Women’s clothing controversy
This is a topic I have no experience with. For the most part when searching for clothes each store is the same when coming to sizes. I wear a 33 waist in pants and that’s consistent. I was baffled to find out that unfortunately, women’s clothing is not the same.
Men’s clothing is based on chest, waist, and inseam measurements. But, women’s clothing are based on codes ranges from 00 to 20 and plus sizes from 14W to 40W. Each of those codes have measurements attached to them but these measurements are not fixed. Brands do not have to follow sizing guidelines so that’s why a size 8 might be a size 4 somewhere else.
In 1958 a women’s size 8 consisted of a 31 inch size bust, 23.5 size waist, and 32.5 inch hips. Now a size 8 is 28.5 inch waist on average, a 36.5 size bust, and 39.25 inch hips. A size 8 now is 5.5 inches larger, a waist that is 5 inches larger, and hips that are at least 6 inches larger.
These drastic changes have to do with “Vanity sizing”, but also how people are larger on average than they were in the past. Sizecharter.com says that “Vanity sizing” is the practice of labeling clothing with sizes smaller than the item’s measurements and industry standards would indicate. But where did all this come from? I did the research and found something interesting.
In the 1940’s the “Women’s Measurements for Garment and Pattern Construction,” was published based on measurements of 10,042 women. The women in this were 5-feet and four inches tall in five different weight categories, from 100–140 pounds. According to Medical News today.com the average weight of women in north America is 177 pounds. In the 1950’s it was around 140 pounds. We have gotten drastically larger and that is a reason for the change. But that was not the only adjustment made throughout history.
The department revisited the charts in 1970 which increased the size 8 to a 32.5 inch bust and 34.5 inch hips with the waist staying the same. This revision also included the first size 6. Sizing garment were given up shortly after and the American society for testing and materials issued a new chart in 1995 which included a new size 2 with a 32 inch bust, 24 inch waist, and 34.5 inch hips. That is larger than a 1958 size 8. See the dilemma? Another emission occurred in 2011 and that introduced size 0 and 00 and is used today.
Will there be another revision to women’s clothing or will things settle down? I do not know but I went out and asked several women about their shopping experiences with clothes to get their perspective.
Lexi is a mom with a 11 month boy and another on the way. I asked Lexi if shopping was difficult and he had this to say.
“it is very difficult to shop when the same size from two different stores is a completely different fit. You can’t just go into a store and say oh I’m a size 6 and grab the pants you need and leave because you may not be a size 6 in that store.”
“when I’m not pregnant I will have a goal size to get to and then it’s like yes I fit into size 6. But then you go to a different store and size 6 is too small and it lowers your self esteem because it feels like I gained weight when I didn’t the sizes are just not universal”
Now this is just one woman out of hundreds but the problem could be smaller or bigger than we think. Why can’t women’s sizes be consistent? Can it be changed? My name is Logan Perkins, and this is the Perks of News. Stayed tuned for a price comparison of women’s vs. mens clothing.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-womens-clothing-sizes-arent-what-they-used-to-be-11558690200
