I currently wear anywhere between a 12-16 in current clothes purchased in the last year. In a couple of them, I have a loose 14 pair of pants and a tight 16 pair of pants from the same company (how is that possible?). In general though, I wear a size 14 for a good guess of an off the rack size for pants. L or XL for a shirt or sweater depending on the design/cut. 14 or 16 for a dress.
But... I just bought a dress in 3X that I thought might be too small as it's UK sizing with no stretch/give. A UK 3X is an equivalent to a size 20. I wore a 20 in American sizes when I was 275 pounds.
It's surreal and would be so easy to get caught up in the numbers. I blogged about it a bit today (with some photos of the rockabilly dress for the holidays).
Interesting that the UK didn't do the vanity sizing. A size 0 is a size zero. Not a 000 as it is in the US. Triple zero - that is shameful that we truly buy into the "I only wear a size 12" mentality... We are the size that we are - period.
Well, I live in the UK and I would say vanity sizing is real here, though probably not to the extreme.
I am now at the weight I was before my 5 kids and early into my marriage (about 13/14 years ago) and back then I was a size 14/16. I'm now a size 12, with a few size 10 tops. My body shape has definitely changed since then and I might have more muscle tone than I used to, but I still think I'm about the same size as I was back then. Unfortunately I never kept those old clothes so I can't be sure.
Well, I just bought a winter coat from a thrift store that claims to be size 4. LOL!!!!!! I think in US sizes I am somewhere between 6 and 8. That 4 is a total joke.
I knew a woman who made a clothing line that she sold at our local outdoor market. She was a brilliant marketer. She had two sizes: small and average. That's it. People loved her and her clothes were nice too--- loose and flowy and stylish. She just made you feel good.
Remember a US size 6 is a UK size 10. But I agree with vanity sizing I wear a 6 in most stores now at 12 pounds heavier than when I wore a size 6 in the late 80s I have a few old size 8 blouses/dresses from The G** that fit me like today's 6 from the same shop. I'll be in the UK for the next two weeks and plan on shopping there.....I'll be back with research results!
BTW: I was in Paris last June (yes, I have a fantastic European husband that loves to treat me) when I was wearing 14/Large and I bought a large dress at a shop on the main shopping street there and it fit beautifully (but I am small-busted).
Last edited by PrairieQueen; 05-25-2016 at 07:43 AM.
Oh yes, vanity sizing definitely exists! Also, it depends on the brand as well, some brands I just know for sure they will run big and some brands I know I have to go up several sizes. Just the other day I bought two pairs of jeans from Zara, a size 8 AND a size 12 (the 12s were the super skinny jeans). I live in France, so I normally wear a 38 (European 8) but I do know when I go back to the US I wear anywhere from a 4-6 in some stores.
Sizes certainly have changed over the years as well, so when people say Marilyn Monroe was a size 12, I think that is actually the equivalent of an 8 today, NOT as size 12 of 2016!
I read something the other day about how each brand has a specific model that they base the measurements off of every year (an "average" size 6/8), so if something doesn't fit quite right, they tailor it to one specific person, which is why even pants from year to year can vary.
For the past year (I think), I have been wearing 3 pairs of American Eagle jeans in a US size 12: 2 high-waisted jeggings in 2 different washes, and an Artist flare. I honestly feel like the only reason these fit me right now is because of their "super super" stretch material. Man do you gotta love that "super super" stretch. I also own a size 10 pair of lucky jeans for the same reason. I know for a fact that if I were to buy their jeans with the regular stretch or no stretch at all, I'd need at least a 14, maybe even a 16 (yikes!).
Within the last week, I bought a pair of Apt 9 shorts in a 14. I also tried on a pair of Lauren Conrad jeans in a size 14 and a pair of Lauren Conrad shorts in a 14. The Apt 9 shorts fit like a dream and I bought those. The Lauren Conrad jeans fit fine (if not a tad loose) but were too long, and the LC shorts were a tad snug. Here is the kicker: I recently took my measurements, and came in at 39-34.5-45. If you look on the size charts for the things I tried on at Kohls, those measurements are for their size 16, but I wear the 14. I've always been like that -- my measurements never match up with the size I wear. Wonder if THAT has to do with vanity sizing?? Makes no sense to me!
Wow that is pretty crazy mimsyborogoves! I used to let the number on clothes get to me but not anymore, I'm more about what fits right - I don't care if it's a 4 or 12 because all companies have different sizes! Although it's quite annoying if you tend to shop online, like myself, I always have to buy 2 sizes just in case and send the rest back!
A big part of the reason is that a lot of clothing is now made with a fabric blend that includes stretchy material like spandex. On one hand, I think it makes things comfy but, on the other hand I see a lot of people wearing clothing that is too small but they can technically fit into them due to stretchy fabric. When you put on a 100% cotton garment, you will see the difference in fit, to the point where it will fit 2 sizes smaller because there isn't much give at all.
I do think there is vanity sizing but, to me, the stretchy fabrics are really what makes it seem like clothes are bigger than they are. I have found that wearing the correct size is more flattering and makes you look slimmer than wearing a garment that is being stretched because it doesn't drape as well and looks lumpier than you actually are.
Vanity sizing to the extreme exemplified.
Taxes... As in all too real and just as irritating, lol
I have a few old size 8 blouses/dresses from The G** that fit me like today's 6 from the same shop. I'll be in the UK for the next two weeks and plan on shopping there.....I'll be back with research results!
