[junebug41]

Originally Posted by TamiL

If Americans are getting so fat.....why are most of the clothes made so small? I always hear that the average size for ladies clothes is a size 14 but many times all I can find is sizes smaller than that. It seems like retailers don't have a clue.

Well, if the stat that the average size for women is 14 is correct, it would make perfect sense to not be able to find that size as it's in very high demand. Clothes sizes are tricky for buyers (not consumer buyers). It's hard to keep up with demand yet please all of your customers and something like size 14's don't exactly go out of style. So, you can order a bunch of 14's in one item, but you will eventually run out (and the style will be discontinued). It makes more sense to under buy just a bit rather than over buy and have to mark it down.

[Misti in Seattle]

So explain why all of them are made the same LENGTH? Try buying a blouse made for a TALL person... like one that doesn't come an inch above our waists LOL.

Besides I don't think you logic is true. A shoe salesman actually TOLD me once that the reason you can never find size 9 is because shoe shipments always contain FEWER of them to the stores so they sell out quickly because everyone is "after" them. I know when I try to buy shoes, inevitably they have all kinds of sizes EXCEPT 9.

[junebug41]

Originally Posted by Misti in Seattle

Besides I don't think you logic is true. A shoe salesman actually TOLD me once that the reason you can never find size 9 is because shoe shipments always contain FEWER of them to the stores so they sell out quickly because everyone is "after" them. I know when I try to buy shoes, inevitably they have all kinds of sizes EXCEPT 9.

I thought that's kind of what I was saying:
It makes more sense to under buy just a bit rather than over buy and have to mark it down.

And don't get me started on shirt lengths. I'm always the girl that can't keep her shirt tucked in. THEN, they started making shirts more cropped so I felt like I had the longest torso in existence. NOW, the "long" style is in and my ribbed tank tops go to my knees! Nothing is ever going to fit!!!!

I will never understand the fashion industry. Supposedly clothes are made for supermodel bodies (or not for real women at least), but don't super models have really long arms and long torsos??? It's all quite mysitifying.

[Misti in Seattle]

Originally Posted by junebug41

I thought that's kind of what I was saying:
It makes more sense to under buy just a bit rather than over buy and have to mark it down.

Sorry I guess I misunderstood.

NOW, the "long" style is in and my ribbed tank tops go to my knees! Nothing is ever going to fit!!!!

I keep hearing that the long style is "in" -- but not in any of the stores I shop at... they are STILL all super short. I spent the past week checking something like 10 stores trying to find a couple of blouses long enough just to get me through the transition time... not ONE thing was anywhere close to long enough. I'm going to check eBay since if I get stuff too small I will be able to wear it before too long. But for now I will have to get by with the very few blouses I have to wear to work every day because I can't BUY one that fits.

I have noticed even in the plus size shops... look at a rack of blouses... the 5X and 6X are about 9 inches LONGER than the 1X and 2X. Now... am I supposed to get 9 inches SHORTER because I lost weight?

I am really surprised some women's group hasn't taken up this cause with all they have taken on in the past years.

[mauvaisroux]

Well most of the stores where I live carry what they term "tunic style" tops - they are a throw back to the eighties when people wore them with leggings or cigarette pants - blech!

You can't pull that off unless you are a stick chick that has no thighs and no butt otherwise you end up looking pear-shaped with a bubble butt! Not thanks!

I've notice that their seems to be no happy medium store for regular sized people. I'm having a hard time getting clothes since the stores either cater to high school girls with no figures -everything is too small (to me size 0 means you need to go eat a cheeseburger ) too short, too skimpy, too tight and not age appropriate for me) or the "women's" stores have a plus size section and a petites section but barely anything for a 5'8 size 12 person. I actually have seen nicer outfits in the plus size section - but I'm not willing to go back to that! ARRRRRG!!!

I saw a couple of things in one store that would have been perfect for me but one skirt was $157.00 I just can't afford that.

I finally found some nice long skirts that are my style at Sears and bought 3 of them in different coulours and 3 of the same top in different coulours. When I finally find something I have to stock up or a may never see it again!

[junebug41]

Yeah, re-rereading, I wasn't very clear, but that was only about a quarter of the way through my coffee...Back on topic

[TamiL]

I've never been tall. Prayed and prayed for years that it would happen but it didn't, LOL At 5'3" its really hard to find jeans that don't have to be rolled up or cut off. Technically I should be looking for "petite" but "petite" generally seems to mean absolutely no meat on the body anywhere. I try to stick with Levis or Lee jeans because they both make relaxed fit jeans in petite lengths with a wider thigh. Just because I'm short doesn't mean I am pencil thin. And as far as plus size clothes, forget it..............they aren't made for short people either. The tops usually have really huge necks and the sleeves are too long, the shirts usually cover my butt. So I guess the moral of the story is.................Whomever makes these clothes has absolutely no idea what women really are shaped like!

[phantastica]

Originally Posted by TamiL

So I guess the moral of the story is.................Whomever makes these clothes has absolutely no idea what women really are shaped like!

Amen, sista! I'm 5'11" and have similar (but opposite) problems! Pants and sleeves are seldom long enough, and shirts are *always* too short.

[mel67]

Originally Posted by TamiL

I've never been tall. Prayed and prayed for years that it would happen but it didn't, LOL At 5'3" its really hard to find jeans that don't have to be rolled up or cut off. Technically I should be looking for "petite" but "petite" generally seems to mean absolutely no meat on the body anywhere. I try to stick with Levis or Lee jeans because they both make relaxed fit jeans in petite lengths with a wider thigh. Just because I'm short doesn't mean I am pencil thin. And as far as plus size clothes, forget it..............they aren't made for short people either. The tops usually have really huge necks and the sleeves are too long, the shirts usually cover my butt. So I guess the moral of the story is.................Whomever makes these clothes has absolutely no idea what women really are shaped like!

LOL, I have the opposite problem. I recently found this wonderful new store in town. Went in, shopped around and finally found a great pair of pants I could wear to work, or even church. WHAT???

Saleslady: "sorry, we don't carry "Talls".
me: "so Trendy-New-Clothing-Store decided to completely cut out an entire group of women?"
Saleslady: "I just work here."
I mean, it wasn't just one brand of pants, the entire chain does not carry Talls, at all. I don't get it.

If I get Regular or Average (I'm 5ft 7), after two washings they are over my ankles. Which, actually, since cropped pants have come back in style, the "high-water" pants don't look that bad.
Instead, I put the pants back, and found a nice skirt instead.

[willmakeit]

misti and mel: You dont have a true picture in your minds about statisticians/other professionals. I have worked for many of such things with the FDA like diabetes percentages in various poplualtions in US. Let me tell you that these numbers are not from their minds. They interview thousands and millions of people, see records etc and do a lot of hard work to find the numbers.

The data changes because things change. (think for yourselves: the statistics will change every year, wont it? people move from one part to another, others get worse or better etc etc.)

THEY DONT MAKE UP THOSE NUMBERS...