IN response to the above posts, some US department stores have teen sections (such as Nordstrom's has BP), but the teen sections will vary as well and I find even stores targeting the younger market to have really unshapely clothing as well (the youth in the US is quite sphere shaped & often generate their own gravitational fields to be honest). Also, often I find much of the teen clothing too cheaply made & flashy so it's hard to justify...but, then again in 10 more years I might not have a choice. I will need to wear tween clothing as this vanity sizes insanity continues.
Anyway, over the last few days I bumped into a few vanity sizing discussions:
I) This book came out recently:
American Women Didn't Get Fat in the 1950s And here is the corresponding blog:
50sdiet.com
The entire book touches on a few of the EXACT topics we frequently discuss up here on SGF so it was refreshing to find an author not calling slim ladies anorexic, agreeing that the BMI metric is a load of crap, and also saying that the "REAL women" slogans and love your curves and embrace fat rather than FACTS argument is a load of B.S. (I seriously wonder now if the author is among us up here! Even though the author is not SGF skinny omg her weightloss of only 16lb still made her look a decade younger and got herself far away from middle aged frumpiness--- so good for her! I only wish there was even MORE in her book, but at least she shares her blog!) Here is the vanity size part:
Click here With the caption:
2013 Sears Misses size "zero" equals 1950s Misses size 10-12!
II) Online vanity rants...are they are becoming more common? Here are a few gems I found while **trying** to take advantage of some online black Friday deals (since I generally must buy TALL pants online anyway....). I found an awesome one by a certain reviewer which of course I cannot locate now, but it inspired me to list some additional pieces of evidence that vanity sizes are out of control!!!
Banana Republic Pants ***note since this is a busy shopping season some of these items are out of stock so the links may no longer work, but trust me I directly copied and pasted these comments! I just left out the user names!)
(1) Won't be ordering these this year
I own a pair of these from 3 years ago, which I love, but the pair I ordered last year (same size as before) was completely unflattering, even after alterations to try to slim down the thigh area. The pants were just way too roomy in the hips and thigh area. Judging from the reviews this year, I will not be ordering these pants again. I am thin but do in fact have some curves-- the BR vanity sizing is just out of control, as noted elsewhere in the reviews. It doesn't have to be either/or: people can accept that they wear a larger size, and BR can make their items in a wider range of sizes. What is so hard about that?!
(2) Pretty good, better than "trouser fit" - agree, BR sizing has gone nuts
This vanity sizing is a joke. The pants labeled a size 0 should be labeled a 4. It is becoming impossible to find clothes that fit and BR is losing a lot of customers as a result.
(3) Too big - matronly
Review Comment:I am 5'6 and 122 pounds and size 0 is too big. They are too loose in the waist, hips, seat, and thighs so that they make me look larger than I am. Subsequently, these had a very matronly look. I am quite disappointed. Finding pants now that I've lost 28 pounds is proving to be almost impossible and I'm becoming very frustrated. Yet another pair of pants that I have to return. Sigh.
GAP (really the same company as BR though...)
The infamous
Long & Lean Jeans (note this is the pant of my previous rant from magically fitting an 6/8L to now a 2L 10+ years later but now even 2L isn't even available anymore! But apparently there IS a separate sizing guide for this and the curvy cut...although I have seen & heard comments that the Long & Lean cut will be/is discontinued..)
1)Great but need consistent sizing Review Date:10-22-2013
Review Comment:5'11'', 138 lbs, ordered 4 long. I can usually get away with the regular length since I almost never wear heels but I wanted to be sure with these. Very comfy, love the long and lean fit (please never get rid of this fit!) I am keeping them as my more lounge-y jean but if they came in 2 long or tall I would exchange. I really wish that Gap would get consistent with their sizing. You literally have to try on 3 sizes with every style. I do not feel better about myself buying a smaller size. Instead I get annoyed that I never know what size to buy. Please let the marketing-shrinks know.
2) Yech!Review Date:11-10-2013
Review Comment:Should be zero stars, but not an option. Ordered size 2 and fit like a size 14. Way to long. Bell bottom way too big. Highly recommend DO NOT order this jean.
Perfect Boot jeans:
1) Stop changing the fit !!!Review Date:11-03-2013
Review Comment:These jeans fit well at first but then bagged out. i'm 5'11", 140 lbs and had to order a 4L just to get them to fit correctly; I usually wear an 8Long. The wash makes them too casual for anything but everyday wear.
************Counter Argument************
But WAIT is GAP actually trying to UNDO it's damage? this person seems to thinks so...or maybe it's that just that confusing word "CURVY" being interpreted as a euphemism for an over-sized, wide load....
curvy boot jeans:
Review Comment:BEWARE: from last spring to this fall, Gap has definitely changed their sizing! I bought 3 pairs of curvy jeans in size 12 in April (I am curvy and 5'4") and they fit beautifully. This pair of size 12 was impossible to pull on. I would guess I'd now need a 14 or perhaps even a 16! I guess Gap is making room for people on the smaller end of sizing, but it would be excellent if sizing has changed for the website to make a note of it. Otherwise it's just pure guess work.
Were "Tailored" Shirts any better??...let's see...
New tailored chambray shirt
1) So thankful for TALL clothing!
Review Comment:This shirt is a pretty, super lightweight shirt. I'm 5'11 and about 160-165 for reference and I bought a small (honestly, I would have gotten the medium, but there were none left) and I'm SO glad I got the small, the medium would have been to big on me. I love this shirt for work and it would also be cute for more casual, paired with shorts or a maxi dress in the summer.
2) way too big Review Date:09-17-2013
Review Comment:I really wanted to like this shirt but it just didn't work. I'm 5'5 110lbs and I ordered an XS Petite. It was MASSIVE.
3) The Small Tall was for BIG girls.Review Date:04-17-2013
Review Comment:You get Small and it fits all over except the sleeves and length aren't long enough. Getting a Small tall was like getting a large and something longer. Sizing is WAY off.
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Anyway, long story short if these stores do not undo the vanity sizes I, probably not unlike some of these reviewers, will really only be able to shop there if I intend on wearing my pants baggy or with suspenders! Tall does not mean BIG and tall, and I'm pretty sure those on the average height and petite end of the spectrum would also appreciate differentiation in the smaller sizes instead of a "one small fits all" size "XS" or 00 that is meant for all those women who are actually slim to normal sized (not average...obviously the 'average' we see in many countries slides to the 'super-sized' side of the scale....)
In regard to 'tailored shirts', you know women's sizing is OUT OF CONTROL when yours truly can find better fits in XS extra SLIM sizing at
mens express rather than in women's clothing stores. The sleeves & shoulders fit and the shirt is NOT in the shape of a parachute.....
