Vanity sizes over the last decade

You are right -vanity sizes keep getting smaller.

It's so ridiculous!

About 20 years ago I was the exact same size/weight I am now - and back then I was a size 6 or 8.

Now I'm a 2 or 4.

Soon we'll all be wearing negative sizes!

Actually, as a seamstress, I can help answer that! Fact is, sizes of clothing have changed drastically over the last several decades. Ready-made clothing (what you get off the rack at stores), come from patterns made to appeal to the masses, and over the last several decades have adjusted themselves to fit the majority of the people who shop in those places. Back in the earlier part of the 20th century, getting clothing tailor-made was still rather common practice, but when pre-made sewing patterns became available, the sizes were based on what the average woman was, and then could be altered to fit each client. As it became more economic to buy clothes that were made in factories, manufacturers had to figure out sizes that would fit the majority without significant alteration on the buyer's behalf. Over the years, the sizes have adjusted to fit the average woman of the time; if this weren't the case, the sizes of 1930 would still be in effect and we'd have adult skirts with 20" waists!

One great example I have to illustrate this is a vintage pattern from the early 70's that is a size 14, but requires a petite 26" waist. Had vanity sizing been the culprit and the first size numbers kept as the standard (the ones taken by the US government during WWII), nobody would be a single-digit size and we'd all be wearing sizes 30-something and up hahah

What makes people declare "vanity sizing" is more to do with the custom sizes offered by various retailers. For example, Torrid, a plus-size goth-light store, starts their sizes at 1 and goes up, even though in other stores that 1 becomes a 14. This is not vanity sizing. What this is is catering to the average customer who shops there. Even though the average American woman is between a size 10 and 14 in most mass-production retailers (Walmart, Target, Sears, etc), private companies will set their own size guidelines to suit the average that shops with them. For Torrid, the smallest they cater to is a 14, but since they only cater to 14 and larger, it's easier for their pattern makers to simply start their pattern sets at 1, 2, 3, and up. The same applies to stores like Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, and private boutiques you'll find most in California and NYC. Their sizes run significantly *smaller* than average because the majority of their customers are that size, and so what is a 4 in American Eagle may be a 0 or 1 at Walmart.

Fact of the matter is, from 1994 to 2014, the average American woman has changed in both height and weight. "Petite" jeans used to fit 5'3" and under, but now on someone shorter than 5'5" there will be quite a lot to be hemmed. In the last 20 years since the average weight has also gone up across the board, pattern makers for the ready-made clothing in nationwide chains has had to adjust to the people. At the rate of your weight loss, depending on your body's unique proportions, you may very well fit a 4 by the average retailers at 135lbs

I hope this helps clear some confusion!

Okay, but they SOUND good!

Okay, but they SOUND good!

totally!! :laugh:

What boggles my mind more is the fact that sizes vary so dramatically from brand to brand. Some stores I can wear a small, some I'm an XL. I don't get it. Of course you can guess which store I prefer to shop at :laugh:

Yes, I have this problem, too! I was a little confused by what some were writing, but what I've heard and experienced is that clothes are sized larger now. I haven't been the size I am in a long time, maybe never. I truly have no idea what my size is, because I swim in size Small from some places, while others' size Small fit fine. I guess I'm safe in S or XS for tops. BUT, for bottoms, I can fit into anything between a 0 and a 4. So, basically, I have to try on things in multiple sizes. I'm older than you, and I'm definitely not comfortable in Junior clothing styles. I'm too tall for Petite sizing. After finally losing weight, who'd think you STILL can't find something that fits

I was thinking about this too the other day. I found in my closet a dress I bought around '91. Its an Ann Taylor dress and still nice and wearable. I remember buying it to go on a date with my boyfriend at the time to celebrate our 1 year anniversary. Anyway, I tried it on and it fit perfect. Its a size 10. Dresses that I bought more recently that fit the same are a size 6. When I went shopping for pants last weekend I bought a size 2. I know that when I was thinner back in the day I wore larger than a size 2 pant. It sounds good, but too bad I know the truth. ha ha...

This website is fascinating and really useful - you put in your bust/waist/hip measurements and it will chart what size would fit you best from the given measurements of clothing shops - you can choose from US and UK. I've had it bookmarked for a long time
It's from 2012 though so sizes could even have changed since then... :ohwell:

http://sizes.darkgreener.com/

Wow that website is great! I've now bookmarked it as well. :flowerforyou: They don't have H&M/Primark but still a good guide for a lot of places.

And Sanniefoxx - very interesting post! :flowerforyou:

The vanity sizing is bad enough. The fact that there is no standard is worse.

There is really no point to even having sizes if people can't know what they mean.