Vanity Sizing - Friend or foe?

cici1028
cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
in Chit-Chat
Ok... throwing this out there because I recently had to purchase a size "zero" at a store for a skirt. Now, I'm not bragging. I am NOT a size zero now, nor have I ever been... nor will I ever be. Does anyone else find clothing manufacturing sizing frustrating? I don't feel better about myself in a skirt based on the size... it would be a lot easier to track my weight loss progress if the sizes didn't keep moving with me!!
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Replies

  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
    It's annoying. I wish there was a standardization of sizes. If not for mental sanity but so you can walk into a store and be close to your size and not have to try on three different sizes of jeans to find the right pair.
  • lavieboheme1229
    lavieboheme1229 Posts: 448 Member
    TRUTH! Yeah, I notice it when I buy nicer clothes versus bargain store clothes. I have to walk into a store and just pick something to try on so I know what size I am at that specific store. It gets old. It is also hard to track your progress a bit, not being able to always compare sizes. I don't exactly carry a measuring tape around with me, but I always know how many sizes I went down!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I agree about standardizing so I don't have to take three of the same piece of clothing into a dressing room to see which fits. Or so I can buy two pair of the same pants in different colors and have them fit the same without trying both on.

    Otherwise, I just don't care. I'm more concerned with the number on the scale and how my body looks than the size of my dress.
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
    Definitely fiend and foe! I want to be able to wear a size 8 like I did in the 70's not some itty bitty size that's been upsized, dang it!
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    In a way it's kind of nice though, because I think it helps women to not obsess about the number in their jeans. I mean, you can say you're a 10 if the smallest jeans you own are 10s, but you know you're just tricking yourself. It forces us to find other means to judge our health and progress.


    It's still annoying as hell, though. When you're only allowed six items in a fitting room, and you have to use them to take three sizes of two different pairs of pants, it's a serious time-suck.
  • emmy3111
    emmy3111 Posts: 482 Member
    Totally hate vanity sizing... what is the point? You're not smaller - just the number is... and how the heck is anyone else supposed to buy clothing for you when you can't give them your size?

    Pointless and frustrating... I don't care what the number is, just how it fits.
  • punkinkat
    punkinkat Posts: 85 Member
    Agreed, ladies! I'm surprised this antiquated system wasn't amended when women got the vote ;)

    Truly, women's clothing sizing is the most sexist thing I encounter on a daily basis.
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
    Ah, for guy's sizing, where it's simply a measurement or two!

    This whole size 0 thing baffles me. When I was young and skinny (the 80s), as I recall, junior's size 3 was already smaller than a girl's size 14, so I went straight to a size 5 when I hit junior's. For women's sizing most started at size 6, a few started at size 4, which was about the same girth as girl's sizes, but different proportions.
  • melliebee
    melliebee Posts: 187 Member
    It is ridiculous!!! In high school I wore size 9-12 pants. Now I wear 2-3, and it ISN'T because I have lost that much weight. The other day I went shopping with my mom and she was astonished that I bought a size 1 at Old Navy. It is embarassing to say, I did feel a sense of pride, even though deep down inside, I know that is not true sizing.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I don't like vanity sizing because a lot of stores sell a size 2 as their smallest size and I can't shop there. Now I am a size 00 because 0 is too big (also not bragging just taking part in the conversation). If they keep this up they will need to start making negative sizes. When I went shopping while on a trip to the U.S. I was told in the stores that they sell size 00, but since their sizes run big they thought the 00 would be too big for me. It seems like every time they come out with a smaller size to account for vanity sizing they just go ahead and vanity size that size as well. Banana Republic has a petite section with size 00 and those fit me well and are nice, adult styles with good quality clothing (for anyone else in the same situation). If anyone wants to share small size clothing resources (where to find clothes that fit) feel free to friend me.
  • SarahCW1979
    SarahCW1979 Posts: 572 Member
    Hate it :explode:

    WTF is with the size zero craze? When I was a teen to be deemed 'skinny' you only had to get into a size 10!
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    I'm a 00, 0, 2, 24", 25", XS, S and sometimes M. I stopped worrying about what size I fall into, as long as I look good in the clothes. I am a small in vanity sizes, but that's merely because I am a tiny person. Even when I was 15 pounds heavier I still fit a size 0.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Agreed, ladies! I'm surprised this antiquated system wasn't amended when women got the vote ;)

    Truly, women's clothing sizing is the most sexist thing I encounter on a daily basis.

    Wel, you can't really have the same sizing for women as for men. Men generally -- probably 99% of them -- are straight up and down. Women are sometimes straight up and down, sometimes curved. And even the women with the curves curve differently. We're all over the place in terms of body shape.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Hate it :explode:

    WTF is with the size zero craze? When I was a teen to be deemed 'skinny' you only had to get into a size 10!

    I'm three years older than you and was a size 3 in high school. And I was hardly the smallest girl I knew.
  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    I agree about the standardized sizing, recently I went to buy new suits for work. I decided to go to a discount store where I had purchased a CK suit 2 years before (my favorite suit actually). I figured if I bought the same suit and just went down 1 size it would be easy peazy. For the record the current suit is size 20W jacket and 18W pants, what I ended up buying were 2 of the exact same suit, different colors. One suit size 18W jacket and size 16W pants, the other suit size 16W jacket and size 14W pants. Did I mention these are the exact same suits, only different colors? One of the best things about losing weight is getting to buy new clothes and now they've made it so difficult, I'm not looking forward to this process anymore.
  • mommyrox05
    mommyrox05 Posts: 238
    Ok... throwing this out there because I recently had to purchase a size "zero" at a store for a skirt. Now, I'm not bragging. I am NOT a size zero now, nor have I ever been... nor will I ever be. Does anyone else find clothing manufacturing sizing frustrating? I don't feel better about myself in a skirt based on the size... it would be a lot easier to track my weight loss progress if the sizes didn't keep moving with me!!


    Gaaah...I am not a fan of vanity sizing...I just bought a pair of jeans from express 2's....all of my other pants are pretty solidly 7's I think that I have 1 pair of 5's....it just makes shopping so much more frustrating!
  • Jain
    Jain Posts: 861 Member
    I hate vanity sizing with a vengance.:explode:
    Is it too much to ask for a size 10 or 12 or 14 ect to be the same from shop to shop?
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Ok... throwing this out there because I recently had to purchase a size "zero" at a store for a skirt. Now, I'm not bragging. I am NOT a size zero now, nor have I ever been... nor will I ever be. Does anyone else find clothing manufacturing sizing frustrating? I don't feel better about myself in a skirt based on the size... it would be a lot easier to track my weight loss progress if the sizes didn't keep moving with me!!


    Gaaah...I am not a fan of vanity sizing...I just bought a pair of jeans from express 2's....all of my other pants are pretty solidly 7's I think that I have 1 pair of 5's....it just makes shopping so much more frustrating!

    7 and 5 are junior sizes and 2 is a misses size. They're cut differently and the junior sizes tend to run smaller than misses. It has always been that way.
  • ImTheOnlyOne
    ImTheOnlyOne Posts: 1
    It's INCREDIBLY frustrating. I used to know that at xxx weight, I would wear size x! Now, who knows! And as I'm losing weight, I've been buying some things at thrift stores to save my budget. Trying on the same size jeans, I have seen as much as an 8 inch difference in the waistband!! That should not be possible!

    Oh, to be a man and purchase clothing by my waist measurement and my inseam!
  • TheCaren
    TheCaren Posts: 894 Member
    Ok... throwing this out there because I recently had to purchase a size "zero" at a store for a skirt. Now, I'm not bragging. I am NOT a size zero now, nor have I ever been... nor will I ever be. Does anyone else find clothing manufacturing sizing frustrating? I don't feel better about myself in a skirt based on the size... it would be a lot easier to track my weight loss progress if the sizes didn't keep moving with me!!

    I'm come to the conclusion, the more expensive the brand, the greater the need to flatter the buyer with a ridiculous sizing system. If I wear an eight, I will always wear a six in Liz Claiborne or Ann Taylor. Ridiculous, I agree.

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