The female feelgood factor

Economist ^ | 09/25/03 | Correspondent

[P.O.E.]

Shocking news: a market that is rejecting standardisation

We live, it is said, in a world of standardisation: a place in which increasingly you can buy the same things—cappuccinos, food, cosmetics, fashions—in similar shops, in similar malls, in similar cities. The heart laments this and hopes it isn't really happening. The head, though, has to accept that it has advantages, for standardised products save time, reduce confusion, and may be cheaper and more predictable, especially when attached to a trusted brand. There is one market, however, in which hearts and heads alike are forcing things in a different direction: women's clothing. There, the customer is queen, and she seems to prefer confusion.

It is not the fashions themselves that are flouting standardisation. It is the sizes in which they are sold. Once upon a time these were predictable and numerological, even if the numbers used varied from country to country. It did not matter if a size 12 dress in Britain was called a 38 in Germany and a 44 in Italy, for a simple conversion chart would suffice. No longer. Increasingly, size is a matter of vanity not of measurement, for women have, well, become larger in various ways (see article). Not surprisingly, they would like to have their cake, eat it, and stay exactly the same dress size. Some clothing firms have accommodated such delusional desires by sticking to the same sizing numbers but making the clothes larger. Others have resorted to therapeutic words—petite, regular, “missy”. In America, it is even possible to buy women's clothes in size 0; presumably negative sizing cannot be far behind.

Men are, of course, going through the same dimensional change. They are not, however, encountering, or inviting, the same confusion. Occasionally it may be hard to work out what exactly is meant by “medium” or “extra large”, but mainly real measurements still rule. This may be because men have another option: for suit-wearers the best trick is to buy not the right new size but a size too big, for then the suit looks loose and people may be fooled into thinking you are getting slimmer, not fatter. Or perhaps their vanity is of a more primitive sort. A (possibly apocryphal) story about Winston Churchill has the great man recommending that among aid shipments sent during the second world war should be packages of British condoms, all large size but labelled “small”.

But for women, meanwhile, shopping is becoming harder: more things must be tried on, taking more time, and buying online is a poor option. Central planners, ignoring the fact that this is the result of expressed female preferences, would want standardisation reimposed. Here's an alternative suggestion for our freer era: clothing firms could agree a standard sizing to be put on some sort of bar code or tag. Then those who want speed and clarity could buy (or be given) an electronic reader to find out the easily comparable truth. Those who would rather fool themselves can continue to do so by reading the written labels. Such are the workings of invisible hands.

[goodnesswins]

WHOA....what happens when one of those balls blows...???

[MotleyGirl70]

I agree with you. All clothes are cut different and all women are shaped different. My work suits, skirts, slacks, blazers, etc., I usually have to buy petite. Petite size in general just fits me better.

[Gabz]

I have things labelled from 6 to 14 in my closet, yet everysingle one of them fits me - drives me nuts.

And I won't even get into kids clothing - that's even worse. Was sorting through fall and winter stuff for the munchkin today. I was looking at three pairs of pants - all labelled size 6 - one pair would practically fit me and another wouldn't fit a normal sized 18 month old.

[Gabz]

This sort of nonsense may fool all the under 5'5" women who're convinced that their legs "are long in proportion to my torso length", but it simply irritates those of us who know the manufacturers are playing dumb games.

I agree. I rarely if ever wear women's slacks, because I just can't find ones that fit properly. Years ago I just gave up wearing slack for business reasons.

And I only buy men's jeans - those sizes make sense - length and wist - very simple.

[kitkat]

***Missy is a stupid word and always was, though. ya gotta admit!***

Is 'missy" a term actually used somewhere? "Misses" is what I've always seen. I agree that "missy" sounds like someone is saying, "And YOU, missy, you better behave."

[kitkat]

***My favorite dress in the world is a size 4 (mislabled, I am sure, but I don't care)***

I hate you! I don't even KNOW you and I hate you. LOL!

But I LOVE your tagline. Very funny.

[Gabz]

"petite," "misses," "women's" - those were the sizes I remember in the better clothing stores when I was growing up. Then they came up with "juniors" which I never understood, because they never fit me properly.

I hate clothes shopping.

[kaylar]

At least the catalog people are doing one thing right : They are getting rid of that petite/regular/tall bullcrap and just listing the actual inseam length. That is a huge step in the right direction (even if the garments don't fit because the inseams are bizarre in the first place). Back in the 1980s, they never told what the inseams were, and you were expected to take on trust that the same garment would fit size 8s who were 5 3 1/2", 5'5", and 5'8". Yeah, right!

[MediaMole]

O.K. a couple of serious questions...

Why does the labeled size matter? The only people who will know are you and possibly the sales clerk. If the clothes fit, they will look good and no one else will know. Women's clothes aren't like Levi's with the size printed on the back.

Why don't women just buy clothes that fit? Too often, women I know buy clothes a size or two too small "because I'm going to lose weight." These new clothes always end up going to the thrift store unworn.

Most women look good if they wear clothes in correct sizes and tailored to their body type.

[Gabz]

I've never been able to wear a size 8 pants - inseam was never long enough (I need minimum 34", 36" is preferable) but to get the length right I need a 10 or a 12 and then they swim on me. It was easier to give up wearing pants except for jeans!!!

[Gabz]

Everything you say is true................It's amazing the wonderful clothes I am able to buy in the threift shops!!!

[kaylar]

Too often, women I know buy clothes a size or two too small "because I'm going to lose weight." These new clothes always end up going to the thrift store unworn.

Those of us who truly wear smaller sizes are delighted that this is so. You won't believe the great things, sometimes still with store tags, that I've found at the thrift store.

[kaylar]

Wow. "Great minds..."

[najida]

I could always count on making a skirt out of the fabric I cut off of off my pants (I have a 26" inseam) and a long torso.

I wish they would make clothes not by sizes, but like you said, inseam, skirt length, bust sizes etc.

Like I said, I can go as high as a 12 (in pants) and as low as an 8 in dresses.

[Gabz]

LOL!!!!

[Trickyguy]

All condoms should come in three sizes only: jumbo, super-jumbo, and colossal.

[Eagle Eye]

What? They can lay blue eggs as well as the standard offwhite/silver ones?

[Eagle Eye]

And "You've got to be kidding..."

[Nam Vet]

Inside some of us is a thin person struggling to get out, but they can usually be sedated with a few pieces of chocolate cake.

Nam Vet

[nutmeg]

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