I was on the phone with my homey, Amanda, Friday night, and we were discussing problems her incredibly thin friend (we hate her) Melissa, had finding clothing.
It seems that Melissa is one of the tiny sizes that only exist in the dreams of full-figured gals like myself, a 2, or something like that.
Well, she went to one of her favorite retailers to buy pants and tried on her normal size. They were practically falling off her (Ah, if only this would happen in my life. . . Sigh. . . )
She hasn't lost any weight.
Melissa, Amanda told me, was the victim of "vanity sizing."
I asked, "What the heck is vanity sizing?"
Apparently, because we're all getting a little more round in the middle, retailers such as Gap, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Old Navy, J.Jill and others are playing on the fact that we're vain.
(I'm so vain, I know that everything is about me. I'm so vain. . . )
Vain as in we want to see the smaller size on the label, even if it's a bold-face lie. So, you may actually be a size 12, but in a vanity-sized pair of pants at the Gap, you'd be a size 10.
Apparently, this builds customer loyalty, and keeps you coming back to that retailer for your "smaller" size. Here's a story on it.
This story from the Boston Globe also talks about the weirdness of vanity sizing, and how it makes it hard to find clothes for some folks (mostly skinny people).
It's interesting, because at Lane Bryant, the store changed its jeans' sizes to a 1-10 system, as opposed to the traditional sizes 14-28, found throughout the rest of the store. According to the RIGHT FIT web site, its more individualized sizing for each woman.
I can't tell you how many times I've measured a woman for jeans and put her in a size 3 or 4, and she's practically hugged me.
"I've NEVER been in a size (fill in the blank with a tiny, tiny size) before!"
It makes them feel good to be in the "smaller" size, even if it is a myth, and I kind of feel good helping them feel better about themselves.
Another store that caters to full-figured gals like myself, "Torrid" also uses sizes 1-6, when their clothing traditionally fits teens and women sizes 12 and up. From what I understand from their web site, their sizing as been this way for years.
In general, retailers call "vanity sizing" a myth, and have said things like their clothing is just cut more generously, or that differents styles may lend to different sizes.
For the record, they have not said they're trying to make more room for our ever-expanding waistlines.
However, if you look at the evidence to the contrary, you may find its just the opposite, and retailers just aren't telling us what size we're REALLY wearing.
Vanity sizing may be good for retailers, but is it good for us? Should we embrace our larger selves, or work harder to eat better or get our workout on?
What do you think?
I learned a long time ago to not worry about the size. If they look and feel good, I buy them. If women feel bad about the size they are, they should cut the tags out. Then, they never have to look at it.
Ok, you have to excuse me while I rant because I know VERY WELL about vanity sizing!
My co worker is about 4'11, maybe 100 pounds. As you know, I'm 5 feet, about 110. It's gotten to the point where she is looking for XXS; I routinely wear XS. But I find now that even XS - yes EXTRA SMALLS - are getting TOO BIG. The pants I'm wearing today are pinned at the side. They're a size 4.
Yes. A freakin 4 needed to be pinned. Why not get a smaller size? Because alot of places don't carry anything lower than a 4 anymore.
Vanity sizing wouldn't be such a problem if they would adjust the lower sizes understanding there are people who really need those sizes. Instead, they just erase us: Petite Sophisticate just went out of business and when I open Essence (guilty glance) and look at the "style in all sizes" feature, the smallest size is an 8.
People think this is a problem to be envied. Trust me, iti's not fun to feel like you don't exist or matter ... or like something's wrong with you.