I HATE American sizes

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Replies

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I get what the OP is saying. I think some of you are reading more into her statements than she meant. Maybe some of you are just too young to realize the changes in clothing sizes over the decade. To illustrate:

    In high school I was 115-120# and wore a size 9, 10, 11 or 12 depending on the cut. My measurements were 36-23-37. Yes, very hour glass.

    Now, 36 years later, I currently weigh 177 and I wear a size 10. My waist measurement is 35 inches so an entire foot bigger than it was when I was in high school. I won't get into the other measurements but they are also a lot bigger than my high school measurements.

    So, what OP is complaining about is how much sizing has changed over the decades and how this vanity sizing makes people today not realize just how big they are. They wear a 6 or an 8 and think they're tiny but that 6 or an 8 was probably a 14 or so thirty years ago. It's like when people say Marilyn Monroe was fat because she wore a size 12 (or whatever it was). But a size 12 in her era was probably about the same as a size 4 today.

    Vanity sizing is crazy!


    YES! Exactly.
  • zoukeira
    zoukeira Posts: 313 Member
    I LOVE American sizes! I'm so much smaller in them! Here in New Zealand we use UK sizing (same as Australian) so our size 10 is your size 6. I love saying I fit a size 4/6 instead of an 8/10 :o)

    But I do see what you mean, sizing does change dramatically from store to store sometimes. There are a couple of stores here where I'll fit into a NZ6 (US2) dress - but only a couple!
  • fonitoni
    fonitoni Posts: 98 Member
    My weight has only gone up and up with the years and yet my size has stayed the same! Today I sold an old blouse online- it was only a few dollars but it is at least 10 years old and after I gave it to the woman and saw her body size I realized it would be too small for her. A size 14 from 10 years ago is not the same as a size 14 today.
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
    It's not fair how you guys make yourselves sound smaller! :P An Australian size 8 is like a US 2. A size 2 sounds so much nicer!! I'd rather say that! haha
  • tatianna68
    tatianna68 Posts: 90 Member
    Never trust the label, I used to work for a clothing distributor and they would change size labels to meet the orders. Small became medium, medium became large, large became medium, mediums became small so never knew what size you were getting.
  • zoukeira
    zoukeira Posts: 313 Member
    It's not fair how you guys make yourselves sound smaller! :P An Australian size 8 is like a US 2. A size 2 sounds so much nicer!! I'd rather say that! haha

    Ohh is it that small? I thought it was a 4. Gee now I'm confused I hate your sizes too!!
  • MidgetGidget
    MidgetGidget Posts: 56
    This is called Vanity Sizing. Designers are catering to our vanity. When I was young I thought I was huge and wore a size 14 - 16. then I lost lost of weight and finally could fit into a 10. Well, fast forward 25 years and I was about 80 lbs heavier and still in a size 16. Lost 60 lbs, but was still a good 20 lbs heavier than my young size 10 weight, but I still wore size 10. I've gained 30 lbs and now own 3 jeans from different designers in sizes 10, 12 and 14... they all fit, a bit snug.

    Yes, it depends on the brand, but mostly, the designers want us to feel good about buying their clothes. I know I feel lots better buying a size 8 or 10 versus a 16. Who wouldn't?
  • mccbabe1
    mccbabe1 Posts: 737 Member
    I've been 5'10" tall since I hit puberty at 12. I was a size 12 and very slender until I finished college when I went up to a 14 and a still thin 150 pounds. I have a big bust and hourglass figure.

    In the last 30 years I very slowly gained 35 pounds - 15 in the last 10 years. I've taken 25 pounds of that off since May.

    Here's why I am annoyed.

    I was a size 14 the whole time I gained that weight. I have been wearing a 14 coming down off that weight loss, even though my clothes seemed to be hanging on me and I could easily slip my pants off my hips without unzipping them. I have refused to buy smaller clothes until I hit a stable goal weight. After reading a bunch of threads talking about people my height talking about their sizes, I gave in to curiousity and took a trip to Goodwill.

    I easily slipped into size 10 pants. Size 12 pants fit fine, although they were a tiny bit lose.

    I haven't fit into a 10 size I was in grade school! This isn't because I'm so thin now, it's because the people who make my clothes have been sizing them bigger and bigger, lulling me into a false sense of complaisance. And, of course, I lied to myself.

    I am definitely not buying any more clothes until I finish losing.

    depends on brand/style..and also its possible..especialy if your working out a lot and w/strenth training (weights) n such that your loosing weight "differently' then before and thats why you are fitting into a smaller size!.. for example i can fit into a size of my own pants now that i havent worn in 6yrs.. but when i wore them 6yrs ago i was 15#'s LESSt then now! and now they fit and are lil loose!!! so ya ive lost INCHES/wt diff.. for sure..(and ive been working out every day since mfp lil over 3mo ago.. and w/strenth training also) and .. anyway a size is a size.. if you fit into smaller be happy and get upset at someting worth being upset about, LOL
  • NocturnalGirl
    NocturnalGirl Posts: 1,762
    It's not fair how you guys make yourselves sound smaller! :P An Australian size 8 is like a US 2. A size 2 sounds so much nicer!! I'd rather say that! haha

    Ohh is it that small? I thought it was a 4. Gee now I'm confused I hate your sizes too!!

    Haha NZ and Aus should be the same. Well Australian sizes generally start at size 2-4 and the US start at 00 doesn't it? But they are the same size, just different numbers, so it's a 4-6 size difference then? It varies but I can fit into a size 2 US dress.
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    http://risingfeenix.com/sizing
    http://www.vintageswank.com/sizing.html
    http://www.justsaywhen.com/Vintage-101-Sizing.htm

    Shows how sizes have changed since you and I were young.

    Keep in mid if you do shop at second hand and vintage stores, the era of the clothing will dictate the fit. Don't go by the labeled size, always try them on.

    God this makes me feel fat.... I had 36 inch hips when I was 100 pounds... I'm 5' 6"
  • mscollon
    mscollon Posts: 5
    There is no such thing as "American sizes" because there is no sizing standard in the fashion industry.......anywhere

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