Weird: inverse vanity sizing

Parent Cafe
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<p>Presumably, most people know about vanity sizing (example here: [Pants</a> Size Chart - Mens Pant Sizes by Brand - Esquire](<a href=“http://www.esquire.com/blogs/mens-fashion/pants-size-chart-090710]Pants”>Pants Size Chart - Mens Pant Sizes by Brand) ) where the label reports a smaller size than the actual size (easier to see with men’s trousers and shorts that are labeled in sizes that are supposedly waist size in inches).</p>

<p>But I did find some shorts where the actual measurement was 2" smaller than the label size (e.g. “32” on the label actually was 30" around the waist). Meanwhile, some other type of shorts from the same brand was honestly sized (i.e. “30” means 30" around the waist). This was verified with a tape measure and laying the two different shorts next to each other.</p>

<p>So two curiosities here:</p>

<ol>
<li> Even for the same brand of clothing, there is considerable inconsistency in sizing.</li>
<li> But weirder is the inverse vanity sizing.</li>
</ol>

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<p>It isnt vanity sizing, it is poor quality control.</p>

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<p>The other factor in men’s waist sizing seems to be whether or not the pants are intended to fit at the waist or at the hips.</p>

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<p>I find this to be more and more of an issue. Any given brand, even ones known for fairly good quality, vary SO much in their sizing that I can’t even order pants online because I can’t assume they will fit. I even see variations from color to color!</p>

<p>I have several pair of pants from Ann Taylor Loft (quality is not the greatest to begin with but I’m a petite and have limited options). One pair of jeans is a size 2. Now I am NOT a 2. Haven’t been since I was 17. But these jeans are a 2 and I need a belt to keep them up. Other jeans that I own from the same store are 4, 6 and 8.</p>

<p>On a day when I want to feel really really good about myself, I wear the size 2. :)</p>

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<p>I don’t know how accurate this is, but years ago someone in the clothing industry told me that when they cut the huge stacks of fabric for pattern pieces, the ones at the bottom are a different size from the ones at the top, so even within the same lot there will be a large variation in size. A weird bit of trivia that has stayed with me all these years. Athletic clothing seems to suffer less from the whole vanity sizing issue as my husband found out when he ordered cycling shorts online recently. They went to my son.</p>

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<p>I actually don’t think that’s true, RunsWScissors. It’s been many years now since I’ve been in a clothing factory, but my recollection is that machine cutting is pretty precise–at least in this country.</p>

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<p>I like this</p>

<p>My Best Fit Body Scanner</p>

<p>[Body</a> Scanner Finds Perfect Clothing Size](<a href=“Body Scanner Finds Perfect Clothing Size - ABC News”>Body Scanner Finds Perfect Clothing Size - ABC News)</p>

<p>hmm, or maybe I wouldn’t ;)</p>

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<p>You can always measure yourself and compare with the “standard clothing sizes”.</p>

<p>Of course, many people have measurements that do not fit all measurements of any of the “standard” sizes.</p>

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<p>Yep, buy two of the same thing - try both on. Assuming they are the same size will result in a trip back to the store. BTW didn’t Seinfeld do a vanity sizing episode?</p>

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<p>Actually, I have found that two of the same thing were always the same size, even if a different thing of the same label size and the same brand was not the same actual size.</p>

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<p>Someone I knew once who worked in a clothing manufacturing/distribution setting putting size labels in clothes said that when they needed X number of some size and they didn’t have enough, they just grabbed a few of the next size up or down and sewed the wrong label in.</p>

<p>Explains a lot.</p>

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<p>Consolation, can that possibly be true??? It would certainly explain a lot.</p>

<p>I’ve recently been blue jeans shopping (what a pain!) and I’d find that when I tried a certain style of jeans in one brand, I might be a different size (in that same brand) when I tried on a different style of their jeans. Isn’t that crazy?</p>

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<p>Target stores had to apologize earlier this month when it was discovered that a dress in regular sizes was sold as “heather gray”, but the identical dress in plus sizing was labelled as “manatee gray”. If u don’t believe me, just google Target and manatee.</p>

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<p>I recently ordered a blouse from J Crew. It fit fine, but the sleeves were too tight. (I’m blaming this on push ups, not old age!) So I tried the next size up and the sleeves were exactly the same. Grrrrr.</p>

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<p>Sleeves/shoulders/chest too tight would not be too surprising for someone who does upper body exercise (pushups, pullups, dips, etc.).</p>