It’s not you, clothing sizes are broken

whmscll
whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
From the Wall Street Journal. Interesting read.
https://apple.news/AWZdcnH9pTruepCKz0OtVfQ

Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,743 Member
    Unfortunately, I can't read it. There is a paywall.
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    Unfortunately, I can't read it. There is a paywall.

    Same.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    "Men have it a little easier. Their clothes are based on verifiable chest, waist and inseam measurements."

    Unfortunately, not true. They'll just say it's a 34 waist at places like Old Navy, but it's actually a 36. It's almost tougher for guys because you'd expect it to be accurate, whereas at least I know that women's sizing is a guideline at best, lol. I always have trouble because I have wide shoulders for a woman. They rarely list that as a measurement, so I have trouble even if I know the other measurements and it fits everywhere else.

    While I wasn't able to read the article, I agree and it seems a fair assumption that manufactures know this. I was ordering a custom rowing unisuit (not dissimilar to a weight lifting or wrestling singlet) earlier this year and the company specifically mentioned to not rely the waist size of your pants, but to take out a measuring tape. Mind you that wasn't the only measurement they used, but I suspect they assumed people would just use their pants size.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    Part of the story is an industry person saying that in a few years from now your clothing dimensions will be determined by body scanning cameras and apps. They know that they won't be able to use the S M L XL XXL descriptors. They're thinking of using color codes for sizes.
  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 2,496 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    "Men have it a little easier. Their clothes are based on verifiable chest, waist and inseam measurements."

    Unfortunately, not true. They'll just say it's a 34 waist at places like Old Navy, but it's actually a 36. It's almost tougher for guys because you'd expect it to be accurate, whereas at least I know that women's sizing is a guideline at best, lol. I always have trouble because I have wide shoulders for a woman. They rarely list that as a measurement, so I have trouble even if I know the other measurements and it fits everywhere else.

    Men do have it easier with higher end clothing. Men's clothes are made with the intention that they would be tailored to fit. They come with extra fabric in the seam allowances in places usually tailored, and tailoring is often included in the price. Womens' clothes are made with the intention that the woman is going to fit. If it needs tailoring, it costs a lot of money and there are no allowances made (bridal dresses are the exception).

    That is true, but as a practical matter what percent of men's clothing items sold are designed to be tailored?
  • PrismaticPhoenix
    PrismaticPhoenix Posts: 65 Member
    Theoldguy1 wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    "Men have it a little easier. Their clothes are based on verifiable chest, waist and inseam measurements."

    Unfortunately, not true. They'll just say it's a 34 waist at places like Old Navy, but it's actually a 36. It's almost tougher for guys because you'd expect it to be accurate, whereas at least I know that women's sizing is a guideline at best, lol. I always have trouble because I have wide shoulders for a woman. They rarely list that as a measurement, so I have trouble even if I know the other measurements and it fits everywhere else.

    Men do have it easier with higher end clothing. Men's clothes are made with the intention that they would be tailored to fit. They come with extra fabric in the seam allowances in places usually tailored, and tailoring is often included in the price. Womens' clothes are made with the intention that the woman is going to fit. If it needs tailoring, it costs a lot of money and there are no allowances made (bridal dresses are the exception).

    That is true, but as a practical matter what percent of men's clothing items sold are designed to be tailored?

    We have indeed moved away from tailoring more durable, expensive clothing to extremely cheap, disposable clothing. Even repairing clothes if it gets a tear isn't done. It's an odd situation.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    My momma always said "The cheaper the clothing the larger you become"! and It's SO true! I can fit easily into a Loft size 2 or 0. At Old Navy or Primark that becomes a 6 or an 8!
  • raeallyson
    raeallyson Posts: 1 Member
    I shop with a measuring tape. I have a little one I leave in my purse. While it's not perfect if does take some of the guess work out of shopping.
  • lgfrie
    lgfrie Posts: 1,449 Member
    edited December 2019
    This drives my wife absolutely nuts. For me it's so easy. Lose 2 inches in the waist, buy the next size down. Or, sadly at various times in my life, gain 2 inches, buy the next size up. For anything else (neck, inseam, shirt length) grab a tape measure and order accordingly.

    Meanwhile my wife, who's lost 45 ish pounds so far, is trying to buy some clothes online and there is absolutely nothing to indicate whether a 1x will be larger, smaller or the same as an XL from another brand - or even the same brand, and size 18 pants could easily be smaller than 16, and then there's the whole "women's" size vs Plus vs misses vs whatever the hell else they come up with to obscure the basic measurement which'd otherwise make it all so easy.

    Intentional obfuscation, imho
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    As much as I would love it, I think women would riot if clothing was just based on dimensions. Vanity sizing is hugely popular.

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