Comments on: Sizing evolution

By: Fashion Incubator » Blog Archive » The myth of vanity sizing

Fashion Incubator » Blog Archive » The myth of vanity sizing — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:56:03 +0000

[...] Myth of Vanity Sizing Fit and Sizing Entropy Push manufacturing; subverting the fit feedback loop Sizing evolution Shrinkage and fit Alternatives in Women’s sizing Tyranny of tiny sizes? The history of [...]

By: Fashion Incubator » What are the measurements of a size 10?

Fashion Incubator » What are the measurements of a size 10? — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 21:55:49 +0000

[...] designation numbers to reflect sizing to the norm (AKA “vanity sizing” but I prefer sizing evolution). To make a few points, I need data. That’s where you come in. I wrote a survey to get an [...]

By: Thomas Bailey

Thomas Bailey — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 02:56:41 +0000

Walter is right about using objective standards using actual measurements. The British Standards Institute has drafted just such a standard, and is due sometime after 2007. The release date has been delayed repeatedly. First I read that the new labels will be released in 2004, then at the end of 2006, and now after 2007. Designers know people do not want big size numbers, which BS-EN13402 will have, with 3-digit sizes being common. This is the primary measurement in centimeters. This is likely to be a big obstacle, as few people would admit to being a size 105, as I happen to be.

By: olivia

olivia — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 22:38:18 +0000

I understand that sizes should evolve with the evolution of the population – but what is wrong with adding sizes? Leave a zero as a zero. I have clothes of my mother’s that were a four when she wore them, and they fit me now, as a zero… and maybe that’s fine. But I went shopping at Banana Republic recently, and even the zeros were too large! Besides, I know girls smaller than I am. My old clothes still fit — I think that maybe if sizes didn’t change, people would realize that they were gaining weight, and they might do something about it. Changing sizes is certainly a more profitable venture… but that doesn’t mean it is a good one.

By: jj

jj — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 22:47:00 +0000

Walter, if you think that inches or centimeters is an objective standard in women’s wear, please re-read the article on “Alternatives in Women’s Sizing”. Two women with a 38″ bust may have very, very different figures.

By: Fashion-Incubator

Fashion-Incubator — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 00:23:10 +0000

Push manufacturing; subverting the fit feedback loop

“Push” manufacturing can be described as producing an entire line of products without pre-selling and taking orders for it. This means making up a bunch of stuff without knowing if anybody wants it beforehand. In my opinion, push manufacturing is…

By: Fashion-Incubator

Fashion-Incubator — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 22:01:53 +0000

Fit and sizing entropy

When I said I could write an entire book about why vanity sizing was a myth, I was exaggerating only slightly. What I should have said was I could write an entire book about why clothing fits so poorly and…

By: Fashion-Incubator

Fashion-Incubator — Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:58:45 +0000

The myth of vanity sizing

I’ve been avoiding the topic of fit and sizing -which aren’t the same thing- for a very long time. I haven’t written about it because a truly comprehensive discussion is very controversial and guaranteed to piss off everyone from consumers…

By: Walter

Walter — Thu, 14 Jul 2005 01:31:02 +0000

Yea,

Why don’t they use a objective standard, like inches or cetimeters? That way, instead of trying on lots of different items looking to the one that fits, you could just get measured when you start and pick from the items that fit.

This would make mail order much easier (no more having to guess if the 1X or 2X shirt is the right size).

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 13 Jul 2005 23:48:35 +0000

I guess the problem I have then is not that evolution exists but why it exists. If I know that the average woman were a size 20, I wouldn’t mind wearing size 20 clothing. I mean, I completely understand the reasoning behind S, M and L and how the average customer is always going to be M. Fine. But why bother changing actual number sizes? You say that manufacturers will scale a 0 size to a 0 woman, so does that mean that if you find that a 0 woman has gotten smaller, the sizes will scale down again? All this is telling me that after a couple of years I won’t really be able to start from a certain number and work out if that piece of clothing doesn’t fit me. It’s already starting to be like a crap shoot.

Sorry, don’t mean to kvetch. Just had a long day. I have learned a lot from these posts and do appreciate them!