Do designers really think we are so easily influenced, so gullible?
The last time I shopped for jeans, more than 5 years ago at the Gap Outlet, I purchased several styles, all size 4. Those jeans still fit but I’ve worn them ragged, generating small holes in unseemly places.
I am not lucky enough to have a Gap Outlet near where I live now, so I figured the half-yearly sale at Nordstrom would provide a good opportunity to replenish my denim at a reasonable cost. After collecting several different brands, all size 4, I proceeded to the dressing rooms to try them on.
Looking in the full length mirror, I saw the jeans pooched out a couple of inches at the waist, sagged slightly in the butt. Not just one brand, but all of the size 4s hung a bit too loosely.
There’s NO way I’m a size 2.
Let me give you a little history. Back in high school, I wore a size 6. I’m pretty sure – no, I’m positive – that after two babies and more than 30 years, I am not thinner than my high school self.
In college, I gained 15 pounds but still wore a size 6. Had the designers not engaged in resizing, maybe I’d have curbed my late night beer drinking, burrito eating habits sooner. Instead, I ate and drank too much, cheered on by my size 6 jeans: Girl, you may look chunky but you’re still a size 6!
I lost the college weight fairly easily once I stopped those bad habits and have been a fairly consistent size 4 ever since. I am very fortunate to fluctuate within a 5 pound range that determines only the size of my muffin top, not my jeans.
Yet I left Nordstrom with 3 pairs of jeans, all size 2. Remember, my existing size 4 jeans still fit. If I’m not shrinking, then the jeans must be growing.
Does this mean in 5 years I’ll be a size 0? Plenty of women are thinner than I am – what size will they wear? 000? Shame on the fashion industry for trying to trick us into believing we’ve slimmed down (or stayed the same) over the years, even though we haven’t. Shame on them for propagating the notion that skinnier is better. In fact, their strategy of allowing women to claim a smaller size enables unhealthy habits and weight gain.
Are women really fooled by this trickery?
Weeeee…look at me, I’m a size 2!
Only I’m not, really.
And I know it despite what the labels on my new jeans say.
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{ 80 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t know, Stacie, you kind of look like a lithe size 2 to me. But this post has confirmed that I am not the size I think I am so I am going to go eat some chocolate and think really hard about this. Size 2 jeans? In my frigging dreams.
And I love the gap outlet. SO MUCH!!!
But I’m the same, and I’ve never been a 2! I guess I should see what I am in Gap sizes. Their jeans have always fit me best, and I miss the Outlet so much.
I hate when they screw with the sizes. I used to be the same everywhere, but am now a different size in every single store. I shopped at the Gap Outlet all through college and LOVED it, but now I don’t have one anywhere near me either unless I want to trek out to Brooklyn or Queens, which I never, ever do. Bummer.
I hadn’t thought of that – maybe I’m still a 4 at the Gap. I miss the Outlet too…
It’s not ours to question why in love or jeans sizes. Just enjoy. And they do look a very cute size 2.
So true Jamie!
The sizing is not what it used to be, even though you are super tiny girlfriend. I think they think that they CAN trick us and we will buy more of their jeans. Their psychology is not working on us smart chicks.
Except that I bought them anyway, because I needed them!
I hear you sister. It drives me crazy. However, I’ve learned to be careful about complaining about this problem. I think a size 2 is really a size 4, a size 4 a size 6, etc. But when I say that, sometimes my larger friends get upset. So, I just keep my mouth shut.
Smart you are!
i’ve had the exact same experience.
I’m not surprised.
I believe you. My grandmother has an old leather trench coat from the seventies that is a size 10, and that friggin’ thing is TINY. It looks like a kids coat!
So funny. We are what we are no matter what the tag says.
If you ever want a huge shock – take your measurements and then check the back of a sewing pattern.
But yes, my mother and I have complained of this often, and it’s pretty ridiculous.
Me, sewing? Not likely. That went by the wayside during my Mom’s generation (in my family)!
Ohh, rub it in, Ms. Size 2! (I kid, I kid). That’s annoying. I wish they were standardized like men’s – who wants to do all that guesswork? Especially when you’re lazy and you order everyone online like i do.
You know, I had the thought that I should fake my sizes since the last thing I want to do is “rub it in!” I’m lucky, I know. Your online point is a great one – that is why I always send back more than half of what I order online. My husband gets the size right EVERY time.
That point about men sizes in your comments is true! That’s why I always try clothes on, and my husband never does. He doesn’t have to see if it fits, he just knows it will!
I wish we could do that! It makes online shopping so much easier.
Um, those jeans are awesome. Great find.
Those were the most interesting ones. Probably, they’ll be out of style next year!
There are variations in men’s clothing too but I don’t think it is as big as it is in women’s. We have the easier side of the deal–not as big an issue for us and for that I am grateful.
Yes, you are lucky! If I want a pair of levis (great dog walking pants), I go to the mens dept and always know exactly what size to get.
My two favorite jeans are from two different stores. One is a size 8 and the other is a size 4. The 8s are way tighter on me than the 4s. I always take at least a dozen pairs of jeans into the dressing room because I need to get three sizes in each style I want to try!
It’s so silly. Maybe I’m a size 8 at another store. I just have trouble doing more than one stop shopping these days, so for now, at Nordstrom, I’m a 2.
I don’t understand why women’s sizes can’t be like male sizes…measurements. It makes so much more sense considering the differences in women’s bodies regarding hip/waist/thigh – and in my case – CALF sizes.
I was a size 4 in 5th grade. Never looked back. teehee.
Calf size is a pain for boots! It’s hard to find them just right.
Hey, you look great! And if you want to get really confused, be like me and buy all your clothes at Goodwill. I have jeans from there that range in size from 4 to 12. . .but they’re all really the same size.
Aw thanks
I bet that’s the most extreme example since Goodwill has so many different vintages.
Do you want us to all spiral into a deep depression from this post????
No! I want everyone to be not size-focused!
Unfortunately for me, the number keep getting larger…so glory in it girl!!! Now let’s go get a burrito. LRR
Not sure I could handle BK anymore! Remember those purple pants you had that I used to borrow? Loved those. Loved the double closet. Love you!
Isn’t that funny how they change things so we have a good perception of our body image! Congrats on being size 2!
Haha! Thanks
it’s all part of a grand ploy, i am sure: “tell” a woman (via the sizing) that she is thinner than she thinks she is, she feels great about herself, rewards herself with more spending on more clothing, thereby helping out the economy…not to mention you will buy more of the brand you bought because “you are a size 2!!!!”
enjoy your new jeans, stacie!!
You got it. I don’t really care what they call the sizes. I just want consistency!
“Wheeeee…I’m a size 2!” LOL … The ways the corporatocracy tries to manipulate us. smh shameful.
I know! It must work though…
I loved “Wheeeee…I’m a size 2!” Because even though we know it’s wrong, we revel in the smaller numbers anyway.
So true, but we shouldn’t!!
I don’t I think I’ll ever be a size 4 again! One thing I’ve noticed is that even though they’re owned by the same company, I’m size X at the Gap, and a size lower at Old Navy. Then I’m a size larger at L.L. Bean, which I think is my true size. Unfortunately.
Maybe you will at Nordstrom! I should have done more market research at other stores. Maybe next time…
Honestly, if they can figure out a way to make me a size 2…fake as hell or not…I’m buying those pants. DO YOU HEAR ME, OLD NAVY? This is sure money. (of course for me to be a 2, you’d have to wear -00000000 pants so it’s probably unreasonable for me to expect)
Haha! That’s exactly why they do it.
Love your spunky new jeans! Few things are more hellish than shopping for jeans.
That’s exactly why I only do it every 5 years or so!
Women buy more clothes when they fit into a smaller size. It’s allllll a plot. But I do like those jeans. Enjoy the 2s.
We all know but fall for it anyway! I like them too. I just hope they aren’t so trendy that I can’t wear them next year.
I cannot shop at Old Navy, I have really curvy hips and I’d have to buy 4 sizes bigger than normal to get a little hip room, and then I’d have a huge gap in the waist.
I haven’t tried Old Navy. Maybe They fit like the Gap? I’m not so curvy.
People are getting bigger, right? Like, if you go into really old houses you can tell, because the doorways all look low. And antique furniture is little. BUT – I don’t think as a species we’re growing a whole size in 5 years. That’s just weird.
We’re the same. The labels are just different!
sounds like a fashion industry conspiracy theory to me. . . seriously. . . anything to sell more pants. . .
That’s exactly what it is! You’re lucky to be a guy, at least when it comes to buying jeans!
I wear an 8/10.. Does this mean I am a 12/14?CRAP!
No. I’m sure you have a brand that’s accurate
I’m convinced you can be whatever size you want if you hit up enough stores!
you look small to me! but i agree with gap sizes. I used to be a 4. Now i can’t find a 0 that fits. Gap kids? haha
See you’re the zero that I wonder about – What will you do???!!
Oh yes – we absolutely are fooled by that hooey! In fact, people will totally shop at stores who fiddle with their sizes just to feel better in the dressing room.
That’s why they keep doing it.
Oh vanity sizing, how I hate it.
I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon, unfortunately.
I SOOOO agree with you!!! Not to sound like my mother but…when I was growing up (tee hee)…there was no such thing as a size 0. The smallest was a size 5/6; then 7/8; 9/10…you get my drift. And don’t get me started on my muffin top! AUGH!
It’s so true. Are we all going to be negative in our 80s?
Um, ok, yeah so I should have listened to your comment on my post telling me not to read this
Just kidding! Honestly I haven’t witnessed this. If I ever get down to a size 2 or 4, I’ll let you know if it happens to me too.
Haha! OK. I might have to do some more market research – I’ll let you know which store to go to!
I’m…a lot more than a size two. Haha! But yeah, vanity sizing is ridiculous. And the whole “size 0″ thing sends kind of a creepy message.
Seriously, who is a ZERO. What, their bodies don’t exist?
This drives me CRAZY. I’ll admit, I’m pretty small, but the fact that I have to buy 00 in some brands? That this is even a size that exists?? (I’m looking at you, Express, and your lame attempts at flattery–Can you please just make me some jeans that fit? I really don’t care what the number is.)
Exactly. I mean, you are a REAL SIZE. It should start at 1. No one can be a size 0 or 00 or 000. It’s just weird. We don’t have negative bodies!
Those are some cute jeans, girl! It bugs me too, the way they mess with the sizes.
I don’t actually care about the number – I just want consistency!
It’s a mean trick, but it does work for my self esteem… ha ha! That’s why I can never shop in Italy. Even though their clothes are so cute, their sizes are always smaller, so those numbers would not look good. Not at all.
Still, I hate that they CHANGE the sizes. I love going into a store, grabbing something in my size and leaving (after paying, of course). So now I actually have to try everything on. So much time is lost scrambling around in the dressing room.
It’s the changing that drives me nuts too. I have a thing for Italian boots – but that sizing seems pretty consistent!
The sizing thing drives me insane. When I’m in Europe or Canada I am a 8 or 10. Here in the US I’m a 2 or 4. None of it makes any sense to me!
Because it’s illogical!
I’ve noticed that is definitely true at the GAP. Sizes I wear other places are usually a smaller size at the GAP. Now, having never been a size 4, I’m not complaining. I have German birthing hips and went from pre-teen clothes to a size 6 even when I only weighed 105 pounds. That’s genetics for you. However, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone complain about being a size 2! Maybe after the cancer or the babies your body settled into a smaller frame? Or maybe the jeans have grown. But I would still never complain about a size 2! Lucky girl.
Believe me, I’m not complaining! I realize I’m lucky. But, it does drive me crazy that the sizing is not consistent.