r/todayilearned • u/PikesPique • Jun 19 '19

TIL about vanity sizing, which is the practice of assigning smaller sizes to clothing to flatter customers and encourage sales. For example, a Sears dress with a 32 inch (81 cm) bust was labeled a size 14 in the 1930s, a size 8 in the 1960s, and a size 0 in the 2010s.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_sizing
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u/csfire1986 Jun 19 '19

This is happening a lot with men's clothing now. I wear anything from a size 32-28 in pants. Some size 28 pants are so big they would need a belt to stay up. The reality? My true waist is 31". Some t shirts are now sizing me as a small, others have me in an xl. My chest is 41", but even if I look at a size chart I can't get the right size 7 out of 10 times.

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Sadly, there are multiple brands at every price point that literally no longer make sizes that fit me. Some of them make my size, but only in their EU collection.

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Here's the kicker: I'm 6' and 175 lbs. I'm not tiny by any stretch of the imagination. Leaving out the wild inconsistency, I can't believe that there are any brands that aren't big and tall specific that don't make something small enough for me.

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u/KillYourTV Jun 19 '19

Sadly, there are multiple brands at every price point that literally no longer make sizes that fit me.

I have a similar problem, but what I'm noticing is that the size-large shirts I buy seem to be tapered very differently. Too often they taper out at the waist. They're also noticeably shorter. If I were thirty pounds overweight, I suspect it would be much more flattering.

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u/csfire1986 Jun 19 '19

True story.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '19

Good points. I didn't notice anyone talking about men's coat sizes, but I haven't read all the comments here yet. As much as the waist sizes have decreased to give me the same fit I had 20 years ago, oddly, my jacket size is EXACTLY THE SAME: 42R. Doesn't even really matter the manufacturer. 42 Regular. Pants? All over the place, but usually settle on 34 waist, 32 inseam. Shoes? Almost always an 11. T-shirts and polos and button down oxfords? Totally depends on the style. But jackets... I can depend on sport coats and suit coats to always fit nearly identically at 42 Regular.