It was easier being heavier.

June 11, 2009 11:51 AM

I'd like to buy some clothes online, but size charts are leading me astray. Is my measuring tape broken?

I am haing a great deal of trouble matching my measurments to the sizes that fit me.

I recently misplaced some poundage; I'm doing okay finding clothes that fit, but I have to go into brick-and-mortar stores to try everything on. This is fine for the moment, but I'd like to be able to order clothes online, and know that I'm at least in the correct ballpark in terms of size.

Here's what's bugging me:
Knowing that sizes are wonky and all across the board from retailer to retailer, I'm just going by my current measurements(40[at the biggest part of my boobs]-32-39). According to the fit charts and sizing guides out there, I should be anywhere from a 12 to a 16, depending on the store and the cut. Now, having passed through 16, 14, 12, and 10 recently, I can tell you that my old clothes literally fall off me now, and when I try on the recommended sizes at the store, I am swimming in them as well.

Example:
I went to the Levi's store after checking their fit chart online, and was prepared to try on some 12s... huge. 10s- too big. 8s (29 waist) fit well-ish at the store, bought two pairs. When I wore them the next day, my co-worker suggested that I should have gotten one size smaller; during the course of the day, said pants expanded until they were basically falling down. I've had the same experience at other stores.

So here's the question(s):
As a small-boned 5'4", 150 pound, 40-32-39 chubby girl with an F/G cup size, how can I possibly be a size 6-8 in pants, and a S/M in shirts? Especially when all the fit charts tell me that I should be in clothes 2-5 sizes bigger? I understand (and don't really mind) the whole vanity-size thing, but shouldn't the fit charts go along with the ruse? Are there any retailers out there whose fit charts/size guides match the actual sizes of their clothes? Am I doing something really wrong measuring-wise? Will I ever be able to online-shop again?

posted by esmerelda_jenkins to clothing, beauty, & fashion (16 comments total)

Did you measure yourself or have someone help you?
posted by Juliet Banana at 11:59 AM on June 11

I found the same thing when shopping online at a few stores a couple months ago -- all the clothes were a few sizes too big, and i was very careful to measure according to their size charts. Fortunately they were just skirts and tshirts, so I took them in myself... I'm a size 12 and they all fit 14-16.

for the record, the stores were 'madewithlovebyhanna' and 'heartbreaker fashion'. not going to link, just fyi to those who are curious.
posted by lizbunny at 12:06 PM on June 11

One possibility with pants/skirts: the waist measurement on the fit chart may be for your "natural waist," but the clothing item itself could be cut to hit lower. If the fit model for a given brand is more hourglassy, then they might be expecting someone with a 32 (natural) waist to have 42 hips, for example. I am mostly rectangular and run into this a lot.

Also, it is very hard to measure yourself, so maybe have a friend help.
posted by vilthuril at 12:22 PM on June 11

I ordered swimsuits from LL Bean using their size charts and it worked great. That being said, I have found that their pants are designed for small waisted people, with big thighs.
posted by fyrebelley at 12:51 PM on June 11 [1 favorite]

Having someone help with measurements, and making sure you measure at your natural waist, and not where you want your pants to hit are good tips. (Nature waist - bend sideways. Where it creases is your natural waist.)

But...

Size charts are a wonky, all over the place mess. A manufacturer's size chart may or may not actually match up with a particular garment. And sometimes a manufacturer's size chart will match up with some of its garments, but not at all with others, because sizing is inconsistent within the same rline. For example, I generally wear a women's size 20. I went to Lane Bryant on Monday and tried on the following size dresses, all of which fit me: 16, 18, 22, and 26. I recently ordered a dress from an on-line retailer (B&Lu). According to their size chart, I should wear a 4X. I ordered a 2X, which is what I normally wear, and it fits me fine. And I'm fortunate enough to have measurements that at least correspond to fit charts. Woe unto she whose bust measurement is within the range range for one size, but whose hips or waist are in the range for another.

So shouldn't the fit charts go along with the ruse? Yes, absolutely, but they don't. As for retailers with consistent fit charts... I can't think of any off the top of my head (and if I could, they would be plus size, anyway). I think your best bet is to experiment in brick-and-mortar stores and find retailers that sells clothes that are reliably well fitting for you, and then proceed to order on-line only from those particular retailers.
posted by jennyb at 12:57 PM on June 11

A 32 inch waist with 39 inch hips is not a standard combination for any manufacturer, so are you sizing to the waist or the hips? If you size to the waist your pants will definitely be too big. The unfortunate truth is that regardless of your overall size, your body is disproportionate (according to the fashion industry), so you'll never be able to know your size for sure. Look for online shops with free return shipping.

If it makes you feel any better, my waist and hips have a 15" difference, resulting in a basically equal and opposite problem to yours. This has persisted throughout lots of weight fluctuations both up and down, so it has nothing to do with being chubby for either of us.
posted by telegraph at 1:04 PM on June 11

I ordered a coat this past winter from Lands End online and sized it via their online size charts and my own (careful) self-measurements. The coat fit perfectly.
posted by geeky at 1:11 PM on June 11

Woe unto she whose bust measurement is within the range range for one size, but whose hips or waist are in the range for another.

Welcome to my world. My bust is a size 18, my waist is a 12 and my hips are a 14.

I've completely given up buying anything with a tailored fit online (or actually, at all). I find skirts and knit shirts to be very forgiving and spend most of my time in those. Not only are size charts completely inconsistent with actual sizes, but sizes within a retailer are inconsistent as well. I've tried on three pairs of jeans in Old Navy, same color, cut, style, size, etc - and they've all fit completely differently.
posted by elsietheeel at 1:39 PM on June 11

Whether I buy in person or from a distance, my experience with clothing sizes has been like yours. Even within one brand, sizes can be inconsistent, though usually they're close. Unless I know for sure what size I need, I order two... or even three, if it's a company or brand that I've never tried. Then I return the ones that don't work out. It's a pain, and I have to get the box labeled and sealed the same day or risk letting it languish for weeks.

At some companies, the customer-service people have more info about fit. Two that come to mind are LL Bean and Lands' End; there are others I can't think of. They can be able to tell you if an item runs small or large, or if their clothes just tend to be "generous." They know how much each garment is supposed to shrink. Usually, they have the actual measurements of the clothing -- so you can chose a 44 inch shirt and it won't spew buttons when you take a breath. Try calling to ask, even if you want to end up placing the order via the web site.
posted by wryly at 1:41 PM on June 11

lately, when I get jeans that fit my hips/butt/thighs, they're too big in the waist. Pointers from a boutique salesgirl: 1) it's apparently very easy & cheap to get the waist taken in, 2) all jeans will grow 1/2 size while wearing.
posted by kestrel251 at 1:50 PM on June 11

Another problem may be that clothing sizes allow for "ease". This means that a retailer may claim that a pair of pants fits a 32" waist, but actually the jeans are 35" around the waist, because 3" is factored in for ease of fit. I know when I sew I go by the finished item measurements rather than the "to fit body measurements" chart, because the manufacturers always allow some ridiculous amount of ease and the finished garment would be way too big.

Pay careful attention to what the sites say about how the items tend to fit.
posted by orange swan at 1:52 PM on June 11

I think your best bet is to go to different brick-and-mortar stores until you find one that has clothing which suits your size and aesthetic. Try on lots of stuff. I have weird proportion issue and began to hate trying out new stores, so now I basically stick with the same 2-3 stores (in my case J.Crew and Banana Republic). Doesn't exactly make for the most exciting wardrobe but I find lots of things I like and can wear for a long time. I can order online (which usually have good sales and often a wider selection) and return in person which makes things pretty easy.
posted by JenMarie at 1:58 PM on June 11

If you find a pair of pants or a shirt that fit, you can always measure the shirt instead of yourself. Sometimes that helps if you don't have someone to help you.
posted by kathrineg at 2:57 PM on June 11

Are you *sure* those measurements are correct? Because I'm 5'4", 135 lbs, 38-30-41 and generally wear a size 10, sometimes a 12 in pants. I do have problems with the waists being too big, but I have big hips so I have to fit to those and either wear a belt or have the waist taken in.

Shirts I tend to have to get in Small in regular sizes, even though my bust is large-ish, because I have a petite frame. Petite sizes are more accurate for me, but unfortunately the selection is usually not-so-good.

It's a pain being a woman....
posted by weesha at 3:57 PM on June 11

Honestly? Because there is no standardized fit or cut for women's clothing, your best bet is probably to try out a few stores' offerings in person, and then find out which of those tend to fit you best, what size you are in each clothing component, and then order online from there on out.

For example, I know that I am a size 8ish in dresses at Banana Republic, and that their cuts tend to flatter my body. J. Crew? Nothing there ever looks right on me.

Then again, even the same sizes in the same store end up not being the same sometimes...

Best of luck! [If all else fails, find a good tailor in town. Ain't nothin' like a good tailor.]
posted by rachaelfaith at 6:53 AM on June 12

I bet it has to do with bone structure, since you're small boned.. I have a large frame and have to size up in clothes sometimes because the shoulders or hips don't fit even though otherwise, the garment is too big.

Also it might have to do with the rise of the pants. I've had to size up because.. since I'm tall, where the pants get slimmer toward the waist and at the waistband, that falls lower on my hip than it should. result: I have to size up, because the waistband is right on my hipbone and won't button comfortably, even though the rest of the garment fits. So if you're petite, the rise probably fits a bit higher than it should, which means you might have to size down. In an ideal world mass-market retailers would change the proportions of garments when they make tall sizes and petite sizes, but they usually just change the hemline.
posted by citron at 7:28 AM on June 13