Why Clothing Sizes Mean Nothing
It is difficult to be a “perfect” size when clothing sizes are so random.
Chances are, when you picture yourself at your ideal weight, you also picture yourself reaching for a specific clothing size in your closet. It can be a useful goal to visualize, but a little retail perspective can help keep you from obsessing over a potentially meaningless number.
The truth is, there is no standard sizing convention among women’s clothing manufacturers, says George Simonton, design director of eponymous fashion label George Simonton, and professor at Fashion Institute of Technology. “If you try on an 8 from each designer, you’ll get a different fit on each one,” Simonton says. “They develop their own specs and measurements.” (And by designer, he means every clothing label from Chanel on down to Cherokee.)
As if that weren't confusing enough, says Jo Kallal, professor of fashion and apparel studies at University of Delaware, disparities can exist even within a single brand. “Neiman Marcus’ mail order catalog is more mass market than what they have in stores,” Kallal says. “The latter tends to be traditional sizing, and the former is roomier.”
Marketing, not measurements
Design experts agree that fluctuations are based on marketing. Many apparel companies do research on customer demographics and use that information to inform measurements, explains Elaine Perlov, e-commerce marketing manager at young women’s clothing label Dollhouse and principal designer and owner of Immortal Coil. Often the more high-end the designer, the smaller the size. Using size 8 as a baseline, she cites brand examples. “An 8 in Theory is more like a 6. Same for Marc Jacobs. In Dior, an 8 is more of a 4,” she explains. “A Gap size 8 is more like a 10, and Old Navy’s size 8 and Target’s size 8 is really like a 12.”
Kallal explains, “Sizing is used as a marketing tool to attract or retain customers,” adding that certain brands relate to specific shapes and demographics, depending on their target customer.
“At Ann Taylor, the difference between bust and waist is 7 ½ inches, and between the hips and waist, the difference is 10 inches,” Kallal says. "At Banana Republic, the difference between bust and waist is 9 inches, and between hips and waist is 12 inches. My guess is that Banana Republic is attracting a younger woman, whereas Ann Taylor is attracting an older woman who has maybe had children.”