Jeans from the 80s vs Jeans from today
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There's also a thing called "ease" which can many,many inches in some clothing patterns. Like the item is made for a size X but is meant to fit a certain way, not just to the inch size of the person's body.3
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MelanieCN77 wrote: »There's also a thing called "ease" which can many,many inches in some clothing patterns. Like the item is made for a size X but is meant to fit a certain way, not just to the inch size of the person's body.
This. Unless you want your clothes painted on, the measurement of the jean is not going to be the measurement of the actual person.1 -
While vanity sizing is a thing, these aren't apples to apples comparisons. Even numbers and odd numbers for sizing indicate missy vs juniors. They are cut differently, one for a woman’s body and one for a teen. No matter if your weight stays the same, it's more likely than not that your body will change shape as you age and you won't fit items from a decade ago. As they say, ”thing may have shifted during flight.”
And different brands will fit you differently than others. Because of cut, style, angles, etc. I can’t fit J Crew pants. I have to size way up at Banana Republic. Loft I size down. Designer stuff I have to go way up, except for Kate Spade, etc.3 -
It's a clever marketing technique.
Clothing companies are not avoiding hurting your feelings. They want to flatter you...make you think that you fit into a smaller size than you thought possible. Then, you will be so happy that you will buy more clothes.7 -
I'm surprised you have pants from the 1980's still. I think my oldest clothing item is a sweatshirt from 1996ish.
Size numbers have always been kind of useless. I do think jeans from back then were higher up on the waist and not stretchy so that may make the sizes different not just vanity.
I don't remember what size pants I wore in the 1980's. I was really thin and had trouble getting things that fit well I remember. Boy's pants seemed to fit my body shape better. Maybe I had narrow hips?
A previous thread on vanity sizing with waist measurements being off looked like it depended on brand how badly off they are-
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/992561/i-hate-vanity-sizing
Does the stated waist measurement of the pants that fit you match your current waist measurement?
Oh I found those old jeans in my Mom's closet when she died 10 years ago. They brought back memories for me thinking I was such a cow in high school buying a size 34!!! I now understand I was really not all that heavy but you know teenagers and how hard they can be on themselves. So I just hung onto them because they made me giggle. I even made a friend put them on once.
I just took a waist meaurement - 37 inches! But I am more bottom heavy with wider hips and thighs. So no the new jeans don't match my waist measurement.1 -
I found some of my moms old size 6 skirts and dresses and they fit like a glove. However, in todays sizing I fit into 0/2.1
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Vanity sizing is a thing -- I have my first serious interview suit, and it's an 8, and even when current 6s are loose on me and I'm in 4 on the bottom that jacket is a bit tight. I think it's more like a 4 would be now.
However, even with current sizes the cut of the jeans matters. I wear a smaller size in low cut/hip hugging jeans than high waisted, since my hips are proportionally smaller than my waist. (Also, if I can never wear high waisted jeans again, that would be great -- not a good fashion choice, 80s!)
I also remember lying on the bed to zip up my jeans in high school, heh.2 -
I have a pair of size 10 Gap jeans from the 80s that were in a box for many years. I can wear them now, comfortably. If I go to the store to try on pants, I usually need a size 4. Except for running clothes, when I still wear a medium. I hate shopping and would love to do more mail order, but without trying on clothes, I have no idea what size to order. I find it very frustrating.2
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While vanity sizing is a thing, these aren't apples to apples comparisons. Even numbers and odd numbers for sizing indicate missy vs juniors. They are cut differently, one for a woman’s body and one for a teen. No matter if your weight stays the same, it's more likely than not that your body will change shape as you age and you won't fit items from a decade ago. As they say, ”thing may have shifted during flight.”
And different brands will fit you differently than others. Because of cut, style, angles, etc. I can’t fit J Crew pants. I have to size way up at Banana Republic. Loft I size down. Designer stuff I have to go way up, except for Kate Spade, etc.
They are not all apples to oranges. Some of them ARE apples to apples. You are welcome to come over to my house and see my closet. I have clothes from the 90’s from banana republic and jcrew and gap. I still fit in them comfortably. If I shop their same size now, they would swim on me.
They HAVE reduced their sizes.
I guess vanity sizing works psychologically on some as there are people here disputing this is a thing and in complete denial. A size 2 now is really a size 00. They have gone down two sizes in the last 20years. So if you are a size “2”, it means you are a six really.
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While vanity sizing is a thing, these aren't apples to apples comparisons. Even numbers and odd numbers for sizing indicate missy vs juniors. They are cut differently, one for a woman’s body and one for a teen. No matter if your weight stays the same, it's more likely than not that your body will change shape as you age and you won't fit items from a decade ago. As they say, ”thing may have shifted during flight.”
And different brands will fit you differently than others. Because of cut, style, angles, etc. I can’t fit J Crew pants. I have to size way up at Banana Republic. Loft I size down. Designer stuff I have to go way up, except for Kate Spade, etc.
They are not all apples to oranges. Some of them ARE apples to apples. You are welcome to come over to my house and see my closet. I have clothes from the 90’s from banana republic and jcrew and gap. I still fit in them comfortably. If I shop their same size now, they would swim on me.
They HAVE reduced their sizes.
I guess vanity sizing works psychologically on some as there are people here disputing this is a thing and in complete denial. A size 2 now is really a size 00. They have gone down two sizes in the last 20years. So if you are a size “2”, it means you are a six really.
I try on jeans everywhere I go...cheap, pricey, mid range. Just to see what size I may be now (60 pounds down). In general, I am a size 4, sometimes a 6, depending on the cut of the jeans I guess. But I feel pretty confident saying I am a size 4 (dresses also are primarily a 4). I went to Old Navy the other day and tried on shorts in a size 4 and they hung off of me. Even a 2 was baggy. There is no where in this universe that I am actually a size 2 haha. So weird how they vanity size. I mean, I know I'm not a 2. I remember what a size 2 looked like many years ago. Wearing a size 2 doesn't make me feel any better about myself! Who are they trying to kid?6 -
it will depend on the rise. low, ultra low, mid, high waist. in the eighties, we had one rise, 'high' which acutally sat at your waist. a low will sit around your hips which are several inches wider than your waist so the 'waistband' must be bigger to accommodate the hip. so no, waist size will not be accurate.
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You can pull 3 pairs of jeans from different brands off the rack today and they'll all fit differently. For women. My husband can wear any pants marked with his waist, never tries on anything!
A waist number like 32 refers to the size of waist tbey are designed to fit, not the fabric measurement. There is a difference. Anyone who sews will understand!
This makes so much sense and it never occurred to me before (not a sewer)3 -
I buy a lot of vintage clothes (not just jeans) and have gotten used to the idea that I am still plus sized in vintage, wearing everything from 12-18...even though in "modern clothing" I can often wear 8 and always 10. It's nuts.
Jeans especially though...the REAL original mom jeans are so triangle shaped. The ones you get now at Madewell and such, much comfier even though they have a similar look. Definitely not the same cut (thankfully)!1 -
GOT_Obsessed wrote: »Oh yeah, and those old jeans did not stretch lIke they do thsee days. You often layed on the bed to pull them on. Lol
I never laid on the bed to put on my jeans. It's quite beyond me how some people find it comfortable to wear pants that tight. I have never understood that. I despise the stretchy jeans sold today - I want 100% cotton denim jeans. Those are the best, for me.4 -
I've given up on sizes nowadays. I only buy clothes from sites who offer free unlimited returns. When I go to a store, regardless of the brand, I grab 3 sizes in each piece of clothing I want to try on (the one I think is right, one bigger and one smaller ). I have mediums to xl in my closet (sometimes all from the same store!). I have vintage size 14 dresses that fit me like a modern medium. It gives the dressing room attendants more of a headache but it only takes me about 5 extra minutes to try on a few more sizes anyway.3
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doittoitgirl wrote: »I've given up on sizes nowadays. I only buy clothes from sites who offer free unlimited returns. When I go to a store, regardless of the brand, I grab 3 sizes in each piece of clothing I want to try on (the one I think is right, one bigger and one smaller ). I have mediums to xl in my closet (sometimes all from the same store!). I have vintage size 14 dresses that fit me like a modern medium. It gives the dressing room attendants more of a headache but it only takes me about 5 extra minutes to try on a few more sizes anyway.
I do this too. My closet is a mishmash of sizes and everything fits. When I go jeans shopping is probably the worst because I grab an 8, 10, and 12 in each style to see what works best and even with the same cut and brand you can't be totally sure sometimes!
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It may not be “vanity” sizing, but designers and manufacturers are having to make sizes larger so they actually fit the majority of the population. If we go back to when a 12 is like an 8 today, how would most people find clothes to wear? The most popular size is now a 12. Would that be like a 16 from the 80s? So what’s a 14 or 16?
I have lost 60 lbs and have started trying on size 8 pants/jeans to see if I’m down another size. Most are fitting well. Today I tried on a 8/29 jeans and they were too big! Eye rolll. There is no way I should be wearing a size 6! I’m still overweight by 3.8 lbs according to the BMI charts. It actually made me annoyed.4 -
Today I wore an old denim skirt that I had put away when I gained weight back in the late 80’s. It’s a 16 and the waist was a bit tight even though the hips fit smoothly. I have another denim skirt in the same style that is fairly new. It’s a 12 and fits the same as the older 16.4
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I think the biggest difference from 80’s jeans to currrent jeans is that they added stretch (Lycra, elastane, etc.) I’m wearing size 2 jeans and I’m 47 and have had three kids. I’m also about 20lbs heavier than the 80’s when I was wearing juniors 5/6-7/8. Stores have recently started carrying all cotton jeans again. I’m sure I will be a wearing a bigger size in those. The most important thing to remember is no matter what the size tag says the item should fit you well. Who cares what size it is if you look great?! I do miss being able to gauge progress via size though. Sigh.2
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