Quote:
Originally Posted by Alana in Canada
Clothing sizes at the lower end of the economic scale (read affordable!) are NOT standardized in the US.
(At the high end--like thousands for a designer name dress--sizing has NOT changed in 40 years).
I remember reading somewhere that each company has it's own sizing: Size 10 at LL. Bean will be a different size than a 10 at Eddie Bauer.
Maybe. I don't know.
|
I think this is a big part of the issue. Unless you are making an actual physical comparison where two people are trying on the exact same pair of pants, you really don't know how big the difference is in what size you wear compared to someone else.
A good example - I just purchased a pair of shorts in a size 10. I also have a pair of shorts in a size 16 that are slightly big but still a decent fit. That's a range of 3 sizes. So when a person states what size they wear, what are they basing that on? Certain brands run smaller than others and generally the pricier the brand, the smaller size you can wear. Right now, the majority of my summer shorts are a size 12. So I am considering myself a size 12. But if I bought more expensive brands like the one size 10 I got, I might consider myself a size 10.
I do also agree that they way people are built can make a difference in what size they wear even at a comparable height and weight to someone else. Comparing your body measurements to someone else, especially waist and hip size will be a better indication of how you compare physically than clothing size. However most people don't say "I have a 32" waist", they say "I am a size 12". The problem is, a size 12 really means nothing in terms of comparison.
