BRIDGETTE RAES: It's great to be here. Thank you for having me. CHAKRABARTI: Okay. So I just want to lay out a thesis of mine, which is I don't think women's bodies should be harder to size than men's. There's nothing about a woman's body that should make it more challenging, but it does seem like, I don't know if it's part of the industry or the way brands have sold clothes to women historically, but it seems like coming up with standardized sizing for women has historically been more difficult.
Ah, women’s clothing sizes. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, you walk into a store and suddenly, you’re faced with a size chart that looks like it was designed by a committee of mad scientists. Seriously, why is it that a size 8 at one store feels like a size 2 at another? It’s like the fashion world is playing its own version of hide-and-seek, and the sizes are always hiding.
Let’s break it down. You might be browsing online, minding your own business, when you stumble upon a size guide that lists numbers like 0, 2, 4, 6, and so on. But when it comes to the actual clothing items, you’re greeted with a delightful array of S, M, L, XL, and XXL. It’s a classic case of “what are you trying to pull here, fashion industry?” It’s as if they expect us to magically know how to convert numerical sizes into letters, all while standing in the dressing room and trying to squeeze into something that looks like it was made for a toddler.
And let’s not get started on the sizing inconsistencies between brands. Have you ever tried on a pair of jeans that are labeled as a size 10, only to find that they fit more like a size 14 from another brand? It’s enough to make you want to throw your hands up in despair and declare a permanent WFH (Work From Home) policy just to avoid the whole ordeal. I mean, why bother with clothes at all when you can work in your pajamas?
The frustration doesn’t end there, though. You’d think that a reputable retailer like Nordstrom Rack would have a system in place that makes sense, but even they throw a wrench into the works with their size listings. You’re presented with a size guide that’s all about numbers, but when you go to purchase something, you’re left deciphering whether a ‘M’ will fit or if you need to size up to an ‘L’ to avoid a wardrobe malfunction that could make headlines.
Now, don’t even get me started on the psychological warfare that comes with trying on clothes. You finally find that perfect dress, only to discover that it’s a size smaller than what you usually wear. Suddenly, you’re questioning your entire existence and whether you’ve consumed an extra slice of cake in the last week. Spoiler alert: you probably have, but that’s not the point.
So, what can we do about this maddening sizing system? Well, for starters, we can band together as a community of frustrated shoppers and demand better. We deserve a straightforward sizing system that doesn’t make us feel like we need a degree in mathematics to figure out what size we are. Why not stick to numbers across the board? Or better yet, let’s just adopt a universal sizing system that makes sense.
In the meantime, we can take solace in the fact that we’re not alone in this struggle. Whether you’re navigating the intricacies of sizing charts or trying to decipher the cryptic letters on clothing tags, just remember: the struggle is real. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll look back on this and laugh—unless, of course, we’re still trying to squeeze into those size 10 jeans.
Inspired by: “Women’s Clothing Sizes – WHY?” (r/mildlyinfuriating)