Clothing Sizes

Cytherea

Didn't seem like there was a good place to put this, but it follows up on a discussion that I remember being a part of a while ago so I wanted to do so anyways.

So there was a discussion (somewhere, at some point, lol) about our sizes in the US, and how everything is becoming bigger. People will say "well, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14, and she was a real woman!" but in today's sizing she'd be more like a 6 or 8, not what we call a 14.

I've had a few experiences that illuminated just how drastically off our sizing is and I wanted to share it with all of you because I think it is important to realize.

I still have my junior prom dress. I loved that dress; it is a vintage dress and is sophisticated very class, so I've always wanted to wear it again. That's one of my goals. So when I went home to visit family back in August, I went to look at the dress. To my complete and total surprise, it was a size 14! I had no recollection of it being that big. And I thought, well, since I'm a 14 now, why not try it on, see how it goes. And I did. And oh man, that dress did NOT fit me. Could barely get it over my thighs/hips, let alone zipper it! Instead of being disappointed or upset, I was just shocked. How can it be that I wear a size 14 today but can't fit into a size 14 dress that was made 20+ years ago?! (I'm not sure of the time frame). I thought that was just crazy.

Another thing that happened was that I had a friend come visit and stay with me from Australia. We were in the store, in the junior's section, and she wanted to try on some clothes (she's tiny- could probably fit into the children's sizes LOL). But since the sizing is so different, she wasn't sure what to try on. She said she wears a 6/8 in Australia. So I thought, ok, something on the smaller end, try a 5. The 5 was HUGE on her. Her size her is more like a 1/3. Isn't that insane?! :explode:

So I guess I partially wanted to rant about it, partially wanted to illuminate others, and partially wanted to get your opinions. I've always wished that women's sizing was more like men's- you buy pants that are width x length instead of arbitrary numbers that vary from store to store. Even at my largest I was always jealous that my husband could pick up a pair of pants, any brand, any store, even order online, and they would definitely fit, he didn't even have to try them on. Whereas for me, buying a pair of pants takes hours and practically hundreds of pairs. But the industry doesn't seem to think that woman can handle this, or that they can face their honest size. :grumble: So I guess I'm looking for your response- what do you prefer? Could you handle walking into a store and being able to pick up that 50 x 30 pair of pants?

And if anybody has any similar stories, please, feel free to share!

SymphonicSilence

I HATE clothing sizes!!!

I used to be a larger 14/smallish 16 and I was pretty darned happy at that. Now I am a 20, sometimes 22 and I'm hating it!!!
Mainly because I have to shop in certain stores because a lot don't carry my size now and also because some stores think it's okay to charge MORE money for clothes bigger than a 16!!!

Things are being cut smaller and smaller nowadays - I can go into one store and be a 20; yet in another store I'll be a 22, or even a 24!

I wish they just had a uniform standard for sizing, it would be SO much easier.

SandraMay1982

holy moses. she is small in 6/8 Australian sizes. I don't even know anyone that size. haha. I know 10's and 12's Australian. I am a 22/24 Australia, which is like an 18 American, apparently. But I ordered some clothes online, that apparently around the general size and they're too small, only a couple are just right, but I figure, I need to shrink in to them anyway.

It's much cheaper for us to buy from America and Import, even with shipping sometimes, I paid $25 per garment the other week including shipping, and that's in AUD. Which I think is awesome. it's just the sizing issue that's the problem.

ickybella

I think it would be nice to have uniform sizes, like men's. I probably couldn't have faced my waist size a year ago, but it would've been a nice wake-up. I'm living in the UK now and the sizes are really not that different from the US. I am a 16 both places, and in some stores (in both countries) I'm an 18. Frickin Next. Anyway, it would be nice, and I am sure some jeans are that way, but they're the really expensive ones.

katkat987

I had an annoying incident. I tried on a pair of UK size 10 skinny jeans and they fitted perfectly (wearing them today haha), about a month later i went back and bought a pair of bootcut jeans from the same shop and exact same range, i wanted them to be a little looser so bought a size 12.. they're REALLY tight on me.. im having to try and shrink into them. How can a 10 be perfect and a 12 be too tight?!

Sezmo83

I HATE clothing sizes. I hate clothes shopping with a passion and do it as infrequently as possible. I have yet to understand how one shop I can buy a size 16 from and have it fit yet in another shop a size 18 is far too small. And don't even get me started on bra shopping. I've been measured several times in different stores and according to them all I'm a 38D yet I can't just go and buy a bra that size and know it will fit because 9 times out of 10 it's too small.

junedunebug

I have actually noticed that a few American clothing stores have started putting both sizes on women's pants. For example if you're a size 6 in that store they'll put what "their" size 6 is in inches. So it would say 6/28, which means size 6 and 28 inches. It's good and bad because you can see how ridiculous their sizes have become and you see what you're actually wearing.