Clothing Sizes Change Over the Years

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

Clothes sizing seems to be a see-saw at least through the last quarter of the 20th C to now. Designers and manufacturers periodically change the measurements that constitute a given size, or whether that size is considered ‘plus’ or not.

In the 60s and 70s I had to buy pants at a Tall shop. Today my height is considered unremarkable and sometimes Average is too long in some brands. Also during that time period I was considered on the thin side. My height/weight ratio was spot on, and I wore a 12 or 14.

As years passed and they started tinkering with sizes, my 12 or 14 dropped to a 10 based on height and weight. 3X became 2X, etc.

These days it seems a bit schizophrenic. 5’9 and 5’10” models wearing XS or 2 (and not anorexic thin), but on the other end, what was once an XL can now be a 2X, what was a 3X is now a 4X. I know some of it is because companies often charge more for larger sizes. Now many places charge extra for the XL that’s always been considered a normal Misses size.

We all know about vanity sizing. I’m puzzled as to why a mfg decides to tell someone who hasn’t changed weight or clothing size for years that they are now suddenly a size larger. WT*?

Ten years ago, I lost 65 lbs. At that time I went from a 3X to a L/XL within 6 mos. These days, I started at approx the same weight as the first time and have lost 40 lbs - and have not quite lost even one single size yet! That’s crazy. Not to mention frustrating.

Do you ever feel like WHAT are they doing? Labeling sizes smaller I get - it’s what most everyone would want. But deciding to label a size larger? That doesn’t make sense in light of the fact that “normal” is larger now than it’s been for 100 years.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

I think the sizes have gotten much larger. I wear the same numerical size I did in high school but I am 30 pounds heavier. I had not even heard of size 0 at that time.

chrystaltree · ‎05-10-2010

It's true sizing has changed over the decades and I would like to see universal sizing like they have in Europe and the UK but that will never happen here. Sizing is one reason why I shop almost exclusively online now, I have access to size charts and I use them. It is what it is.

grandma r · ‎10-26-2010

I think the main issue is where the garments are made. The people in many Asian countries are smaller than Americans. Some brands use fit models for each size, but, some don't. I've noticed that dept store clothing seems to run smaller than QVC sizing, especially tops. With the exception of high end stores, quality is lacking, regardless of price point.

And, perhaps some brands on QVC use different fit guidelines. I've recently heard a few vendors say "size down" on certain items.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@grandma r wrote:
I think the main issue is where the garments are made. The people in many Asian countries are smaller than Americans. Some brands use fit models for each size, but, some don't. I've noticed that dept store clothing seems to run smaller than QVC sizing, especially tops. With the exception of high end stores, quality is lacking, regardless of price point.

And, perhaps some brands on QVC use different fit guidelines. I've recently heard a few vendors say "size down" on certain items.

QVC clothing in general has always been known to run large; in some lines it might even be 2 sizes.

I have found it to be true that inexpensive clothing is always too small because it is modeled on Asian bodies. But not in a store like Macy’s or any store with well-known major labels. The cheaper it is, the smaller it is.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

cherry · ‎03-09-2010

I think there is a lot of truth about where clothing is made. I just got some Halston shoes that were so small I couldn't wear them and I take a size 5! I could hardly stand to wear them they were so tight.

Who in the world would think a 5 would be too small for me? Surely not me. It also depends on the style. I can't go by size alone, I need to look at the garment fit sizes. Sometimes they can be all over the place. It's not unusual to have to size up or down, for most people.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@grandma r wrote:
I think the main issue is where the garments are made. The people in many Asian countries are smaller than Americans. Some brands use fit models for each size, but, some don't. I've noticed that dept store clothing seems to run smaller than QVC sizing, especially tops. With the exception of high end stores, quality is lacking, regardless of price point.

And, perhaps some brands on QVC use different fit guidelines. I've recently heard a few vendors say "size down" on certain items.

I agree with you. When I was in Vietnam, we were invited to see a fashion show at a dress shop. I really didn’t want to go, but ended up being shamed into it.

The clothing was so, so small that I and most of the western women who were with me couldn’t fit into it. I ended up buying a silk wrap robe in an XXL. They only had one that fit me. I am 5’1” tall and weighed about 125 at the time. I usually wear a 10 petite. I am busty and have a booty.

The first thing I do when I get new clothing is cut out the size tag. If the size, is printed on, I use a marker to block it out. As long as it fits me, I don’t want to worry about the size.

Western women also have problems buying shoes in Asia. The clerks in the stores actually laugh at “our” big feet. I was okay in that area. I have small feet.

sensibleshoppingsoothes · ‎06-18-2010

In 1930's movies they would refer to a sizze 12 as something to aspire to. (I'm old enough to remember.)

But I hope you're not discouraged. You lost the weight, and it's a great achievement

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@cherry wrote:
I think there is a lot of truth about where clothing is made. I just got some Halston shoes that were so small I couldn't wear them and I take a size 5! I could hardly stand to wear them they were so tight.

Who in the world would think a 5 would be too small for me? Surely not me. It also depends on the style. I can't go by size alone, I need to look at the garment fit sizes. Sometimes they can be all over the place. It's not unusual to have to size up or down, for most people.

This has always been the case in a relatively minor way. Many of us, all our lives, know we need to size up or down in specific lines, based on our own bodies. But at the same time, it’s never been the norm. We have sizes - I know what size I wear most of the time. I don’t go shopping thinking I wonder what my size is.

But for me, these days, it’s getting to be that more and more people need to try something on in order to know if it fits, rather than all the years people have been able to say they can buy a size 10 off the rack. It’s true less now.

I could see manufacturers deciding to downsize by number and measurement if statistics showed that American women are getting smaller - shorter, thinner - but that’s not the case, in fact, the opposite is the case and has been for decades. Telling someone they’re bigger than they are just doesn’t seem like good business sense to me - making people feel negative about themselves without much purpose.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

summerwind · ‎09-28-2013

In preparing to move recently, I came across an old (around 25 years ago, just had had my second child) pair of LandsEnd jeans, size 18. They fit if I really suck it in. I currently wear Medium in D&C.

My ex was feeling pretty good about still wearing a 30" waist, even tho he'd gained 30 lbs or so over the years. His Dr. said, look again, 30" waist in mens' wear is actually 32". They even do it to men now!