Clothing sizes! Grrrrr!

it's an unfortunate side effect of people being vain, and thinking it matters what number is inside their clothes where no one can see. once upon a time, clothing sizes had corresponding measurements that went with them. then shops would change their sizes, so that larger clothes had a smaller size number inside, thinking (sadly rightly so) that if someone is a size 14 in one shop and a size 12 in their shop, then they would be more likely to buy from them than the other shop. gradually sizing has become meaningless. in modern clothes I'm anything between a size 10 and a size 14, depending on the shop and the cut of a garment. in vintage sizing, I am a size 16. now unlike a lot of people, I'd rather be able to say that I am a size 16, and have everything in a size 16 fit me, like with vintage clothes, rather than have to try and look up each companies sizing guide just so that I can describe myself as about a size 12, and imagine that this means I am thinner.

If I notice that a store is American, I will order the correct size as I know what size I am in American terms. However, sometimes I won't notice because I am in a rush or something, and I will order the wrong size. When it comes from America it's a pain to send back and takes sometimes weeks for you to get the refund or the replacement items. So you really do have to be very careful. It's bad enough shopping in different stores in the UK, as the sizings are so different even between two different shops.

I always have the hardest time trying to find clothes to fit me. I hate it! I am not built like most women.

I was just discussing this topic with a couple of friends the other day who are also dissatisfied with the way the sizing varies so much between store to store! I think the department stores are great for mixing and matching and browsing or trying on clothes and outfits to see what best works for you. But the internet plays a huge role in a girls fashion conveinence! It's important for there to be a standard sizing chart that everyone has to stick too... even if it is different for each country there should be an easy to follow legend which determines what your size is going to be. Most online stores offer exchanges for the right size but i think it would be alot easier, faster and cheaper for all involved if there was just a standard applied to the sizing which everyone had to follow.

I seldom buy clothes online from another country. I make sure they're Asian size. Hover I'm very fond of using American branded clothing, I try to look for them in the mall and fit the size. Then I just take note of it. I do the same with shoes but as much as possible I rarely buy clothes online,

I find problems in clothing sizes just shopping at diffrent stores in the us!! For example: I'm Tiny. If I go to Hot topic I can't get a small. I'm not even sure my baby would fit in their small! Sometimes the mediums are too tight too!! Then I shop somewhere else and the smalls are too big! Don't even get me started on jean sizes! Inhae a wide range in my closet because one brands sizes don't match with the next brand. It makes shopping really aggravating!

I live in the United Kingdom and so I know British sizes. When I traveled to St Lucia they had American sizes and I got a top and a pair of shoes. I bought shoes in Australia and I tried to find ones that would fit best. I don't order clothes on the Internet from abroad because I am not sure of the International sizes. Ladies in China seem to have really small feet. I don't think I would get my shoe size there.

Oh.. I never buy clothes online as my size is quite... special hhahaha!

I went to China on April, and I bought some clothes from there. you know what, their size in comparison to here is totally different. I have to try different size or large to replace the medium size. Since their body size is totally different from here though.

I know what you mean because I remember getting a jacket and a blouse both did not fit me so I had to give them to my mom. Still it is very different to the clothing size here in the U.S. and I don't really like that because it just makes it difficult to shop for clothes online. That's why I no longer buy clothes online it's much easier for me to just go to the stores instead and buy my clothes their size small so that I won't have to struggle.

Yes this is an issue for all and all over the world actually. Although I am very small, it is not easy to shop anything online as they create everything with such differences in style that I could never get anything in the first and or second attempt to fit right. I try to avoid buying anything online and try them on in the stores. I could probably get away with tops but sometimes they come way too big even if it is my actual size, so I think it is just the styles and materials that make such a difference for us. My step-daughter lives in UK and comes to visit for a month during the summer. She had said over the phone she was not fitting in her clothes and if I could pick some up for her. Since it is really hot and humid here and never like this there, for the summer. I did as she told me with the sizes and none of them fit. They were either too big and or too small and that using the size converters.

i know that's why i don't like buying over the web because i still don't know if it's really going to fit me or not

I find that i am a different size depending which shop i'm in. i haven't bought clothes from a different country online yet, but i can see it would be a problem. sometimes i quite like to to oxfam's online shop, as tbe new clothes i see in shops are so badly made i don't buy them, even some quite expensive ones. and they give the actual measurement of the garment which is quite helpful, maybe we should start asking for that everywhere.