“I am glad I wear the same waist size as I used to back in college”? Said a 25 years old friend of mine.
And I wondered, is it possible that her clothes grew along
with her or did she herself stop growing? Obviously not!
You must have realized this at some point that you have
three pair of jeans of different sizes and all fit you well. Ever thought, where
does variability in clothe sizing comes from?
It’s simply the practice of vanity sizing which refers to
adding an extra inch of fabric without changing the size tag, or labeling of
larger clothes with “size small” tags. However, an absolute measurement means
if your waist size is 27, then the waistband should exactly measure 27 inches.
But what made the retailers adopt this strategy? The answer
is clear, requirement of a large size by a consumer is a threat to appearance
self esteem, and unfortunately this is very much embedded in consumer psyche
globally.
The mass retailers have made vanity sizing a norm assuming
that they can encourage shoppers to buy clothes merely by re-labeling them with
smaller sizes. And the reality also favors this trend because small size is
considered attractive and is highly valued. This tactic is rather frustrating
for the consumers as they have to look for the right fit every time instead of
setting for a uniform measurement.
The issue of vanity sizing may also affect the shopping
habits. For example, consumes may not be happy with the variance in sizes which
exists from store to store and this uncertainty is the reason why they prefer
sticking to the stores where they will find the right fit (I tend to do the
same J).
Even I was impervious to this selling strategy until I came
across this term on one of the consumer forums. So when you shop next time,
following are some of the things you may keep in mind about vanity sizing:
Always try on the clothes ignoring the tag size
It is better to look at the actual size of the garment, try
it first and put the size tag aside. Remember, stores introduce smaller sizes
to fit petite women and perhaps this is the reason why we see size XXS.
The numbers are not always true
Try reclaiming your size and know that the size tags may not
always be true.
Know that there is a difference in cuts
All the dresses displayed may be tagged “small” but they
might have different cuts. So don’t blame your body for not fitting into the
dress. If a certain clothe does not fit you, it’s not your fault, it is just
the dress cut which is not designed for you. Do don’t be disappointed thinking
you need to perfect your figure to fit into the label.
The best way not to baffle about the size you wear is to
know how the fashion industry works. You need to realize that sizes on the
labels are mostly purposeless. Vanity sizing must have been introduced to
appeal the consumers and promote purchase, but I believe it is more a tactic of
deceiving consumer. So next time, don’t fall into self delusion. Looking and
feeling pretty into XL or Xs is up to you, and not up to the retailers. Cheers!
