List of retailers/companies that do NOT vanity size...

Brige2269

The sizes are up because so many guys want to wear their pants so damn loose. So guy with a 36 waist can feel like they are wearing a 40. I miss seeing guys in 501s! :flowerforyou:

marianb2001

If stores stuck to true sizes I would be able to shop on the internet. That would be awesome.

cafeaulait7

Yeah, it's incredibly annoying and I really don't care whether my size sounds big. I just want to know what I wear without trying on everything! I don't even care if that's a vanity size, as long as the manufacturer stays consistent.

I haven't had much luck. With women it seems that the waist-to-hip ratio of pants can just vary too much. I wish their own size charts would work, at least. Apparently they don't always care to make their manufacturing meet their own size charts. It's ridiculous.

Iwishyouwell

For those who understood the point of the thread, and sympathize with the frustration, I thank you.

Does anybody have any experience with the more high end stories, like Prada or D&G?

I know that H&M actually is pretty true to size, but I've never shopped there before and not sure if I want to. Anyone with any experience?

Also some other countries do have standardized sizing, unlike the US, so for those who are looking to do online shopping (such as myself) keep in mind that you absolutely can research which countries manufacture according to real standards and try and shop from there.

laylaness

H&M is pretty good, actually, if I'm shopping in womens instead of juniors. I do have to size up from my expected size in the juniors department. The mens section might be the same.

The boy has had good luck at Nordstrom with their store brand, especially the dress shirts. Added bonus: they have wrinkle-free dress shirts that are comfortable and breathable.

sunrea_

For those who understood the point of the thread, and sympathize with the frustration, I thank you.

Does anybody have any experience with the more high end stories, like Prada or D&G?

I know that H&M actually is pretty true to size, but I've never shopped there before and not sure if I want to. Anyone with any experience?

Also some other countries do have standardized sizing, unlike the US, so for those who are looking to do online shopping (such as myself) keep in mind that you absolutely can research which countries manufacture according to real standards and try and shop from there.

When shopping online, UK websites usually run true to size for both men and women. If not, they are generally nice enough to mention it next to the 'size' option with a note about the fit of the clothes.

Bras are especially horrible in the US and those are supposed to be fitted by measurements! Sizing is so ridiculous. I'm a woman but I seriously dislike shopping for this very reason. I would love to be able to purchase things online but what would be the point considering I might have to send it back because it's too big?

And to all the guys who suffer from vanity sizes, my husband feels your pain. His size (30) is always vanity sized and a lot of stores don't seem to carry a size down from that.

Iwishyouwell

Thanks for the H&M and Nordstroms suggestions Lay. I've not been in a Nordstrom's in so long, and it looks like I need to change that very soon.

Good info Sunrea. I've been thinking about researching a few UK brands. I'm going to be around your husband's pant size when I hit goal. I haven't been close to there in about 10 years, but in that time I am seeing more and more smaller waisted men complaining that they're having trouble finding well fitted pants at retail. That was not a problem even 10 years ago.

lighteningjeanne855

As I go down in size, I'm going to start carrying a measuring tape in my purse.
I'll use it as I check out things from the racks.

For online shopping, I'll be sure to measure myself, and then
check out the sizing charts before I make my order.

silken555

Unfortunately there's no such thing as true size. When I was a teen a size 5 was equivalent to a size 0 today. Sizing varies from company to company and even from style to style. Especially seeing as now there's more specialized clothing types even in run of the mill stores.

sbrownallison

Alrighty, I'm at about a 100 lbs lost. I'm closing in on my college weight/size, and will surpass it in the coming months. Right now I'm slipping out of the old 38s and slipping back into the 36s. At goal I should ultimately be around 32/loose 34.

My mind is turning toward new clothes for the winter and I'm looking to avoid companies with egregious vanity sizing. Yes, if you're not aware, more and more menswear retailers and companies are over inflating our pants sizes too. Yay gender equality. No part of me is looking for a mental fluff job by trying to make me feel thinner than I am; an actual lean body does wonders enough on it's own.

I thought this would be a good opportunity to get a comprehensive list going for shops, both online and brick n' mortar, that do true, or damn close to true, sizing for those of us not looking to be duped by overinflated sizing.

I personally, obviously, am looking for places that sell men's clothing. But this also could be a great thread to start documenting true-size shops for women as well.

Frankly who cares what size waist pants you fit in? Do you like how you look in the mirror, are you healthy? Then who cares about sizing

Indeed. For me it's not about whether or not a store vanity sizes, it's about the fact that I can't just go onto any retailer website/ebay/in store rack and pull off "my size" without trying it on. I inevitably have to drag 3 pairs of pants into the dressing room because I don't know if the clothing line runs smallish, mediumish, or largeish. There's such a disparity from one retailer to another that if it wasn't tremendously frustrating it would be laughable. Really, I haven't figured out why they put sizes on anything, at this rate they might as well just throw them haphazardly on a rack and label each one "size: happy hunting."

This. Despite the novelty of being smaller than I've been since grammar school and enjoying being in smaller clothes, I'm really put off by the necessity of trying on three different sizes of pants/shirts to find the right fit. Right now in my closet I have pants in sizes 6, 7, 8, and 10 that I currently wear. I am fascinated, however, with the whole idea of vanity sizing, as I know it exists. My mother was of a very average normal size and she wore a size 12 back in the 50s. Today she would be in a size 6 or 8. I haven't seen many discussions of this in MFP, so perhaps we'll get some interesting replies. Thanks OP for posting this. And good luck shopping.

MB_Positif

None?

Just rip the tags out if the number bothers you. I have clothes right now that range from a Misses size 2 to a Juniors 11. No one is telling me my tags look good.

whierd

None?

Just rip the tags out if the number bothers you. I have clothes right now that range from a Misses size 2 to a Juniors 11. No one is telling me my tags look good.

Logic.

Lizajayne23

I was shocked recently to need a size 10 when I finally had to break down and buy a pair of shorts to get through the end of summer. (I flashed my undies one too many times carrying groceries to the car when my shorts slipped. LOL) I know that I'm nowhere near a size 10 at this point.

A few days after that, we were going through 15 years of accumulated clothing in the attic in the hopes of finding the box of clothes I wore a few years ago and I ran across size 10 shorts and jeans in the oldest boxes. They are tiny compared to the ones I just bought! If I remember correctly, it will take another 20-25 pound loss to wear them. That's a huge difference!

Are the smaller size tags supposed to make people buy more clothing? What other reason could the clothing industry have for such drastic changes to sizing?

Someone mentioned Old Navy. Are they not true to size or at least closer? I always found their clothes to be smaller than items from other places, but I've only bought a couple of things there in the past 6-7 years.

ktsmom430

I have lived a long time..............most of it obese until recently. The fact is, as has been stated here, size 12 now is not the same as size 12, 30 years ago. More like a size 8 or 6. I have the proof in the clothes I have from back then, and the 6's and 8's I am buying and wearing now. People have gotten bigger, and sizing has gotten smaller. If stores sell clothes that are not "vanity sizing", I have not come across them in the past year of buying increasingly smaller sizes.

It is what it is. The important thing is how we feel about our new selves and if we are happy with how we look.

alisonlynn1976

Indeed. For me it's not about whether or not a store vanity sizes, it's about the fact that I can't just go onto any retailer website/ebay/in store rack and pull off "my size" without trying it on. I inevitably have to drag 3 pairs of pants into the dressing room because I don't know if the clothing line runs smallish, mediumish, or largeish. There's such a disparity from one retailer to another that if it wasn't tremendously frustrating it would be laughable. Really, I haven't figured out why they put sizes on anything, at this rate they might as well just throw them haphazardly on a rack and label each one "size: happy hunting."

This is so my experience right now, even for jeans that are supposedly sized in inches! Sometimes I can fit into the size I wore in high school, although I am still a good 40 pounds heavier now than I was then. Makes no sense.

Here's a website that might be helpful for the smaller women who aren't able to find anything small enough in the regular stores (and have money to spend on clothes, these aren't cheap): http://www.iamelfin.co.uk .

alisonlynn1976

For those who understood the point of the thread, and sympathize with the frustration, I thank you.

Does anybody have any experience with the more high end stories, like Prada or D&G?

I know that H&M actually is pretty true to size, but I've never shopped there before and not sure if I want to. Anyone with any experience?

Also some other countries do have standardized sizing, unlike the US, so for those who are looking to do online shopping (such as myself) keep in mind that you absolutely can research which countries manufacture according to real standards and try and shop from there.

I don't know about the men's lines, but I shop at H & M a lot, and my size is all over the place depending on the item. In higher-end brands, I think that Acne and Rag & Bone are pretty true to size. I would feel okay about ordering something from either of those without trying it on. Also, on Net-a-Porter, they show measurements of individual items, so that's helpful.

Iwishyouwell

I haven't seen many discussions of this in MFP, so perhaps we'll get some interesting replies. Thanks OP for posting this. And good luck shopping.

You're welcome! Hopefully this thread will keep going, and going.

I don't know about the men's lines, but I shop at H & M a lot, and my size is all over the place depending on the item. In higher-end brands, I think that Acne and Rag & Bone are pretty true to size. I would feel okay about ordering something from either of those without trying it on. Also, on Net-a-Porter, they show measurements of individual items, so that's helpful.

Very helpful! Thanks a lot.

Iwishyouwell

None?

Just rip the tags out if the number bothers you. I have clothes right now that range from a Misses size 2 to a Juniors 11. No one is telling me my tags look good.

And perhaps you enjoy the experience of shopping, and don't mind spending copious hours all over the place, trying on clothes, looking through 5 different sizes to get a perfect fit.

I'd prefer to step in and step out as quickly as possible, with as honest sizing as possible so I can move on. I don't enjoy spending hours of my day trying on clothes. I'm also an avid online shopper and vanity sizing makes that a nightmare. It's a huge help to be able to narrow down some retailers that don't do massive size inflation for regular online consumers like me.

So you just "ripping off the tags" has little to do with the point of this thread. It's not some whinefest about feeling fat in a size too large. It's a simple attempt to get a potential list going for those who are likewise frustrated with their shopping experience and might like a little guidance.

padams2359

I resently had to buy new clothes because all my pants were way to big. Some 20s and some 18s, one brand, I needed a 16. Also needed new shirts because most of the ones I had did not fit correctly. The down side of the pants are that the jeans in the boys dept have smaller pocket, and apparently all boy that wear 18s or 20s are six feet tall. The shorts all went below my knees. Athletic cut shirts vary from brand to brand. Most were two big in the waist although all the shirts showed the same measurements.

I spent one Saturday hemming jeans and shorts.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I surely won't complain about the fact that I have to find smaller clothes. I have some cashmere sweaters I had almost given up on. 41 athletic cut coat and 28 or 29X30 pants at 47. Sounds good to me.

schondell

A 23-24 inch waist is a size 0
A 24-25 inch waist is a size 2
A 25-26 inch waist is a size 4