This concept of vanity sizing baffles me. Not the why, I get that. More the how and where. I'm seeing people larger than me claiming they're wearing sizes smaller than me or equal to me. I've noticed, for instance, on The Biggest Loser, this happens a lot. Perfect example...Heba, who's pretty tall and I think weighs in around the 220s at this point in the show, fit into a size 14 dress at Macy's. At my highest weight of 202, I had to wear size 16 jeans. Even now, if I try to buy or order something that's sized 10-12, as opposed to 14-16, it's usually too small for me. For me, "vanity sizes" don't exist as I have yet to come across anything smaller than a 12 or 14 that fits me.

What gives?

I find I just have to try things on. As an example at the same store. same time , same manufacturer, I bought two pairs of Gloria Vanderbilt capris one is size 6 one is size 8. They both fit..The same thing happens with Lee and Levis.
It is crazy, I just know I have to try things on.

There was a great thread on "vanity sizing" earlier this year that explained some of the whys and hows of sizing.

Not everything that is too big/too small is vanity sizing. I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but it truly is mostly in the higher end clothing lines and not so much in the ready to wear stuff.

I"ll see if I can find the thread and link it. It might make you feel better about not being able to fit into a particular size in a particular brand if you understand HOW the sizing works.

.

Here you go. It's actually a pretty interesting thread.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=154621

.

I'm wearing a pair of black Tommy Hilfiger pants today that I bought back in October. I bought two pairs at the same time - the exact same style, just different colors. I wore the tan pair yesterday, perfectly comfortable, even a little loose. The black pair I'm wearing today is a little snug.

I am a size 6 in Banana Republic and St. Johns Bay from JC Penney! I am a size 8 anywhere else I have tried. I am the same weight I was in college and always wore a 10 then. Recently I went shopping for ONLY jeans. There is STRETCH in literally EVERYTHING! Who knows what size is correct anymore.

ETA: I really think this "vanity" sizing or whatever name we want to assign to it worsens the problem of obesity in the U.S.

Yes I would advise reading the thread that PhotoChick posted....very interesting on how they determine sizing!

Thanks for the link, it's a very interesting read!

It's frustrating because there's no consistency! A size 14 in JC Penney is different than a size 14 from Newport News, which is different than a size 14 in Lane Bryant. I'm not that big on department store mall shopping anymore so I like to shop the catalogs and websites and I remember when I had to buy the size 16 pants because I had gained weight and was literally outgrowing my pants. It took several stores until the ones from Jessica London fit me and I ordered a bunch from them. That's why when I find something that fits me, whereever I get it from, I usually buy several of them at a time in different colors and I may use different stores for different items. I love Chadwicks' sweaters but I haven't bought jeans from them.

I think so, too. I think it's also more stigmatizing as well. And just plain old confusing. I mean, seeing women who are still quite curvy and have extra pounds saying they are wearing size 8 while 20 years ago I was 140 and wearing size 12...it's just screwy.

I've worn a size 12 dress before but you certainly couldn't fit my butt in a size 12 pair of pants. I do wear size 14 pants though and that is pretty consistent among manufacturers. Also weight does not really determine size. Its body composition that determines size.

Hey Trekkigirl,

I was thinking the same thing. I wear a 14 and I am 150 lbs. She is 70 pounds more than I am and is also in a 14. What??? Now part of the issue is that I am squeezing my pounds into a much shorter area. However, no way we can both be 14s. She did have dress on in that episode and we know they are much more forgiving than jeans.

The thread about vanity sizing is fascinating. It explains a lot, and I think the fashion industry's approach is not helping "us" keep our weights in check. Theoretically if I were using sizing from the 1970's or 1980's I would be wearing a size 20 today. I have never let myself get above a 14 meaning that has always been my line in the sand. I wonder if I would have taken better care of myself if the sizes remained fixed and did not drift or go up according to shifts in what the average woman's size is at the time.

Remember also that it's not just common, it's socially acceptable to lie like a rug regarding weight, age, and clothing size.

I am with Nelie -- size is not determined by weight alone. People heavier than me and my height wear smaller pant sizes. I am a pear and wear size 12 pants. Even when I was about 15 pounds lighter I could not fit into a size 8 pant. However, I can wear a small or medium top depending on the cut.

I think Heba's legitimately a size 14- she's pretty tall (notice when she stands near Ed), and I've seen a number of girls fitting into 14-16 in the 200s.

But it's not the fashion industry's job to help us keep our weight in check.

Let me ask you this honestly ... if sizing never changed and we all wore size 20s, would that have motivated any of us to stop gaining weight, or to lose weight sooner or faster? Do you think it would motivate any one who was overweight? I think the answer ... if people are being honest with themselves ... is no. For the vast majority of us, what size we wore was something we stressed about, but it wouldn't have triggered any big change for any of us until we were ready.

Blaming clothing manufacturers or the fashion industry for obesity (or for contributing to obesity) is just another out. No one here can honestly say "Oh my gosh - if I'd only known how big my clothing was getting, I'd have stopped being so unhealthy and lost weight!"

Clothing manufacturers have to make clothes that fit. If the clothes they make don't fit their customers, then they don't have customers any more. As customers buy larger clothing, then the manufacturers and designers make more of it.

It's simple supply and demand. And blaming the clothing industry is, IMO, just another out. I knew I was fat. It didn't matter what the number on my pants said. I could hold them up and know that 2 "normal" sized people would fit in them ... they could have said 12 or 22 ... but the result is the same.

.

We do all lie to ourselves though. I always wore plus size clothes so I didn't know any difference. When I hit size 28 and then size 28 couldn't fit, I knew I was in trouble. That was when I started losing weight.

For my mom, when her size 18 pants started getting tight, she knew she was in trouble and started losing weight.

I don't blame clothing manufacturers but I think for each of us, we do have those 'oh crap I'm too heavy' moments and some of those come with the size of clothes we wear.