Is it just me, or are clothing sizes getting bigger and bigger?

[aephi alum]

It's true, clothing sizes are drifting. It's all about marketing. If brand X's size 12 jeans and brand Y's size 14 jeans fit you the same, which are you going to buy? The 12's, so you can say you wear a size 12.

The one thing that's not drifting is wedding dresses. When I went wedding dress shopping I was asked what size I wear for cocktail dresses. I said "10" and was sent to the 14s.

[Hootie]

Well I work in the mall, and for those who are familiar with the Casual Corner, Petite Sophisticate, and Augusta Max, they are re-doing their sizes.
My friend found out that the Augusta Max, which was for "plus" sized women is now going to hold sizes 10 to 16 (or more). The regular Casual Corner is going to hold about the same sizes as it does now, and Petite Sophisticate still has sizes 0 on up.

[Sister Havana]

Originally posted by tinydancer
Don't know about clothes being bigger, but they sure are longer!! Manufacturers seem to think that if you are a plus size, you are also 6 feet tall. I haven't seen a skirt or dress this year that did not drag the ground on me, and I'm 5'4".

AMEN! And I'll also second the thought on wedding dresses being cut really small. I went to David's Bridal to try on bridesmaid dresses for my little's wedding, and I had to go up 6 sizes from what I normally wear in order to find a dress that would fit me in the bust. Meanwhile, I am swimming in it in other places...you'll practically be able to make another dress out of the amount of material that will have to be removed to hem it. Oh, the joy of being short and busty.

I have noticed that women's tops have been getting much smaller. I have several sweaters from one brand of clothing...both XL, both same style but some are a few years older. The older sweaters are larger and longer than the newer ones. I can't fit into any of the women's tops at Old Navy, and I have to go a size up at Target. It is annoying.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by Taualumna
I was shopping today, and tried on a pair of pants in my usual size. To my surprise, it was too big! I'm really small to begin with, so there wasn't a smaller size to try on. I've also not lost any weight at all. I don't think it's fair.

Gain some weight.

I've lost 30 lbs in the last few months and I still can't find pants that fit. I'm sick of all the stores with attractive clothing downsizing their clothes - they fit me when I weighed this much before, so why don't they now?

Limited has actually made their clothing smaller and stopped carrying larger sizes, however, I don't think we have stores in Canada.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by GeekyPenguin
Gain some weight.

I've lost 30 lbs in the last few months and I still can't find pants that fit. I'm sick of all the stores with attractive clothing downsizing their clothes - they fit me when I weighed this much before, so why don't they now?

Limited has actually made their clothing smaller and stopped carrying larger sizes, however, I don't think we have stores in Canada.

It's really difficult for me to gain weight.

[DGqueen17]

American Eagle does make their clothes really big. I can wear like a 4 there, while I usually wear a 6 or 7. I'm bigger on the top and I've noticed that Hollister is extremely small!! It's weird to go shopping anymore. Whenever I got my senior prom dress, I had to get a 10 and I was TINY back then, like barely a 2.

[Lady Pi Phi]

I find shirst are getting smaller and smaller...and tighter and tighter. What's the point of wearing a shirt if it's barely there? You might as well just walk around in your bra.

There really needs to be some kind of standard. A size 14 in one store could be a size 10 in another.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
I find shirst are getting smaller and smaller...and tighter and tighter. What's the point of wearing a shirt if it's barely there? You might as well just walk around in your bra.

There really needs to be some kind of standard. A size 14 in one store could be a size 10 in another.

I find that most brands are standard in their sizing, but some brands, especially those from abroad, tend to be smaller, even after converting to sizing systems of various countries. I think they convert it to an older sizing system.

[33girl]

Originally posted by Hootie
Well I work in the mall, and for those who are familiar with the Casual Corner, Petite Sophisticate, and Augusta Max, they are re-doing their sizes.
My friend found out that the Augusta Max, which was for "plus" sized women is now going to hold sizes 10 to 16 (or more). The regular Casual Corner is going to hold about the same sizes as it does now, and Petite Sophisticate still has sizes 0 on up.

excuse me but NWIH is a 10 a "plus size"!!!

no wonder eating disorders are everywhere.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by 33girl
excuse me but NWIH is a 10 a "plus size"!!!

no wonder eating disorders are everywhere.

Maybe it's a really big 10? Don't forget that a size 6 just a couple of decades ago was a size 10.

[ISUKappa]

Originally posted by 33girl
excuse me but NWIH is a 10 a "plus size"!!!

no wonder eating disorders are everywhere.

My thoughts exactly. Because of my height and bone structure, I'll never be under a size 10 (unless I want to look scary-thin).

ETA: And I don't want clothing companies to change their sizing just to make me "feel better." It's a number, not the definition of my being. I'd prefer to make my own clothing and tailor it to fit me well than worry if I'm a size 6 or 8 or 24 thankyouverymuch.

[juniorgrrl]

I find that Abercrombie has gotten smaller and smaller over the years, at least in their tops. I have a shirts that I got there in 98/99 in medium/large and they're comfy big on me. I have another shirt that I got in 2001, and I had to get an XL, even though I was the same size in everything else. Now, I don't even bother to buy tops there, and I'm only a 34/36 C. Since when is that XL??

[astroAPhi]

juniorgrrl, I'm the same size as you and I had to buy XLs at JCPenney even. It was absolutely ridiculous.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by juniorgrrl
I find that Abercrombie has gotten smaller and smaller over the years, at least in their tops. I have a shirts that I got there in 98/99 in medium/large and they're comfy big on me. I have another shirt that I got in 2001, and I had to get an XL, even though I was the same size in everything else. Now, I don't even bother to buy tops there, and I'm only a 34/36 C. Since when is that XL??

I did a little experiment with stuff from Aber the other day - I compared a medium shirt from 1997 with an XL shirt from 2002. The medium was bigger.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by 33girl
excuse me but NWIH is a 10 a "plus size"!!!

no wonder eating disorders are everywhere.

A few years ago I heard that a size 8 was a big size. I've been an 8 since I was 14 years old, and it was considered a small size then.