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The psychology of sizing women's clothing
Filed under: Just For Moms, Places To Go
Does your self-esteem have a direct relationship with the size of your pants? If so, you are not alone. Nearly all women are affected by the number on the label of their clothing. The bigger the number, the worse we are likely to feel. The small the number, well, that's fairly obvious. But the question is, does this number truly mean what we think it does? If the our pants are a size 8, what does that really mean? Are we thin, fit, curvy? Or could it be that the clothing industry has put one over on us all and that number is just a whim of the massive marketing machines?Some stores size their clothing to fit the vanity of their shoppers. For example, it is well known that clothing at The Gap is roomy and comfortable. To walk into a Gap store is to instantly lose 10 pounds. While you might be a size 12 in another store, a size 8 at The Gap will hug your hips while giving you ample room to move around and feel fabulous. "I can be a very happy 8 at the Gap, but just squeeze into an angry 12 at Club Monaco," says Berett Fisher, a New York mother and creative director. Naturally, she adds, "I don't go to Club Monaco that much anymore."
So does size really matter if it does not truly pertain to your body size? It sure does when you feel flattered enough to buy a pair of pants just because they read a smaller size than you thought you were. Is the clothing industry genius when it comes to flattery? Of course, but does it really matter if you look good?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
9-15-2006 @ 5:26PM
Maureen said...I don't know if a larger size would really put me off from buying an item of clothing. I've been roughly the same size since college -- except for during pregnancy. But, the stores seem to think I have drastically shrunk!
I must say that it is highly annoying. I can't really try on clothes anymore because of the two little ones constantly at my side, so I inevitably end up returning lots of things. The thing is that there is no uniformity to sizing and that stinks. I might be a size 2 at Old Navy and a size 6 in some other store.
I envy my husband. He can buy almost any size 36 pants and 99% of the time they will fit.
Why can't we women get over this issue and demand more uniformity in sizing! My husband is always laughing about women's sizes anyway... the numbers don't really mean anything.
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9-15-2006 @ 5:31PM
Amanda. said...I fall victim to "vanity sizing". I almost bought a pair of pants at the Gap because they were a size 4. I couldn't really afford them and I didn't really like them but they were a size four and I could fit into them!
I freaked out once when I thought I had bought a pair of size 6 pants (and felt good ALL day wearing the size 6's) until later realized they were a size 8. I went from stud to dud in like 2 seconds upon realizing the size difference. I suck.
I bought a dress for Halloween at a retro shop a few years back. It was authentic circa 1970's. I was 5'7", 120 pounds (ultra skinny) and I had to squeeze myself into a size 12! That means a size 4-6 now was a size 12 in the '70's!!!!! ACK!
http://officiallyamom.blogspot.com/2006/05/blog-entry-in-which-i-confess-to-being.html
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9-15-2006 @ 7:45PM
Lil Liberal said...I hate vanity sizing. I never know what size I can wear--and since I have an unusual inseam, I have to buy all my clothes online. (37" inseam, anyone?) So when I fall for vanity sizing, I have to return the too-large clothing.
One would think that stores that have the "measurement chart" up online would accurately reflect the sizes. But noooo. The "size three" is always more like a size 5, and so on.
I like uniformity in sizing. I'll take men's sizes anyday. They just have to worry about the slight variations between black and blue jeans of the same dimensions.
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9-16-2006 @ 10:17PM
Thomas Bailey said...The British Standards Institute is addressing this problem with BS-EN 13402, which calls for a pictogram with actual measurements. Work began in 1996, drafted in 2003, and should be ready for retail by the end of 2006/early 2007. I was ready for the new labels in January 1983, as my URL indicates. I myself do not have a problem being a size 108, which will happen if the new labels are released
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9-16-2006 @ 5:55AM
pbhj said...Quote: "I envy my husband. He can buy almost any size 36 pants and 99% of the time they will fit."
That's because it's not "size 36" it's 36 inch (about 91cm). It usually works, just some companies don't appear to be able to measure!
I hate S/M/L type sizing however: I treated myself to new underpants recently (we're poor OK, it's a big treat). I got mens mediums as usual and, shall we say, the "cup" size is tiny. Has Tesco (UK Supermarket) started vanity sizing mens pants!!?
Back to the thread, why is it so nice for women to be lied to about their size. If you know you're so fat and someone tells you you're not that fat, why is that nice?
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9-16-2006 @ 12:50PM
Brenda said...Have you noticed that in the men's department there is no "Plus size" there is no "petite". Pants are grouped by waist size and then in each size you find different in-seams. Sure some cuts flatter different people, some brands fit different shapes, BUT they have choices and are not stigmatized. No tag says "Wow! Your a 46" waist and a 28" inseam (or whatever) you're wider than you are tall fatty" (I have to shop Petite Plus Size because I am 5'2" BUT I am a large C cup even when I am skinny, and I have big hips. Add in the extra 20lbs I am carrying around and even petite plus sizes don't like me)
Yes I know that some men have to shop in Big and Tall stores. And I happen to know button down shirt sizing sucks because all they go on is neck size and many a man with a large neck does not need a shirt big enough to fit a double-wide trailer.
Why is it that women's pants cost MORE and yet do not come in different lengths. I have had to hem every pair of pants I have even owned because even petite pants are too long.
And for all of you who were a size 2, but them became a size 0 because they changed the sizes, and are now a -2 because of vanity sizes. I'm sticking up for you too!
What's with women's clothing? Can we not just go by inches? Don't even get me started on why women's clothing costs 50%+ more then men's!
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9-17-2006 @ 1:47AM
Sarah said...Well, many of us smaller gals are finding that a size 2 is really a size 6 at many places, leaving us to find the few stores that offer true size 2s or 0s or even the 00 of Abercrombie. I'm not flattered, I'm annoyed!!
And, as a vintage clothing fanatic, I'm always humored when I buy myself a new vintage pattern - I'm a size 12 or 14 in the WWII era of sizing.
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