Clothing Discussions

I know what you mean. Hate shopping for clothes especially dresses. I am shorter than you 5'0" (just barely). I mainly wear dresses. Even some petites dresses are way too long. 

I hate the way they do sizes. I can go to one store and the sizes are S-M-L, but then another store is in #'s. I really hate when the sizes are between two sizes (10-11). I'll try on a dress in my size. It never fails, it is either too long, too big up top, tight in the hips,.....I just give up!!!

I do most of my shopping at Kohl's! I pretty much can find something there. It drives me crazy when men can go in a store and find what they are looking for and then their done.

I went shopping with parents a couple weeks ago. My dad was looking for some pants and he found what he wanted (didn't try them on). My mom and me spend what maybe 30-45 minutes looking for dresses for me and my mom was looking for some shirts. I walk out of the store with what, pajamas. My mom buys some socks and undies. 

Remember, my dad didn't try on the pants at the store. He gets home, tries them on, and they fit perfectly! I really think men sew women's clothes and women sew men's clothes. This would explain why we women can never find clothes that fit.

Oh forget new clothes - jeans at least. They are too long and I'm only 5' 4" I won't get them hemmed. I've tried petites but they really don't fit as well as non petites. All the sizes are screwy. Everything has to be tried on.

kris I hear ya!  And guys think we take forever at the mall b/c we LIKE to shop!  I often wish I could be like the movies where I just sit and drink wine while someone my size comes out and models all the clothes :)  My husband has it so easy with clothes, he doesn't even know.

Dresses are difficult too b/c of the way they are fitted.  Like you said, it will fit perfect in one place but not everywhere else.  I know many of my friends buy it anyway and then get it altered, but I don't.  I want it to fit right the first time.  PJs are easy though :)  I could shop all day for those!!

Good theory about the reverse designing of clothes!  That makes perfect sense, b/c we all know women are smarter ;)

Jo, for some reason Ialways imagined you were tall!  but you're the same as me :)  I won't get them hemmed either, it never comes out right!  What's weird about petite is it isn't just the height that changes, the entire size changes.  I once thought I could get petite OR average in my same size at this one store, tried them both on and the petite was so small I couldn't even put them on!  I always thought it was only the height that was affected. I guess I'm forever Average!

I totally agree! Most women's pants don't even offer different inseams at all! I am 5'9 and have long legs and I have the hardest time finding pants long enough! most of the time I end up ripping out the hems! Ugh!!!

synthetik, yep I have only been to a few select stores that had the inseam choices.  Usually it's just "tall, average, short" or "small, medium, large".  I don't rip out the hems, I end up having my pants hemmed!  And a lot of times those hems make the pants look ehhh when they used to look great.

Yepp, and alot don't even off the short, av, tall- alot are just in one length. The only pants i really ever see with even those are jeans. I tend to wear black stretchy pants to work almost everyday, even more so that I'm pregnant now and as easy as it  may seem to go buy pants like that, I usually have to go through trying on pairs and pairs before i find a pair that don't look flooded- and trying to find a pair that i can wear with heels- FORGET IT! hah i think i have maybe one!!!

I don't know if they have NY&Co in DE, but they sell Tall sizes.  That's where I shop, I buy Average and sometimes they are too long, but usually they work well with heels for me.

The problem with women's clothing is three fold:

1) Not all women, but the women who make up 90% of the clothing sales in the US are emotional shoppers.  These women have five different sizes in their closet, but they would never know it because they only wear about 10% or less of the clothes they own. 

2) Women have about seven different body types, (top heavy, bottom heavy, hourglass, etc, some say there are 12!) in addition to the various height and circumference measurements we come in.  Men have three. (Schwarzenegger, Joe and Executive, if you are wondering)  This explains the reason we can’t find decent dresses. 

3) Some women are emotionally attached to their size, they complain to the manufacturer that “their size” no longer fits right and the manufacturer feels they must change the size chart to accommodate our ever increasing waistlines. 

Women who actually have a brain in their head (like us) are the ones stuck with the horrible shopping conditions.  I can take my husband’s measurements, go to one store with $200, come out in fifteen minutes (including line time) with an entire season’s wardrobe, tear off the tags, put them in the closet and he won’t even notice he has new clothes.  Why can’t I do this for myself!?!

I’m glad I’m not alone on this.  I always wanted to open a women’s clothing store where things were simple.  Size being one of those things.    

 

Well the industry is what made women so emotional, don't you think?  If it had inches labelled from day one - we'd probably be used to it by now.  Anyway, those emotional woman should be told that it doesn't matter if your pants say 3x or the actual measurement - we still know that is a large size!

Adjusting sizes is just wrong too.  Adjusting sizes to match an industry standard would be ok, but not just to please customers.  Of course, if there were an industry standard than eventually I could figure out the inches I need and what size that equals.

And if we are talking emotions, having the same # used differently in different stores is what stirs up emotions!  If I go to one store and buy size 6 everything, then go to another store and size 6 doesn't fit... that is when a woman will start to get worried.  So even though the size 8 at the other store may in reality be a size 6, it makes you think you gained weight just going to another store!  If we had inches measured, this would not be an issue at all.

Tell me when you open your store :)

Best method is simply to try-on the garments--as well as patronizing "your" cluster of stores.  With a number of clothing items imported from various countries--there is no "standard" size.  With being 6 feet tall--I have always tried on clothing items.

I know I have to try on everything and THAT IS WHAT STINKS!  Why do guys get to go in and out and just look for two numbers and leave.  it's so unfair

It actually is very very very bad for he stores too b/c rihght now I do 95% of my shopping at New York and Company b/c I know my size there and don't really have to try EVERYTHING on anymore.  I will walk through department stores and say "that looks cute" but then I usually say "ehh, I'm not in the mood to try things on" and leave.  So it hurts them, which is why I think it's a stupid practice.

FWIW, I can't go in a store, pick out things my size and expect that they will fit. I have to try things on and often find that things listed as my size won't fit. Depending on the brand of the clothing, I will have to get either a larger or smaller size. I always try pants on, as they seem to vary widely in actual sizing.

I also have to say that my wife is MUCH fussier about her clothing than I am about mine. We shopped at 20 stores, spending at least 10 hours, looking for a coat for her. (We started last fall.) We still have not found the coat she wants and are still looking. This is not unusual for her. It obviously has to be the right size, but also has to have the correct design (no belt, not double-breasted, pockets just so, the right color, a certain texture of material, etc.) Between the two of us, we've spent half a man-week looking for a coat... and still haven't found it.

Just sayin'...

--Bob

I feel your pain, vivasuzi. I am even shorter than you! I am 5' 2" and I hate buying clothing! I practically have an account at the custom sewing place in town. All of my pants have to be hemmed. All of my skirts have to be hemmed because they are unfashionably long. Some look like little house on the prarie. All button-down shirts need to have the sleeves shortened. Formal dresses can NEVER be bought off-the-rack. Everything needs to be altered. Karen the seamstress sees me coming down the hall and says "here comes shrimpy."

But I am basically a size 8 because of my hips. Things fit over my hips and the waist is too big. Women have curves and different types. I know in fashion if a model is size 8, she is considered a plus size model. The industry has made us crazy over the number. My wedding gown was a 12. My sister who was shopping with me had a horrified look in her face. I'm the same exact size! The number changed! Ugh...

I went on some medication and gained 100 lbs, which I have since lost. It was even worse buying women's sizes. Women gain weight in such different ways. There is actually two size 16's - regular 16 and 16W. Why?

I wear t-shirts and capri pants all the time. I may look like I don't care about fashion, but I could never buy "in" clothes. Even on sale, I still have to make the investment in alterations. And I tell you it is NOT cheap. I have to go clearance all the time. Price + alteration = a regular price for everyone else.

I'm 5'4 and I wear a 33-34" inseam. If I get a 32", the pant legs barely hit the floor when I'm not wearing shoes. If I do have shoes on, they miss the ground by a margin that is just large enough to look ridiculous. So, I basically wear a 4 (or small) long. Sometimes the long is the perfect length and other times, it's a bit too long, which is better than having them too short.

See I think this is where clothing manufacturers need help.  They think all short people have short legs.  I have slightly shorter legs than you which is probably why I have more trouble.  The "average" at my favorite store are always long on me, but the short are wayyyyy too short.  I joke that if you see me wearing high heels it's because I bought a new pair of pants (otherwise they drag).  Overtime my pants tend to shrink to where I can eventually go without the heels.  

Exactly! They assume we're all in perfect proportion.

Some "regulars" are the perfect length for me.. as long as they don't go in the dryer! Therefore, they're not even worth purchasing because I can't wear them "on demand" if I have to lay them out and wait several hours for them to air dry. Longs usually end up being perfect after going in the dryer. Some are still a bit too long, which is fine.

Part of the problem is that many designers use "vanity sizing" meaning they size down so you don't feel fat! A size 4 is what a size 8 used to be 10 years ago. I always try to buy my jeans by waist and inseam. I am 5'5" and have a 32.5 inseam which stinks because 32 will be flip flop length (no heels) and 34 is slightly long. Most designers don't stick to ANY rule when it comes to waist sizes so I go nuts as everyone else does. I am a 25 waist in one brand, a 27 in another. 

I like my jeans long. I would rather have them too long than even a BIT short. I wear skinny jeans a lot and they can be long because they scrunch up well. 

I just wish a size 4 was a size 4 everywhere. There are rises to worry about too. Some jeans hit my naval, some my pubic bone. I know what rise I like - 7.5-8". If no rise is listed when ordering, I won't order online. I hate to try on clothes so I often buy a few pairs of jeans or pants and bring back what doesn't fit. When I find jeans that are a perfect fit for me, I try to stick with that brand. I have a few brands that never fail me. And then there are all the others....

Jeans are crazy. I don't even pay attention to the length, I just assume they will need to be hemmed. I have been trying to find new jeans for two days now. First of all, all I am finding is boot cut, which has the legs too wide, and when I am finding skinny ones the 8's are huge and baggy and the 6's are painted-on and give me a muffin top! Ill fitting jeans make me look so stumpy. But it's getting too cold for capris....  :\

My husband thought that I had at Old Navy coined the term "muffin top" last week. Goes to show how difficult fashion is for MEN!!!

I also am bit short just over 5 feet and love long skirts or pants, but in my case even those are sometimes too long.  I have even tried girls clothes but most of the time they are just way too young for me (I don't like having my touchie checks hanging out either). When I need jeans I found most of the time I have to resort to boys. Mens don't come any shorter than 29 and even those are really tough to find.

Not sure if this is true but one store buyer where I worked said there are 2 reasons clothes come in so many different sizes even when they are the same number size.

1. Higher end clothing stores intentionally make the sizes larger:i.e a dress marked size 12 is really a 14; because women will shop where they wear a smaller size.

2. Most of our clothing in the US is made in other countries and they don't really get our sizes. ????

 

 

The first argument I've heard before and all I gotta say is these women gotta let go!  Men can buy pants in exact measurements and not fret about it.  If anything, knowing your waistline measurement might motivate women to lose weight :)

As for #2, That argument doesn't really make sense to me b/c Men's clothes are probably made in the same countries.  This sizing thing seems to have been going on from the beginning of time so it's not like something that happened once we started outsourcing.  

Anyway, sorry you have such a rough time finding clothes!  I feel your pain and honestly I don't even shop that much anymore because of it.  Often I'll just wait until I absolutely HAVE to buy a new pair of pants before i go out and do it.