Men's pants sizes not accurate, but 'vanity'

wabc ^ | September 09, 2010 | staff

[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.

[NoCmpromiz]

Or shoddy work from overseas.

It's hard to attract professional seamstresses/whateverthemasculineofseamstressis for a penny a week.... ;-)

[bigheadfred]

whateverthemasculineofseamstressis

Houngan

[5thGenTexan]

Not only has the whole women's clothing size been changing over time, but I have been told for years that at any given time a size 10 at Target/Walmart/etc would be a size 8 in Dillard's/Macy's/etc.

With stores betting a woman would pay extra money to get the lower number. Granted, women are under much more societal pressure to have that lower size.

[stilloftyhenight]

Welcome to foreign manufacturing. I remember when clothes were made in the USA and actually were true to size.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

I like good circulation. Tight collars for example, they cut off blood from to brain. But hey, let’s face it — some guys truly are vain about their large bellies.

[blackie]

Ego is a bitch! >:-}

[irishtenor]

Eat a few pizzas, that’ll do it :>)

My problem is that I wear a size 38, but my legs are so short my wife has to alter them for me. The only length I can find is a 30, but my inseam is 27. What was worse was that I USED to wear a size 46.

[RockinRight]

I am a 40” waist, 26.5” inseam.

Try finding THAT size anywhere.

Funny thing is, I’m not THAT fat or short (5’7, a tad under 220 lbs), but I have short legs relative to height.

The only place I can find them is Land’s End or JC Penney’s (both online only unless I custom order).