Vanity sizing and clothing fit.

RealWorldStrengthLLC
RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone get annoyed by vanity sizing? It's ridiculous, especially for men because our sizes are supposed to be actual measurements. Where I wear my pants is a 38-39, yet a lot of my pants are 36, I even have a pair of Levi's athletic fits in 34s.

I also have a hard time finding clothes that fit in the shoulders and waist/ waist legs. If I buy a flannel that fits my shoulders and arms it's huge in the waist area and I have to get it tailored. I have a hard time finding jeans/pants that fit too, yesterday I went to find a pair of joggers and everything that fit in the waist was extra tight on the thighs, if I got it to fit the thighs it was super loose on the waist. The only jeans I can wear are the loose fit or athletic fit, everything else is a skinny jean even when it's not supposed to be.

Rant over
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Replies

  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I feel like I've just gotten so used to this over the past 20+ years that it doesn't even bother me all that much anymore. It is a big reason I don't buy a ton of clothing online, though, because I prefer to try things on. I've always had like 6-8 different sizes in my closet, whether in plus sizes or now in misses and juniors sizes.

    I have heard a lot of people say this is only a women's clothing issue but it sounds like it's a thing for men too (my husband agrees).
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    It can be a pain. I thrift shop and I basically shop the whole rack in every size because it being a certain size and actually fitting is a loose correlation at best, lol. Since some clothes are older, and are from all kinds of brands, they're going to be more or less vanity-sized.

    Jeans are probably the worst to find a fit because there are so many different cuts. I have generally large legs in both the thigh and the calf so a lot of jeans will fit like a skinny. I like the boyfriend cut jeans to actually get a loose leg while fitting in the waist. I generally don't wear jeans, though.
  • etherealanwar
    etherealanwar Posts: 465 Member
    Yeah this is common nowadays and can even happen within the same brand. Like others, I have to try on everything before buying and rarely purchase jeans/pants online.
  • New_Heavens_Earth
    New_Heavens_Earth Posts: 610 Member
    cheryldumais wrote: »
    Yup, what is doubly frustrating is that every store is different. They all want ot sell to you online but how do you know what size to order??? Bugs the heck out of me.

    Especially online. I try to go by the suggested size according to my measurements, but even that's off. US sizes are almost always 2 sizes larger everywhere else , so the head game isn't always fun. I'm very reluctant to anymore due to too many misses.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited October 2019
    Yes it drives me crazy especially because I like buying things online. I don't have much time to "go shopping" in real life. But how do I know what size to order? I just recently sized up one on a 3 pack of shirts and they are still skin tight. I don't understand. Since when does a size 8ish woman need to order an XL or XXL in shirts?
  • _BlahBlah_BlackSheep_
    _BlahBlah_BlackSheep_ Posts: 2,148 Member
    Inconsistent sizing combined with a non-traditional body type (tall, slim, long limbs, broad shoulders but narrow waist and small chest) is the reason I can't order clothes online. I can go in a single store and try on 10 dresses and find things that fit in anything from a 0-10 - or nothing that fits at all. What fits in one brand won't fit in another, even when the style of the item is pretty much the same.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    no, i'm short with wide hips and shoulders. nothing fits. so i know my measurements and mostly go by those. it has made life easier
  • liaoverbrook
    liaoverbrook Posts: 108 Member
    I find it hard to size up, like if I know in jeans from shop X are one size, I feel like I need to get them in the same size, even if they are too small.

    I'm forever ordering online in what I view as my default clothing size and when they get here depending on what it is, I could have sized down or up twice.
  • RealWorldStrengthLLC
    RealWorldStrengthLLC Posts: 552 Member
    For men it's also the skinny craze that drives me nuts finding stuff. I have a friend who's mid thigh measures the same as my upper arm, we are pretty close to the same height too. Everything seems made for either overweight people or super skinny people, there's not much middle ground for even slightly athletic men in clothing where the shoulders chest are bigger than the waist when it comes to tops or squatter/cycling thighs with bottoms.

    I was so thankful when Levi's came out with the athletic fit jeans a few years back. I reccomend them to anyone who lifts, you get low rise jeans with a taper that actually fit the thighs and the waist off the rack.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    edited October 2019
    Yes, some size small shirts or fleece are still WAY too big for me. 20 years ago when I was the exact same weight, I was wearing a medium. I'm having a hell of a time with dress shirts lately. I have to get a slim fit, and only certain brands that tend to run slim. And even then it feels like lately they are feeling more baggy in the abdomen and could use a tailoring...

    I bought quite a bit of stuff while I was on vacation in Europe since the cuts and sizes available were more friendly.
  • rdthoms
    rdthoms Posts: 61 Member
    We are working with a company that makes clothes to fit your size (i.e., no size numbers/measurements). It is a big problem in the industry because the size numbers are not consistent. So you wear X size in brand A and Y size in brand B. In reality you should get "your size" no matter what brand. Fun fact, there is a fitness application spin-out from this called MyShape.FITNESS (google it) that will build your body shape from just 3 measurements. Try it out - you can track your shape over time.
  • Vune
    Vune Posts: 674 Member
    All I wanted was a plain, crew neck t-shirt. No weird cuts, no pockets, no embellishments. At 5'6", 135lbs, even the extra small of the only plain t-shirts at Kohls were too big. I am not extra extra small. I don't even bother with pants because they're never cut for my shape.
  • sljohnson1207
    sljohnson1207 Posts: 818 Member
    @rdthoms Something is wrong with that software. It takes your gender, height and weight, chest and waist measurements only? Then guesses the rest of your measurements. It's incredibly off for me in almost every measurement it guesses like neck, hips, thigh, calf, forearm, and bicep. Seems like a wonderful idea if you could input all of your current measurements.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,075 Member
    Even before I put on the extra weight, my size would range from a 2-6 depending on the brand/store.

    And apparently women aren't supposed to have any muscles at all, because buying shirts and suit jackets is nearly impossible without major alterations. By the time they fit my shoulders (which are broad) and aren't cutting off circulation to my hands, they are HUGE around my mid-section - and I'm still a ways from my goal weight!

    Same issue with pants and my thighs. And it's not the fatty top part of my thighs, it's like mid-thigh where things get too tight.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    sljohnson1207 wrote: »
    @rdthoms Something is wrong with that software. It takes your gender, height and weight, chest and waist measurements only? Then guesses the rest of your measurements. It's incredibly off for me in almost every measurement it guesses like neck, hips, thigh, calf, forearm, and bicep. Seems like a wonderful idea if you could input all of your current measurements.

    It would be awesome to have shoulder and bicep measurements for sure! Those are always my sticking points. I wear a whole size down in dresses without sleeves vs. with, lol.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't think it's so much a vanity sizing thing for me. I have a round booty and most guys are pretty flat assed...so it's more of a cut thing for me. Guys pants aren't cut for a booty. If I wear more fitted trousers or jeans I have to get the stretchy material..otherwise I have to wear relaxed fit jeans. I've torn the *kitten* out of 4 pairs of otherwise perfectly fitting dress pants in the past couple years. Part of that is genetic (always have had a booty), but I'm sure things have been enhanced from cycling and lifting.
  • youngmomtaz
    youngmomtaz Posts: 1,075 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    Yes it drives me crazy especially because I like buying things online. I don't have much time to "go shopping" in real life. But how do I know what size to order? I just recently sized up one on a 3 pack of shirts and they are still skin tight. I don't understand. Since when does a size 8ish woman need to order an XL or XXL in shirts?

    And on the flip side I am a pretty solid size 12(I was size 12 20years ago too in high school but for some reason mom of the stuff I have in a box fits right now, vanity sizing sucks!). But as a size 12, sometimes 10, I often buy small shirts. Usually in the cheaper brands that size xs, s, m, l, xl. But it just makes me wonder what the truly smaller sized people are supposed to wear when I am buying up all the smalls and and an xs will fit someone who is a size 6-8??

  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    I was shaped like Kim Kardashian waaaaay before it was popular. I made all my pants cause it was so much easier than shopping and then altering. It’s so much easier for me to shop now. I completely understand the frustration. Thank goodness I don’t live it anymore.
  • Danp
    Danp Posts: 1,561 Member
    edited October 2019
    I honestly don't know how you do it. It would drive me absolutely insane. I get shirty with arbitrary S, M, L, XL, etc sizing in men's clothing but at least our pants come in inch/cm waist measurements and our shirts come in inch/cm collar measurements (which is actually a pretty reliable indicator of fit).

    You all need to start a revolution. Flatly refuse to buy clothing that comes in dumb made up size numbers and only shop at stores that implement a standard universal system.
  • wendyheath32
    wendyheath32 Posts: 74 Member
    I range fr9m a UK size 10 to size 16 at times. Even though my measurements are a UK size 12. I tend to shop for fit rather then number on the label as I find it doesn't matter much. Find clothes you like and like how they fit regardless of dress size.
  • koalathebear
    koalathebear Posts: 236 Member
    I check my measurements against the size guides as the sizes vary. For instance, I seem to be a 10 in Cue clothing but an 8 for brands like Veronika Maine. Then there's also reconciling US sizing with AU/UK sizing. It's all very challenging - but thankfully measurements make life easier.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    When shopping in a store I take 2 sizes to try on. Sometimes the vanity sizing is ridiculous!

    It doesn't help that I still have clothing dysmorphia at times. That's when I pick up an item and hold it, it looks too small, but it is not.

    I'm tall, but on the smaller side so sometimes clothes are too short in length or in the arms (I shop in the juniors).

    Plus I have a larger hip to waist ratio so that can be challenging as well, but thankfully I have found ways around both. For example, I get non-stretchy clothes tailored to fit my figure so I normally go up a size.

    Shopping online can also be challenging. But I love the variety and options so I take my chances and I use their measurement guides. I tend to look at the return/exchange policy even before I look at the clothes.
  • New_Heavens_Earth
    New_Heavens_Earth Posts: 610 Member
    youcantflexcardio wrote: »
    For men it's also the skinny craze that drives me nuts finding stuff. I have a friend who's mid thigh measures the same as my upper arm, we are pretty close to the same height too. Everything seems made for either overweight people or super skinny people, there's not much middle ground for even slightly athletic men in clothing where the shoulders chest are bigger than the waist when it comes to tops or squatter/cycling thighs with bottoms.

    I was so thankful when Levi's came out with the athletic fit jeans a few years back. I reccomend them to anyone who lifts, you get low rise jeans with a taper that actually fit the thighs and the waist off the rack.

    Try looking for "athletic cut" jackets and pants. They're roomier in the thigh, chest, and shoulders. It's the only cut that fits my son without being too baggy like a relaxed cut.
  • rdthoms
    rdthoms Posts: 61 Member
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    sljohnson1207 wrote: »
    @rdthoms Something is wrong with that software. It takes your gender, height and weight, chest and waist measurements only? Then guesses the rest of your measurements. It's incredibly off for me in almost every measurement it guesses like neck, hips, thigh, calf, forearm, and bicep. Seems like a wonderful idea if you could input all of your current measurements.

    It would be awesome to have shoulder and bicep measurements for sure! Those are always my sticking points. I wear a whole size down in dresses without sleeves vs. with, lol.

    @sljohnson1207 & @RelCanonical: Thanks for the feedback. There are development plans to allow specification of additional measurements. It is a trade-off between ease-of-use and customization. For fitness, using the basic measurements should give reasonable results and the key is to watch the trends over time. Obviously for clothes sizing all measurements need to be taken into account. Besides the measurements did the avatar look reasonable?
  • umbramirror
    umbramirror Posts: 256 Member
    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    Yeah, I wonder about this, too. When I was in college (over 20 years ago), I weighed less than I do now, and was a solid size 6 in almost every brand. Now, about 10 pounds heavier than that...I'm wearing a size 2 in a lot of brands. I see plenty of women who are slimmer than me and wonder how they buy clothes that fit. I could stand to lose a few more pounds, but honestly, part of why I don't is worrying about finding clothes. I need professional clothes for work, so shopping in the children's section would not be an option.

    I wonder the same thing as well. I don't understand how I am a 0 or even sometimes 00 in pants/jeans and an XS in tops, when at this size I was probably a 2-4 in high school, still wearing an XS top. I can barely find clothing that fits me now, with everything being too large. I'm lucky to find tops that fit me that I'm not swimming in. I also see other women that are smaller than me and honestly wonder where they buy their clothing. Junior sections, perhaps? I would love some input about this so maybe I can find new stores to shop for clothes...
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    youngmomtaz wrote: »
    hesn92 wrote: »
    Yes it drives me crazy especially because I like buying things online. I don't have much time to "go shopping" in real life. But how do I know what size to order? I just recently sized up one on a 3 pack of shirts and they are still skin tight. I don't understand. Since when does a size 8ish woman need to order an XL or XXL in shirts?

    And on the flip side I am a pretty solid size 12(I was size 12 20years ago too in high school but for some reason mom of the stuff I have in a box fits right now, vanity sizing sucks!). But as a size 12, sometimes 10, I often buy small shirts. Usually in the cheaper brands that size xs, s, m, l, xl. But it just makes me wonder what the truly smaller sized people are supposed to wear when I am buying up all the smalls and and an xs will fit someone who is a size 6-8??

    Yeah, I wonder about this, too. When I was in college (over 20 years ago), I weighed less than I do now, and was a solid size 6 in almost every brand. Now, about 10 pounds heavier than that...I'm wearing a size 2 in a lot of brands. I see plenty of women who are slimmer than me and wonder how they buy clothes that fit. I could stand to lose a few more pounds, but honestly, part of why I don't is worrying about finding clothes. I need professional clothes for work, so shopping in the children's section would not be an option.

    Some brands have size 00 and double zero, and I think some are going to come out with 000.

    The wikipedia article on vanity sizing is pretty neat when comparing sizes. Look at the "standard sizing measurements" section to see how much we've vanity sized. A standard size 8 in 1958 is the equivalent to a 00 today.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_sizing

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