Not my size

Figuring out the right size clothing is pretty complicated as a woman because the sizes are not at all standardized. But having to try on 3 different pairs of pants at the store isn’t my biggest problem – finding my size at all at an affordable price is.

Because less expensive brands tend to run big, many of the cheaper clothing outlets don’t actually sell things that fit smaller women. For example, the pricier Banana Republic’s size 8 is a size 2 at the cheaper Gap. I wear a size 2 or 4 at Banana Republic, which means I would wear a size -4 to -2 at Gap. Of course, Gap doesn’t actually sell negative sizes and their smallest sizes generally don’t fit me.

Even when brands do carry sizes labeled XX-Small, they’re often shaped for women who aren’t very shapely. Thin doesn’t necessarily mean that you look a bean-pole, but inexpensive retailers don’t seem to have figured that out.

But Gap is much closer to what I can actually afford than Banana Republic. Thank goodness for thrift stores and quality discount sites like 6pm.com!

Comments

  1. Clarissa says:

    When I lived in Quebec, I could never find any clothes for my size. Everybody is so tiny there that there were simply no clothes that fit my body and especially my height. I’m 5’6, which is considered extremely tall for Quebec. So I got used to ask for XXXL sizes whenever I shopped.

    When I arrived in the US, store assistants would be mystified when I requested XXXL clothes. Turns out that in this country XXXL is really XXXL. 🙂

  2. Mike says:

    Not quite the same, but I can’t find any shirts that fit now. I must’ve tried on a hundred and found not one that fit. Work shirts I can find. Anything else, no. I didn’t think I was that far out of spec now, but I guess I am….

  3. lady quantum says:

    I’m also amused at the fact that women’s sizes are not just inconsistent between retailers, but have changed with time. Going to the thrift store to buy jeans, I pretty much try on everything vaguely my style in about half of the pants section, an hours-long endeavor at times. On the rare occasions when I buy new, it’s entertaining to see that I’ve dropped about 4 sizes in the past 10 years, despite the fact that I’ve gotten a lot taller and have filled out.

    Re: Clarissa, I was 5’9″ in South America. Buying clothes was just not possible.

  4. Lizbet says:

    I don’t know what that means!

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