4 pairs of pants that all fit me, 31, 32, 33, and 34. My waist is 32" but pants sit at different places on my waist. Jeans at the hip, dress pants higher, and so on.

Once you are in decent shape and care about how things fit, then it's just as much as a pain in the butt to find clothes. Most men just don't give a crap and it shows.

And don't even get me started on dress shirts. Shirts have an unstated waist size. Good luck finding a dress shirt that fits my shoulders and doesn't produce a tent of fabric over my belly that makes me look fat.

I know! Men have a lot more to choose from!

I know! I can wear: pants, pants, pants, or maybe pants.
For shirts, I can wear: dress shirts, polos, maybe a T-shirt.

What a choice!

I wish more men wore kilts, myself.

siqiniq

While this is sort of true, we also have to worry about inseam length, and more importantly, whether or not said pants can fit us in the legs and butt area. I mean, I realize most guys don't like to work legs, but c'mon....why punish the ones who do? Jeans/pants shopping is very frustrating. Ladies who have an issue with a dress have an easy solution; go get it altered. How many tailors will alter jeans? Really.

I alter my own jeans. I have always had to. Perhaps you need to learn how.

rml_16

I know! I can wear: pants, pants, pants, or maybe pants.

To be fair, you could wear shorts or a kilt.

Wilhellmina

While this is sort of true, we also have to worry about inseam length, and more importantly, whether or not said pants can fit us in the legs and butt area. I mean, I realize most guys don't like to work legs, but c'mon....why punish the ones who do? Jeans/pants shopping is very frustrating. Ladies who have an issue with a dress have an easy solution; go get it altered. How many tailors will alter jeans? Really.

There are aslo women who like to wear jeans. I hate them! Reason: when it fits around the hips, it's way too loose around the waist, so I hear ya!

rml_16

Don't they get is that bigger women also got bigger boobs?

My mother is obese. I have been a size 4-6 most of my life. My boobs are bigger than hers and have been since they grew when I was 9 years old. Her's are not that big.

askeates

I have always had major issues with pants of any kind because my waist is just wayyyyyyyyyyy too small for my tushie and my boobs! And because of this issue it is RARE to see me even consider a dress because if I get the correct size for my boobs, the rest is like a tent, if I get it to fit my tushie then my boobs are falling out, and I won't even talk about the waist issue! UGH!

Wilhellmina

Don't they get is that bigger women also got bigger boobs?

My mother is obese. I have been a size 4-6 most of my life. My boobs are bigger than hers and have been since they grew when I was 9 years old. Her's are not that big.

I don't think my cup size C is that big? But you're right there are exceptions of course...

askeates

While this is sort of true, we also have to worry about inseam length, and more importantly, whether or not said pants can fit us in the legs and butt area. I mean, I realize most guys don't like to work legs, but c'mon....why punish the ones who do? Jeans/pants shopping is very frustrating. Ladies who have an issue with a dress have an easy solution; go get it altered. How many tailors will alter jeans? Really.

I wish it was that easy... unfortunately, alterations do not really work for some of these dresses to body type issues.

ks4e

I went dress shopping yesterday. Since I haven't really purchased any dresses since my daughter was born 7 months ago, I grabbed an array of dress sizes, ranging from 6-10 and then some juniors from 7-11. Nothing fit right! Either too short, too small in the chest, too large in the chest, too snug in the waist, too loose in the waist. It was ridiculous! Either my body is totally weird and wonky or dress sizes are just terrible.

nilbogger

BF definitely has fit issues with clothing so it really isn't easier for men. Have you ever shopped for men's dress shirts? They go by neck circumference and sleeve length so if you have a big neck and/or long arms you can end up with something that looks like a dress unless you get shirts custom-made or go to a tailor.

Trying to get a good fit can definitely suck. but you just have to keep trying things on and not get upset if you need to get a "larger" size than usual. Like, I saw someone complaining on another forum that she didn't like to shop at Lululemon because she has to get a size 6 or 8 and it makes her feel fat. Um, excuse me? Get over yourself, Cookie.

gowrirao81

Ladies! The answer is glaringly simple ... Stretchy fabrics! :drinker:

AEMW8

I so agree with you! I wanted to buy a nice dress, size L but my boobs didn't fit in, way too tight! Don't they get is that bigger women also got bigger boobs? It felt horrid I had to take a size larger just because of that, around my waist way too loose...

I hear ya on that one! I have two tops that look exactly the same, but they're different sizes and different colors. I didn't realize it in the store, but the smaller one looks a little odd on my chest because of my boobs. Whereas the larger one, though loose, looks better in the same area.

And don't get me started on button down blouses! I have to go two or three sizes up just to cover my boobs without having the buttons strain and possibly pop open.

fShaw86

An outift for me is a potpurri of numbers. 8 below the waist. 6 above the waist. size 7 shoes. haha lol

mmm_drop

How men get a choice from waist size and women just get a random '6, 8, 10' etc
makes no sense to me.
women's clothing sizes are different in every single shop whereas the men can never go wrong because all they need to look out for is their waist size!

Wrong. I have in my closet 4 pairs of pants that all fit me, 31, 32, 33, and 34. My waist is 32" but pants sit at different places on my waist. Jeans at the hip, dress pants higher, and so on.

Once you are in decent shape and care about how things fit, then it's just as much as a pain in the butt to find clothes. Most men just don't give a crap and it shows.

And don't even get me started on dress shirts. Shirts have an unstated waist size. Good luck finding a dress shirt that fits my shoulders and doesn't produce a tent of fabric over my belly that makes me look fat.

I know! Men have a lot more to choose from!

I know! I can wear: pants, pants, pants, or maybe pants.
For shirts, I can wear: dress shirts, polos, maybe a T-shirt.

What a choice!

Don't forget the ever sexy sweater vest.

saxmaniac

Don't forget the ever sexy sweater vest.

What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?

obeseandsassy

vanity sizing is the worst.

also trying to use the same pattern they use to make a size 6 shirt to make a size 24 shirt. fat womens bodies are built differently. you can't just make a shirt wider and expect it to fit.

mmm_drop

Don't forget the ever sexy sweater vest.

What you know about rockin' a wolf on your noggin?
What you knowin' about wearin' a fur fox skin?

I’ma take your grandpa's style, I’ma take your grandpa's style
No for real, ask your grandpa, "Can I have his hand-me-downs?" (Thank you!)

kitticus15

I get annoyed with where they put the waistline, sometimes it is near the belly button other times it is on the ribs just under the boobs.

I find the sizes change season to season, or even batch of clothing to next batch. Leggings are terrible, sometimes they will say they are one size but in fact are smaller, I also noticed that size 6,8 and 10 are quite close in size but on the slightly larger size then when you go from 12 upwards the sizing changes and becomes smaller, in some stores I can wear a 14 but in others I am a size 18/20, so now I have given up trying to find anything to fit perfectly...