Posted on 09/13/2010 7:46:29 AM PDT by tlb
Esquire Magazine discovered a secret technique used in the pants making industry called "vanity sizing," a merchandizing trick of sizes that make you feel good and want to buy the clothes.
Eyewitness News bought four pairs of labeled 36-inch waist pants from different retailers. Old Navy's pants measured 39 inches and H&M at 39.5 inches, while Banana Republic and The Gap both came in at 40 inches.
Esquire Magazine's own test measured H&M's size 36-inch dress pants as 37 inches, Calvin Klein's Dylan pant as 38.5 inches, and The Gap as 39 inches. The worst was Old Navy, coming in at 41 inches.
(Excerpt) Read more at abclocal.go.com ...
Meh...
Women have been doing this with dress sizes for years now.
About time we had some equal opportunity.
I know this is true when I fit my fat butt into a pair of size 36” waist Wrangler tight boot cut jeans. Ain’t no way this was true.
This is why mostly female sites are littered with posts like, "I'm 5' 2" and I weigh 155 lbs. I wear size 8 so I know I'm not fat, so why do I feel fat?" Woe betide the unwary fool who even thinks about pointing out that today's size 8 would be marked a 14 in yesteryear-IOW, a plus size.
I'm sorry men are going to undergo the same nonsense, though it only affects negatively those who were in the smaller sizes before vanity Sizing-and who now as a result are more 'sized out' of most clothing lines than if they weighed 300 lbs.
Arrrgggghhhh!
Manufacturers have. And it makes it difficult to shop as you have to try on everything. I HATE shopping.
I think the “Eyewitness news” team needs to learn how to measure pants.
I sincerely doubt that 36” waists were measuring 40”.
Wonder if these “journalists” knew they should only measure to the button.
And of course don’t forget about shrinkage after washing and drying.
All that said though, I don’t doubt there’s some fudging. Womens clothiers have done that for years.
So this explains why all my 32’s are loose...
My DW does most of the clothes shopping for both of us.
She gets great deals, but lately it’s been hit or miss getting clothes for me that fit. The variation between manufacturers is so great that she ends up taking half the stuff back.
I have broad shoulders, but have some shirts labelled “M” that fit fine. Most are “L”, but I have some that have to be “XL” to fit.
Likewise with pants. I’m wearing some 34s, some 36s, and even a few 38s. Inseams are no better.
It’s such a PITA. Sizes have become meaningless.
I don’t really care what size I wear - I just want it to be consistent when I get something off the rack.
I’m depressed. So I really am over 40, when I am a 38? And I was a 28 when I graduated college... [sullenly gazes out the window]
I think whatever manufacturer would produce accurate (non-fuding) sizes for men AND women would be a billionaire.
Do most people LIKE the realization that they are “X” size? No, but it would give people back hours of frustration and time wasted trying on clothes of different sizes to find good fits.
“.. but you can’t find 35’s”
Amen!
I always wonder if they just don’t make many, or if they simply sell out first.
I’m 6’2” w/ a 35-36 waste. and I always chuckle when I see the racks loaded with 38” waste and 32” length.
There are some real meatballs walking around out there! :)
I am sorry Madame, but only males are allowed to use the “I HATE SHOPPING” line. I am going to have to instruct you to cease and desist.
I should have mentioned...
Our size specificity si what my wife (a farm girl) would describe as “a bad case of noacetal” (”no-ass-at-all”).
“What kills me is that you can get men’s waist size 29, 31 and 33 fairly easily but you can’t find 35’s. I have a 34 1/2 waist and 34 pants are just too tight after washing. A 36 needs a belt and the pants are bunched up all around under the belt.”
No joke. I am a 34W and 36 or 38 length. Large quads that don’t fit in stupid skinny pants.
I can’t get my arms to fit in anything.
All clothes, excepting work clothes, are for either skinny metrosexuals or fat people.
My daughter hates it too. Too many idiot kids in the malls and it's not even worth the trip. They sell junk. UGLY junk.
Circa 1960 my then size 34 hips made me a size 8 or 9.
On today’s size chart in mail order catalogs, size 34 hips are a 0.
“I can’t get my arms to fit in anything.”
Same here. I’m narrow chested and tall though. So if I get a medium shirt, the sleeves come halfway down my forearms.
And if I get a large or extra large shirt, I feel like I could be a flying squirrell. :)
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