Clothing Companies change sizes recently?

Question

Sincere Question. I am not talking about vintage clothes. I am referring to more modern clothes. I also understand it is all about the FIT, and not about the sizing system.

Some time ago, I learned from an Oprah show that some clothing companies deliberately changed pants/skirts sizes in order to entice customers to buy more cuz they see that they are a size "smaller than usual". e.g. They are really size 12, but this company says they are size 10 or 8 on some jeans/skirts. Since it is a Oprah show, I need to confirm it or dismiss as more hype on this Size Issue Obsession that many of us seem to have.

Are the companies perhaps doing that size change cuz there are more people who are not model-thin and companies are changing sizes deliberately just to draw more money....just by making the women feel better about their sizing---albeit using wrong size? If so, isn't that unethical?

Answer 1

This will probably be a shock to all females. It's not only happening to women clothes, it's also happening to male clothes. How do I figure that one out?

Well I was in ROTC so I was issued a uniform. My bdu (camoflague) shirt size was medium. It fit me perfectly. I also have a 30 by 30 pants.

At that time I was 120 lbs.

Last time I wear those was 4 years ago. Now whenever I go to clothes shopping, I HATE it because I can never really tell size of anything. Now my pants size would say 28" instead of 30". When I want to wear a 30" pants, I have to use belt otherwise it will fall down. The shirt that say size "s" would make me look like I have a wing or try to dress like a rapper. So I can only buy shirt that are stretches shirt, from certain companies, or from military store (they have some decent solid color shirt).

Hell I even have few clothes from Europe. They all fit me perfectly, even the buttoned shirt. Also a friend of mine who is from Philippine told me that the clothes size in USA isn't same, he say that in Philippine he would have to wear a large or XL but in USA he have to wear medium.

So yes it seems like the company are starting to focus their marketing on whales. It's so wrong in my opinion, that's basically telling american "hey it's ok to get fat, we'll adjust for you, go ahead shove that cake down your throat"

Answer 2

This is definitely happening, I noticed it before Oprah mentioned it. Five years ago, I has a size 4 who often fit into a size 6. Now, without losing ONE POUND I am a 2 who often has to scrounge for a 0. I am pissed off about it, because if I was a designer store they would have the smaller sizes, but I shop and Marshalls and other discount stores and I find they usually don't have the size I wear. Skinny people are being pushed off of the edge of the sizing scale! I know people are not inclined to be sympathatic to small women's problems, but the fact is I can't find pants.

I don't think it's unethical, but it sure is a pain!

Answer 3

I think it is true, especially with adult women's clothes. My girlfriend complains about it all the time.

I think teenage clothes are about the same, except for boy's pants, which always seem to be slipping down around their butts.

I haven't noticed anything odd about men's clothes except that I think somebody is sneaking into my house in the middle of the night and shrinking my pants. Someday I'll catch the rat!