US Stores where sizes run big or small

workingitout
workingitout Posts: 105 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I used to always buy nice clothes at the mall. During the last 16 years while I've been "bigger", I haven't wanted to spend much money on clothes because I always thought I would lose weight soon, so all this time I've bought clothes at Walmart and Kohl's. I've been working hard at losing weight and getting healthy for the last 5 months, and today I went to Ann Taylor Loft. I couldn't believe I fit into a size 8 shorts! At Christmas I squeezed myself into a size 12 and was seriously bursting the seams.

So here's my question: Do the clothes at Loft run big? What stores that you know of fit sizes correctly, which ones run big, which ones run small? I'm glad to buy a size 8 shorts, but will that also be the case at Macy's, etc?

Second question - going from a size 12 to a size 8: would I say I went down 2 sizes? I would like to brag just a bit to my family!! :)

Replies

  • AnneElise
    AnneElise Posts: 4,206 Member
    yes, they do run big. I have noticed that as well. Its funny, when i saw your title i thought right of Ann Taylor Loft. They are usually 1 size down for me. I am usually an 8 but at Ann Taylor Loft I am a 6. So you may still have dropped some sizes... plus your family won't know. Brag away!
  • kellycrow
    kellycrow Posts: 140
    they do run big... it is one of my favorite stores but not JUST because of that! haha! but yes, i would say they are 1 size off... :o) congrats, though, on being able to shop there now! i was sooo happy when i felt i could shop there finally!!
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    I've bought one item from there and it was a size 12 dress. At that point, I was a 14/16, so I'd definitely say they run big by my one assessment. It did make me feel pretty good that I fit into a 12... haha
  • oregonlady
    oregonlady Posts: 2,743 Member
    wow
    i need to shop at Ann Taylor Loft!!!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :wink: :wink: :wink:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    flowerforyou:
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    I love their clothes. When I was at my biggest I went there with a new friend. She was trying on all sorts of cute things. I told her I was broke and didnt like trying on something I couldnt afford to buy. Truth was I was crying because I knew nothing would fit me. A year later that same friend and I went back and I told her the story.

    She bought me a shirt!! It was the biggest size they had but I did not care., I still have that thing hanging in my closet............too big now!! :flowerforyou:

    congrats on the new size 8-10 are not that far off. Enjoy those 8s my dear!:flowerforyou:
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 22,170 Member
    wow
    i need to shop at Ann Taylor Loft!!!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :wink: :wink: :wink:
    Brilliant marketing on AT's part!
  • kiffypooh
    kiffypooh Posts: 1,045 Member
    Old navy is the same way. My friend calls it vanity sizing (I'm sure she got the term from somewhere in the media). I love it and hate. If you decide to buy jeans at old navy get them where they are super tight. Not only do they run big, they stretch out really easily. I like to buy my pants from old navy when they are $20, I can justify $20 when I'm going to out shrink them in a few months.
    Great work on dropping those sizes!!!!
  • Jennwith2ns
    Jennwith2ns Posts: 296 Member
    I was also going to mention Old Navy! They definitely run big for me. I am normally a size 20, but I can squeeze my butt into an 18 or even a 16 if they are stretchy.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    wow
    i need to shop at Ann Taylor Loft!!!!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :wink: :wink: :wink:
    Brilliant marketing on AT's part!

    You got that right!! My closet if 1/2 from that store for that very reason. But I only buy on sale
  • crazyjkgirl
    crazyjkgirl Posts: 123 Member
    I'm going to agree with those who said Old Navy sizes run large.
  • mhannan13
    mhannan13 Posts: 53
    Nordstrom's juniors department runs really small and their Rock Star Jeans are only for the tall and thin!!! Beware!!! But, their IT brand jeans run big and have a lot of stretch. I usually get m'y jeans there because I can go down a size or two and wear them for a while.
    Another good brand is American Rag. Very stretchy, very wearable and they last. You can get them at Macy's.
    As far as designer jeans go, True Religions run the roomiest.
    Forever 21 runs small, but a lot of their stores now include a Faith 21 section with extended sizes, which is really nice. I'm a big shopper so I keep mental notes of what to try on and what to steer clear of! :laugh: :laugh:
  • Emorriso165
    Emorriso165 Posts: 23
    I second (third? fourth?) that Old Navy runs big! I'm finally in 14s and a pair of Old Navy 14s HANG off me in the most unflattering way. Also, many fits at Banana Republic tend to run large.
  • tahmed
    tahmed Posts: 409 Member
    Well that explains my Old Navy Jeans. My 18's were falling off, so I was all excited. Then I went to Kohls to buy some work pants, and just hardly fit in 18's.

    I think that Aeropostal runs very small. Even when I was a true 10/12, I couldn't fit in their 16's. And if you have boobs, it doesn't seem worthwhile to try on their shirts....It seems that even with an XL, they dont account for the girlst :ohwell:
  • Ilovestarbucks
    Ilovestarbucks Posts: 1
    I used to work for Gap and was told that companies do it to make women spend more money since it's an ego boost to be able to wear smaller sizes. More and more stores are catering to it. Old Navy, Banana Republic, Gap, and White House Black Market all do it. It really doesn't matter if you only shop at those locations but when you go to other stores that have the correct sizing it can get a little complicated when trying to find the right size.
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    *bump*
  • _Lori_Lynn_
    _Lori_Lynn_ Posts: 460
    I used to always buy nice clothes at the mall. During the last 16 years while I've been "bigger", I haven't wanted to spend much money on clothes because I always thought I would lose weight soon, so all this time I've bought clothes at Walmart and Kohl's. I've been working hard at losing weight and getting healthy for the last 5 months, and today I went to Ann Taylor Loft. I couldn't believe I fit into a size 8 shorts! At Christmas I squeezed myself into a size 12 and was seriously bursting the seams.

    So here's my question: Do the clothes at Loft run big? What stores that you know of fit sizes correctly, which ones run big, which ones run small? I'm glad to buy a size 8 shorts, but will that also be the case at Macy's, etc?

    Second question - going from a size 12 to a size 8: would I say I went down 2 sizes? I would like to brag just a bit to my family!! :)

    Clothes run differently depending on the brand. It is bc they all come from different countries. I have even noticed, the same brand and the same jeans or shorts will run a bit different based on color. Such as if I like a pair of jeans, I'll buy a few different colors and the white will be tighter than say the blue or the black. I can wear anywhere from an 11 to an 8 in one day, depending.
  • shafa4321
    shafa4321 Posts: 132 Member
    Thanks god I was so confused how can I fit in size zero .t is impossible
  • hedwardsb
    hedwardsb Posts: 201 Member
    I find that ALL clothes are bigger than they used to be. Before I had my first child 13 years ago, I never wore smaller than a size 6. Now I wear 4's & 2's, and I'm bigger now than back then. I never know what size will fit me even when I'm shopping at stores from which I've previously purchased in the last year. Sizes vary widely, and it makes pants shopping very frustrating.
    Stores like Aeropostale that cater to juniors run smaller thank goodness, or I'd never be able to find jeans for my 5'7" just over 100 pound daughter.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    I used to always buy nice clothes at the mall. During the last 16 years while I've been "bigger", I haven't wanted to spend much money on clothes because I always thought I would lose weight soon, so all this time I've bought clothes at Walmart and Kohl's. I've been working hard at losing weight and getting healthy for the last 5 months, and today I went to Ann Taylor Loft. I couldn't believe I fit into a size 8 shorts! At Christmas I squeezed myself into a size 12 and was seriously bursting the seams.

    So here's my question: Do the clothes at Loft run big? What stores that you know of fit sizes correctly, which ones run big, which ones run small? I'm glad to buy a size 8 shorts, but will that also be the case at Macy's, etc?

    Second question - going from a size 12 to a size 8: would I say I went down 2 sizes? I would like to brag just a bit to my family!! :)

    Don't know about the Loft but Old Navy, Target, Gap and Walmart all run at least a size big. I've found that Express and Abercrombie and Fitch run true to size for me. Now that I'm in maintenance I've become a jean snob and will only wear those two brands, however I get that at Goodwill and only pay $5 a pair :laugh:
  • fourfiftythree
    fourfiftythree Posts: 203 Member
    I hate vanity sizing. Old Navy runs ridiculously large. I think American Eagle's tops run small and their pants run large (so weird), but maybe it's my body type. Forever 21, the Buckle and Maurices run true to size for me... however, I have some old shirts from the Buckle in size XL and compared to a size XL now they are like Mediums! Clothing measurements have grown, along with the population.
  • bunkahes
    bunkahes Posts: 216 Member
    Congrets on loosing the weight. yeah old navy sizes big, i fit into size 16-18 exercise shorts and i am a size 24. I have notice that mall stores run small exept for the ones that are geared to plus size women. And even then they can small.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    Old Navy is one of the worst for clothing running too big. I had an XXL shirt that I bought at a thrift store that fit me at 300 pounds.

    Clothing sizes drive me bonkers!

    I have a pair of Banana Republic pants in a size eight that fit, Old Navy jeans in a size ten that fit, and a pair of jeans from Nine West in a 14 that fit.

    In designer jeans I'm a 31-32.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    Nordstrom's juniors department runs really small and their Rock Star Jeans are only for the tall and thin!!! Beware!!! But, their IT brand jeans run big and have a lot of stretch. I usually get m'y jeans there because I can go down a size or two and wear them for a while.
    Another good brand is American Rag. Very stretchy, very wearable and they last. You can get them at Macy's.
    As far as designer jeans go, True Religions run the roomiest.
    Forever 21 runs small, but a lot of their stores now include a Faith 21 section with extended sizes, which is really nice. I'm a big shopper so I keep mental notes of what to try on and what to steer clear of! :laugh: :laugh:

    I have to agree with True Religion being pretty roomy. When I was 190 pounds & went to a few outlets they were the only brand that really fit well when it comes to designer denim. A lot of the designer jeans I tried on at that weight wouldn't fit well at the calves & were super long.
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