"Waistline" vs. Actual Waistline

MinimalistShoeAddict
MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
in Chit-Chat
Thanks to the rise of vanity sizing we can no longer trust clothing labels and have a harder time ordering clothing online.

I hate vanity sizing as it hampers my ability to shop for clothes in a quick and efficient manner.

Who else wants to join me in boycotting Old Navy and some of the other worst offenders?

This problem applies to men just as much as women:
http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/pants-size-chart-090710

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Replies

  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Thanks for posting!
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Yeah, like I said, I can't even shop at old navy because the vanity sizing is so bad that the xs is too big for me. Vanity sizing is a pain when the smalls and extra smalls are too big. I would think the sizing should go smaller than it does.
  • julialdr
    julialdr Posts: 100 Member
    This drives me nuts!! I buy size 24 jeans but my waist is nowhere near 24 inches!!! LIES!!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I don't shop at Old Navy often but I went into a store the other day and put on a pair of skinny jeans (capris really) in my size and they were huge. I asked for the next size down, which they didn't have so she gave me 2 sizes down and they fit. I mentioned something to her about the size and she was like "oh ours sizes are good, not like the other stores".
    Right. I am no where near the "size" I can wear in that store. Doesn't make me feel better. It would actually make me feel worse to think that was my size and go to another store and go up 2 or 3 sizes.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Then why are my 32s from Old Navy snug on me? Shouldn't I be swimming in them?

    Although there is another pair I bought from Old Navy the same size, and those are in fact huge. But I don't know why the other isn't?
  • ecdce
    ecdce Posts: 129 Member
    I didn't believe my brother when he told me that men's sizing wasn't any more accurate than women's. I didn't believe him! I was like its a size 36 because its 36". Looks like he was right. I hate when he is right.
  • Mock_Turtle
    Mock_Turtle Posts: 354 Member
    yup, I was in for a bit of a shock the first time I went to buy a high quality pair of jeans .... the mall stuff like old navy, aero, etc are all very generous with their sizing.

    Alec - are the pants cut differently, ie relaxed vs slim?

    Where the tightness is matters. There are a variety of brands of jeans that if I were to try on a pair of 32's they'd be loose in the waist but they'd be tight in the thighs for me.
  • RunnerInVT
    RunnerInVT Posts: 226 Member
    Dont change Old Navy now I just got it figured out!! Lol. I dont wanna start over. I wonder how many zeros they are gonna use...maybe they like the number zeroooo.....maybe all the clothes will only have zeros because its a cool word...0 -00-000-0000..... or maybe no numbers...maybe letters...a -b-c...now that'll show us all.
  • leebesstoad
    leebesstoad Posts: 1,186 Member
    Want to know something else that'll drive you nuts? I wear a size 30 regular jean from The Gap very comfortably But I stopped at one of their outlet malls and they aren't even the same brand of jeans (it's like some sort of weird store with a Gap name slapped on). And their size 30 doesn't fit in several places. So jeans bought from the same "store", one the main store, one the outlet, fit entirely differently.
  • 00sarah
    00sarah Posts: 621 Member
    Completely agree with the OP! I don't shop at Old Navy... I couldn't even if I wanted to!
  • amybg1
    amybg1 Posts: 631 Member
    Hmm...Maybe I should go to GAP and see what my "true" size is? Old Navy's relartively close to me so I go there for jeans but lately find taht I'm going down a size VERY regularly
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
    I don't know... Gap and Old Navy are two brands of the same company. I have a 6 year-old pair of Gap jeans in size 31 that I outgrew last year (before MFP), so when I got some pants from Old Navy I had to get 32. If vanity sizing is that extreme I shouldn't have to move up a size. Maybe they vanity progression is not linear, larger sizes get inflated more that midrange ones.

    Last week I was shopping for a pair of Old Navy jeans. Since even my old 31" GAP jeans is now slightly loose, I though I could fit into an Old Navy 30". Wrong, I still have to wear size 31.
  • jimshine
    jimshine Posts: 199 Member
    I found the same problem with shirts at Casual Male XL.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I've always found Old Navy sizing to run small.

    And, no, I'm not boycottingover this. If something is cute and fits and is the right price, I will buy it.
  • faster_than_flash
    faster_than_flash Posts: 114 Member
    Don't even get girls started on underwear sizes.....

    I went to VS to get the gf some underwear and they said - is she a true small or a small? And I'm like....whatttttttttt?

    I guess there are different sizes within sizes!
  • nhradeuce
    nhradeuce Posts: 168 Member
    There's no doubt that vanity sizing exists, but I don't think it's conspiracy by the clothing companies and I think it does get worse with larger sizes. This probably has a lot more to do with were the clothes are being made and the quality of the clothes. Since I've dropped weight, my tape measured waist is right at 31". Everything I have bought that fits is a size 30", the 32" stuff I bought at Xmas time is all loose. I can wear it but I need a belt. This is pretty much across the board from shorts I bought at Old Navy to several brands of jeans at Kohls and even a pair of Dockers dress pants.
  • TitzMcGeez
    TitzMcGeez Posts: 104
    for me, the ONLY place I've been able to find a pair of pants/shorts that fit in the right size happens to be the PX. I've stopped going to Aero, Old navy ect because I end up having to try on 5 or 6 pairs before I find the right one :(
  • ScramblesDD
    ScramblesDD Posts: 22
    @minimalistshoeaddict on an unrelated note. What is your favorite minimalist shoe other than fingers, can't wear them in the Army? Follow up question, Is there a barefoot/minimalist running thread on here?
  • bikinisuited
    bikinisuited Posts: 881 Member
    This drives me nuts!! I buy size 24 jeans but my waist is nowhere near 24 inches!!! LIES!!

    100% agree. I wear 23/ 24 jeans in true religion, j brand and I am a waist size of 25.5-26. Old nanvy and banana repubic, double 00 don't fit to loose. It does make me feel better but what a bunch of bs and drives me insane crazy.
  • BurningAway
    BurningAway Posts: 279
    This is why i go to Aerie or G by guess lol
  • HappyNinjaStar
    HappyNinjaStar Posts: 353 Member
    Yeah, I was shocked last summer when I picked up a few items at Old Navy. I had some Medium tees and tanks from Old Navy from about 6 years previously, so I assumed their Mediums would be about the same. WRONG. The batch I got last year fits like Large or XL should fit. I'm definitely not XS, but according to Old Navy's new sizing I am... WTH?
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    This is great! Now I understand why every time I shop online at old navy I have to return it all. I need to be ordering 2 sizes down, at least!

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