Rant on American Clothing Sizes

Clothing sizes, at least American clothing sizes for women, have gotten ridiculous. RI-DIC-U-LOUS!!! I’ve just been shopping and I’m pulling my hair out. Some people blame “vanity sizing” - meaning clothing makers label a size 12 jeans as a size 6 to make the consumer feel better about their size and make them want to buy the jeans. As a sales tactic, I guess that is a possibility… and part of the reason for this rant. But I also think manufacturers are needing to readjust everything for the typical American form… which is quite large.

Everyone needs to be able to get clothes and I have absolutely no problems with large people. (Insert some of my best friends are large people statement here.) Plus size women can rock some fashionable clothes I’m thrilled that they can now be found easily. I know that decades ago, finding XL clothes that were trendy was next to impossible. And I can’t totally blame businesses because it makes good business sense to cater to this growing market (erg… pun was not intentional). But women on the smaller end of “regular” sizes are often left in the dust. And as a fully adult woman, I really don’t want to shop at “teen” stores or the children’s section.

Let’s be real here. The average american woman is now large… well, plus size, “curvy". I don’t know the politically correct wording any more. The average american woman is now a size 16-18. This was reported back in September in People magazine but I’m sure you can find it elsewhere too.

source: people.com...

American women are on average between a misses size 16-18, or what is considered a plus-size 20W, according to a new study in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education.

also

the project is based on the data that 67 percent of women in the United States wear a size 14 or higher.

I don’t have statistics for what things were like in the 90s, but when I was in high school, there were maybe two or three girls in the entire school of 300 students that were plus size and likely needed to find speciality plus size clothing (because it was, in fact, considered speciality clothing back then…) Most girls I remember were fairly fit, some a little skinny some a little pudgy, but all within a range that would fit into juniors or misses regular sizes. Now the majority - 67% - are plus size. (Actually, sorry if that is hyperbole. I'm not sure if size 14 is technically considered plus size or not... I think it is, but i'm not totally sure where the line is drawn. Probably varies by brand. Plus there is a 14w, which is definitely plus size, and also a 14 misses which is more like the high end of regular misses sizes.)

I have to wonder what it looks like at American high schools now. Are 2 out of 3 high school girls really "plus size"... where in my high school experience it was just around 1%? Or maybe it’s the older crowd *my generation and my parent's generation) that have gotten significantly larger over the years but and is pushing that statistic up — but Wow!

This is pretty concerning, but that is probably a different rant all together. This rant isn't about that statistic but rather about how clothing makers are dealing with the "new normal".

Clothing makers are making more plus size clothes - which is great and is clearly needed. But where does that leave people who were once a size medium and now need an XS? Or even XXS? Some manufactures even now make size 000 (which are really more like old-school size 6). I don’t even know what women who are truly XS do (like they wore an XS twenty years ago and are the same size now). I know some have to shop in the children’s department, but of course the length and appropriateness of the clothing is an issue. Some very expensive high fashion clothing still size old school, but few have the money for that. I know there are some Asian clothing makers that sell on Amazon and other outlets, but choices are limited… and few look “adult” or professional as they ones I have found seem to cater to a teen market.

I weigh exactly the same as I did in high school, which was 20 years ago now. Now I’m not saying I have the same body I did in high school. Haha! No. I don’t! I’ve had 3 kids and some medical issues since that time, so I certainly have some more lumps and scars than I did in high school and I'm 20 years older… but one would expect that I’d wear basically the same size, right? Do I? Nope. I wear THREE sizes SMALLER.

Why didn’t clothing makers just extend their sizes upwards and leave the lower half of sizes where they were at?

Slim women now face the same problem large women did 20 years ago… they can’t simply go into a store and find clothes that fit them. They have to buy online - which is a frustrating exercise too because so many clothing size charts are not accurate measurements. They need to find “speciality stores”.

I know this is a first-world problem, and not a big deal in the scheme of things. But it is annoying when you are trying to find a new pair of jeans. I’m sure women of EVERY size would appreciate more standardized clothing sizes… they should range from XS- infinityXL, size 2 (no more of this 00 and 000 crap) - 32 (or whatever, skies the limit on the upper end). This one aspect of our lives would be SO much easier of we could all agree that an X inch waist is a size X… and then manufacturers must cut the clothes to actually measure that way. Don’t try to add a few inches to make us feel good about buy a "smaller" size. If we are all about body positivity now, how about we all be body honest? Let's be size honest? If there truly is no shame in being a size 16 (or 6 or 26) how about we don't tinker with the measurements? How can positivity go hand in hand with vanity sizes?? I don't get it. If there is nothing “wrong” with being a size 16 (and, there isn’t, I’ve met many very attractive and healthy women in that size) then make a 16 a real 16….and make a 6 a real 6!

ARG!!! Sorry if this rant was all over the place. I’m really annoyed and my thoughts are kind of jumbled.

Do men have the same problem? My husband has grown in a bit in our years of marriage , but he still wears the same size... so I suspect there are some size shenanigans happening in the men's department as well.

Just buy mens clothing! Or tell those clothing manufacturers to stick it and make your own.

I can order pants online knowing they'll fit, because they're measured with a standard unit. Granted, the inch is a terrible measurement... but at least it *is* a standard.
Womens clothing sizes baffle me completely, and I'll never again try to understand them.

a reply to: lordcomac

They don't make men's clothing with a small enough waist... and even if they did, then the hips would likely be too small.

I like the way men's clothing sizes work, in theory, though.


ETA: I am seriously considering brushing up my sewing skills! Good suggestion.

There are many causes suggested for the (female) obesity epidemic dairy products, lack of physical activity, or growth hormones given to livestock or combinations thereof are among the many. Which ever it is something needs to be addressed and soon. It is a ticking health time bomb and a very poor reflection on the countries in which it is happening. The fact there is now a growing (heh) "fat acceptance movement" is a reflection of just how sick society is becoming.

I hear ya! What use to be a size 10 should now be called prem baby size to make us feel skinny. Yes the majority of people are getting fatter as it costs more money to eat healthy and most people lead a very sedantry life glued to their electronic device. Try growing your own food instead of going to the gym to get that slender frame, that's what I tell gym fanatics.
Anyway I hear your rant and second it.

Two things I have to say about this. Firstly, my wife. She tends to eat nothing but fresh, healthy things (as mentioned elsewhere, eastern European - the overly processed crap we're used to here makes her quite literally physically ill), exercises a fair amount and is just naturally small on top of that. The poor woman owns like 3 pairs of pants. Day long excursions to find jeans that fit yield nothing. God forbid anyone order her anything online or buy her clothes as a gift, it is a truly futile effort.

She's 25 years old and relegated to her 3 pairs of specially made jeans and maybe some of those cheesy as hell Walmart sweatpants that have some stupid crap scrawled up the leg when she decided she needs something new. To be fair, though, apparently that is now "going out" attire, at least where we are. Either way, she's not very happy about being stuck buying everything else in "XS" in the juniors section with virtually no other options.

Then there's me. Since I was 14 I've worn 36" x 32" pants and size XL shirts. My pants still fit, my shirts from 20 years ago still fit. Then I go shopping and while pants and boxers are all the same size, I havent bought anything smaller than a 3X in shirts in at least a year, maybe more. What the hell? I've gained no weight. My measurements are the same. Occasionally XL and 2X will fit when I first buy them buy holy hell they can't go anywhere near the dryer.

We need to rise up against the clothing tyrants.

a reply to: CulturalResilience

Yup I'm so glad they do not allow BGH in our foods in the UK nor any foods from abroad with it in.

Never understood womens sizes, knickers or bras or skirts no idea my brain just can not comprehend the numbers.
Do you not do XL or M ?

a reply to: Magnivea

I'm surprised she can even wear walmart anything! I don't even try finding clothes that fit at walmart, or the GAP. They are oversized like crazy.

originally posted by: TheKnightofDoom
a reply to: CulturalResilience

Yup I'm so glad they do not allow BGH in our foods in the UK nor any foods from abroad with it in.

Never understood womens sizes, knickers or bras or skirts no idea my brain just can not comprehend the numbers.
Do you not do XL or M ?

Some clothes (mostly t-shirts, sweats, etc.) are small, medium, large. Like a medium "back in the day" is now an XS. They aren't standardized in any way either, so different brands run differently.

Some clothes, like jeans and dresses, use numbers. Used to be sizes 6-14 were standard misses sizes. Now size 0-16 (or 00, or 000, depending on the brand). So a size 8 from yesteryear is a wearing a size 2 or 0 now. It's stupid.

And plus sizes are a different category of clothing all together with different measurements. I think they run 1x-3x (instead of small, medium, large) and then the jeans and dresses would be 14W - 24W (or higher or lower depending on brand).

It's so dumb.

You can't just say "I have a 25 inch waist and therefore need a size 25 jeans" ... that would be too simple.

a reply to: VegHead

I don't know if this is going to make you feel better but I kind of understand your rant. So hard to find my size of shoes.

Modern feminist dress sizes explained:
0-4 Unrealistic
4-14 Unobtainable
14-26 Healthy.
26 Plus Smashing the patriarchy.

a reply to: Trueman

OH SWEET BABY JESUS, SHOES. I've taken to wearing nothing but work boots and Vietnam era style jungle combat boots because it's im-frigging-possible to find shoes in my size. Found a pair of Skechers on Amazon for $45 that I liked so I figured screw it, I'll try the largest size they carry. They just barely fit. Then I put in the insoles I HAVE to use and it feels like someone is trying to strangle my feet. The price to have them made in my size? The cost of the shoes plus $50. Oh and shipping as well.

We must also rise up against the footwear tyrants.

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
Modern feminist dress sizes explained:
0-4 Unrealistic
4-14 Unobtainable
14-26 Healthy.
26 Plus Smashing the patriarchy.

Haha! Yes... you nailed it. I no longer qualify as a real woman.

originally posted by: CulturalResilience
There are many causes suggested for the (female) obesity epidemic dairy products, lack of physical activity, or growth hormones given to livestock or combinations thereof are among the many. Which ever it is something needs to be addressed and soon. It is a ticking health time bomb and a very poor reflection on the countries in which it is happening. The fact there is now a growing (heh) "fat acceptance movement" is a reflection of just how sick society is becoming.

I might have missed it... but where was the outrage and/or horror when news of the average American size was making the rounds back in September?

Most people seemed to think it was positive in some way ... size 20w women could now say they were "average" size. That is insane. That should be an outlier size.

Where was the public "wtf" at this news??

a reply to: VegHead

My biggest complaint about women's clothing is pants.

They make women's pants with a 30" inseam on average... my inseam length is 32-33. So I have a helluva time trying to find pants that don't make me look like I'm getting ready for the big flood.

I've spent my life in a house of women.
Having said that, female sizes have always been somewhat of a mystery.
Even sizes could be kids or Missus (Womens). Odd sizes are for Juniors (Teenagers?).
Shoe sizes are similar to Men's shoes only narrower and smaller by default.
Bras are a mystery with their strange ratio to chest size called "cups", especially what comes after "E" or "Double-D".

Oh we men find a great deal of variaince in the sizes S-M-L-XL-XXL-XXL-4XL and the inevitable "T" and " XT" crests.
But when we speak of sizes, all that our fashion-less minds can entertain are measurements of the tape in inches or centimeters according to our culture. So it's a 54 chest - how many "X"s do you need with that?.

ganjoa

a reply to: VegHead
OMGosh I wanna jump on your soap box!!!
Not only are the sizes changing…do we reallyneed 15 different types of sizes? Juniors, Misses, Womens, WHAT?!?! Aren’t we all female? I don’t buy anything without trying it on, so I usually just don’t buy anything.

a reply to: Magnivea
Yeah, I am also a big foot. Dainty little sandles in a 9 ½ or 10? Yeah right!

a reply to: CranialSponge
I’ve just adopted the highwater look and rock it! I guess women aren’t supposed to have long legs, URG!

And one more! Skinny pants! @#&%! Is anyones calves really that size!?! WTF!

My problem is that I'm short in a country where those who control fashion think we are all six feet tall with a ten-inch waist, or that we all wear high heels.

Men, generally, can get free tailoring. Women always have to pay.

There is a concerted and not at all subtle effort to try to control women by dictating what they must wear to be attractive.

Pay attention. If you're a man, you are fully accommodated and accepted however you look.

Women, on the other hand, must wear makeup, heels, scant clothing, be slim as a rail, and f*** like a nasty prostitute to be accepted.

a reply to: CranialSponge

long legs, and long arms, equal no clothes that fit. I get so p'd shopping.

But I don't really mind wearing a size 4 now. Never did that in high school, when I weighed 95 lbs. soaking wet. Now?
ehm. I weigh a bit more, but wear a smaller size? Sure.

It's fine if your store shopping, but try to order something online? Never works out well.

Hmmm, my complaint is arm length! How hard is it to understand that not every woman has arms that end up by her hips or something? Some of us have albatross wingspan arms and when we pick up a warm winter sweater, we want it to cover our whole arm, not look like a 3/4 length sleeve!

I keep having to buy men's shirts to get real long sleeves on anything.

Anyhow, carry on.