Extreme Vanity Sizing at Target! TWO+ sizes too low!

TigressPat

I loved the article below on the history of women's clothing sizes. It helped me understand why we can't just go in waist and length like men's clothing. It still sucks though! The year I got married I wore a size 4 or 6. I was devastated when they fit my wedding dress as a size 12! The women who took my measurements said it was my boobs. My boobs were a 12 - my waist was a 6. I definitely needed alterations later!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_standard_clothing_size

most wedding dresses are made like that as the majority of women are pear or apple shaped.

when I was trying them on I had to get a 20 (yes, 20!!!) to accomodate my boobs and I was a size 6-8 in pants/jeans.

the amount of fabric that needed to be taken in was staggering.

but if you even look at a wedding gown, most have at least an inch of spare fabric on each seem so they can easily bet let out at least 4 inches. very few people can actually buy one off the rack, they are supposed to be altered to fit!

also wedding dresses and formal gowns try to be a bit more "standard" in sizing, meaning they aren't as vanity sized so a 12 is more like what passes for an 8 nowadays.

Deedoo5

I find the BEST deals at my local thrift store. If you're around "true" 14-16 size the SECRET is to go to the "plus size" rack and shop. Because all the 1 and 2X's have shrunk and they will fit and...most people that shop that rack are a larger size (which sell quickly).

RobinC37

What get's me are the plus-size stores that have 4 sizes (looking at you, Torrid). 0,1,2,3- what does that tell me at all about what size I am?!?

I have wide shoulders and get progressively narrower (if I didn't have my belly), and am 6' tall. I don't even shop for tops anymore. Sleeves are always 3-5 inches too short , most button downs don't even hit my hips. And I get the button gap over my boobs.

I'm getting stressed just thinking about shopping for tops. Pants are easier to buy, but still hard to find ones that fit without being baggy in the butt and thighs. As I shrink, I find that a lot of regular sized stores make pants that fit me well in the hips and thighs but are way too short. Finding 8-10 with a 32 inch inseam... the lady at XXI looked at me like I was nuts.

TigressPat

What get's me are the plus-size stores that have 4 sizes (looking at you, Torrid). 0,1,2,3- what does that tell me at all about what size I am?!?

I have wide shoulders and get progressively narrower (if I didn't have my belly), and am 6' tall. I don't even shop for tops anymore. Sleeves are always 3-5 inches too short , most button downs don't even hit my hips. And I get the button gap over my boobs.

I'm getting stressed just thinking about shopping for tops. Pants are easier to buy, but still hard to find ones that fit without being baggy in the butt and thighs. As I shrink, I find that a lot of regular sized stores make pants that fit me well in the hips and thighs but are way too short. Finding 8-10 with a 32 inch inseam... the lady at XXI looked at me like I was nuts.

32 doesn't seem that hard to find. Im short, and I wear a 31/32 inseam. most average/regular sized pants have that length of inseam. Are you sure you don't need longer?

bbriscoe13

I have the opposite problem at Target. I have to buy size 9 there and at AE and other places I usually wear a 4 or 6. I usually don;t buy pants at Target because they don't fit me very well.

saxmaniac

edited as I just realized that I was talking to a GUY!
Sorry man....
I'm leaving the post up though so others may lauhg at my stupidity and just in case there are women with the same issue who need shirts!!!!

Heh, that was funny - I was quite puzzled there for a second!

I was going to say I HAVE to wear dress shirts, because I would look kinda silly in a deep-cleavage empire-waist top with my suit.

TigressPat

edited as I just realized that I was talking to a GUY!
Sorry man....
I'm leaving the post up though so others may lauhg at my stupidity and just in case there are women with the same issue who need shirts!!!!

Heh, that was funny - I was quite puzzled there for a second!

I was going to say I HAVE to wear dress shirts, because I would look kinda silly in a deep-cleavage empire-waist top with my suit.

lol

again, my apologies!

But I was talking about dress shirts, no deep cleavage but the pouchy bits on the chest might not suit you!

748marie

Wear whatever looks good on you! A size ain't nuthin but a number

kristen6022

Sizes are different. So what. You take what you think you are in to the fitting room, if it's too big or too small you have the attendant get you a different size. WHO CARES! Care that they actually fit. I can range between a 2-8 on any given day depending on store.

DarkAngel262

I would love to believe I am wearing a size 8 right now, but let's get real. I'm 5'2" and 172 lbs. with much of my extra weight in my *kitten* and thighs.

I bought two pairs of size 8 jeans from Target (Merona brand) in two different fits. One is tight (low-rise) and the other fits perfectly (mid-waist).

But in a designer brand and a few other pairs of jeans I've got without all the elastic/give, I'm a size 12. That's a pretty big difference.

I'd really love to find out what size I TRULY am - even if it's like a 16! - but it just seems impossible! I know people throw numbers around a lot - such as, a size 4 is a 28" waist - but where does THAT number come from? And where is that waist? Natural waist at the narrowest point? That's like 2" above my belly button! Or where I wear my jeans (barely above the butt crack)? My chest/hips are wide in relation to my waist (in true hourglass fashion) and I don't think that's fair!

Does anyone know where to find a size chart that spans the better part of the last century so I can ACTUALLY know where I stand???

P.S.: Fair warning about Target's insidious obesity-furthering vanity sizing practices!

P.P.S.: If I can find plus sizes (no matter how keenly disguised) in JEANS, why can't Target seem to make a bathing suit top that's bigger than a small B??? XL ought to be at LEAST a D.

if you're 172 lbs, you might want to consider wearing your pants a little higher than barely above your *kitten* crack.

You ma'am are a nasty, rude person.

groversa

Measure around your waist with a tape measure and write down the measurement. Round this measurement up to the nearest 1/2 inch.

2
Measure around your hips at the largest point with the tape measure and write this measurement down. Round this measurement up to the nearest half inch.

3
Compare your measurements from Steps 1 and 2 to a sizing chart. Size 2 pants fit waists of 24 inches and hips of 34.5 inches. Size 4 pants fit waists of 25 inches and hips of 35.5 inches. Size 6 pants fit waists of 26 inches and hips of 36.5 inches. Size 8 pants fit waists of 27 inches and hips of 37.5 inches. Size 10 pants fit waists of 28 inches and hips of 38.5 inches. Size 12 pants fit waists of 29.5 inches and hips of 40 inches. Size 14 pants fit waists of 31 inches and hips of 41.5 inches. Size 16 pants fit waists of 32.5 and hips of 43 inches.



Hope this helps a little!

lorib75

if you're 172 lbs, you might want to consider wearing your pants a little higher than barely above your *kitten* crack.

Incredibly rude and unnecessary. McKay actually carries her weight well, and I'm envious!

Using the forums to pick on someone says an awful lot about you. Take it elsewhere.

AMEN and AMEN! So tired of the snarkiness on MFP! Let's try building each other up instead of tearing each other down!!!

BarbieAS

I don't pay attention to numbers on tags anymore. I've got shirts in sizes Large-XXL that fit me perfectly and I've got pants in size 14 that fit great and pants in size 18 that are a bit snug. If I'm buying something new, I don't care what the number is, I care what it looks like. And I don't consider new clothes when I'm trying to gauge if my body is smaller - I go by measurements and how the clothes I already own are fitting me. It's SO different from store to store and brand to brand and even style to style, especially depending on your body type (I can guarantee that I can find several people the exact body weight/composition/height as me would wear smaller pants and larger shirts than me, just because I'm an extreme pear - 20 inch difference between hips and waist).

TigressPat

if you're 172 lbs, you might want to consider wearing your pants a little higher than barely above your *kitten* crack.
[/quote]

Wow, what a rude, nasty comment.
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ok... about 2 dozen people already bashed the poster. Let it go.

saying she has 102lbs to lose etc etc is no nicer than her comment was.


Plus, giving her the benefit of the doubt, (come and get me bashers!) I personally have a very curvy figure and cannot wear low jeans as they fall off and I constantly have to pull them back up or risk indecency. it's not flattering, and I've given up trying to make them work when they obviously don't.
It might actually be a good suggestion.

devan44

Its that way everywhere. I'm 5'9" and weigh approx. 145. I'm a size 6 or 8 but in some "mall" stores I can wear a size 2 or 4 and in designer items like Tom Ford, Chanel, St. John, Versace, etc. I wear the biggest size they make. In Tom Ford (who I love) I only can wear a few items and personally only own 2 dresses and one pair of pants because they run so small. Its crazy how small designer clothes run and how big the mid-priced stores run. I'm not overweight at all and yet there are some designers I can't wear its frustrating. Not everyone can be tall and a size 0, def not me!!

So True! I've got a closet full of designer jeans (7 for all mankind, citizens, etc) that are the biggest size 32 and I know it's gonna be a while before I can get back into them. I had 2 babies back to back so I've got a way to go but they are my motivation. I think about all the fab clothes i have and how some day I will wear them again, LOL!

x_ItNeverEnds_x

I wear anywhere from a 6-12. It's annoying. I'd like to be able to just buy a pair of pants with out trying on the whole store first. If i'm a 8 then i'm an 8, fine. So i should be able to grab any pair of 8's in the style I like and have them fit me.

TigressPat

Measure around your waist with a tape measure and write down the measurement. Round this measurement up to the nearest 1/2 inch.

2
Measure around your hips at the largest point with the tape measure and write this measurement down. Round this measurement up to the nearest half inch.

3
Compare your measurements from Steps 1 and 2 to a sizing chart. Size 2 pants fit waists of 24 inches and hips of 34.5 inches. Size 4 pants fit waists of 25 inches and hips of 35.5 inches. Size 6 pants fit waists of 26 inches and hips of 36.5 inches. Size 8 pants fit waists of 27 inches and hips of 37.5 inches. Size 10 pants fit waists of 28 inches and hips of 38.5 inches. Size 12 pants fit waists of 29.5 inches and hips of 40 inches. Size 14 pants fit waists of 31 inches and hips of 41.5 inches. Size 16 pants fit waists of 32.5 and hips of 43 inches.



Hope this helps a little!

*laughs*

Not at all for me!
I have a 30 inch waist and 44 inch hips (rounded off)

which puts me right off the scale, thanks!!!

In truth I wear a size 10-12 pants (not stretchy) but have various size sixes, and 28's and 29s in my current (fits me now) closet.

CM9178

Measure around your waist with a tape measure and write down the measurement. Round this measurement up to the nearest 1/2 inch.

2
Measure around your hips at the largest point with the tape measure and write this measurement down. Round this measurement up to the nearest half inch.

3
Compare your measurements from Steps 1 and 2 to a sizing chart. Size 2 pants fit waists of 24 inches and hips of 34.5 inches. Size 4 pants fit waists of 25 inches and hips of 35.5 inches. Size 6 pants fit waists of 26 inches and hips of 36.5 inches. Size 8 pants fit waists of 27 inches and hips of 37.5 inches. Size 10 pants fit waists of 28 inches and hips of 38.5 inches. Size 12 pants fit waists of 29.5 inches and hips of 40 inches. Size 14 pants fit waists of 31 inches and hips of 41.5 inches. Size 16 pants fit waists of 32.5 and hips of 43 inches.



Hope this helps a little!

Ok, this is completely not true.
My waist is 36 inches and my hips are 41 inches, so what size am I supposedly then? A size 25?
My average size in most non stretchy jeans is a size 14. When I had a 42 inch waist, I was wearing a size 18.

So your calculations make absolutely no sense, or at least don't apply to American sizing.

silverainn

US sizes are huge. I have a few pairs of jeans and some dresses from the US, all size 12. That should convert to European size 42, but I have difficulty squeezing into a 46 here (difference of two sizes). It doesn't help that it's pretty much impossible to find anything besides skinny jeans.

Mikaylajayney

if you're 172 lbs, you might want to consider wearing your pants a little higher than barely above your *kitten* crack.

I don't think anyone should be wearing jeans barely above the *kitten* crack... regardless of weight.. or age.