Vanity Sizing Increasing in Plus Size Fashions

So you do most of your shopping at Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug and most of the time you may fit comfortably in a size 24W at both stores. Then you go to Catherine's and find a size 24W is a bit tight in the bust and large at the bottom. Did you suddenly lose weight in your waist and hips and added an inch to your bust? No, the answer lies in the differences between retailers' size charts due to a practice called vanity sizing. The only way to find your best fit is to know your measurements, not your size.

Vanity Sizing is the Culprit at Large

Over the last thirty years or so fashion has seen shrinking dress sizes. This phenomenon began with misses sizes and later the creation of the infamous size 0 made matters worse. Sizes vary between retailers and over time, within the same retailer as one beauty magazine found out. Cosmo did a comparison of two pair of Gap khakis, one purchased in 1996 and the other in 2006. Both sizes were tagged as a size 2; however, the finished waist of each pair differs. The pair purchased in 1996 has a finished waist of 28.5 inches while the 2006 pair measures at 31.5 inches. That is a 3 inch difference.

Within the last decade plus size fashions fell victim to vanity sizing resulting in more and more full figures complaining about the fit of clothes from various retailers. Leia Santos, 33 from Delaware, expresses her frustration, "I shop at the Avenue and Lane Bryant. When I get a pair of 22 [size 22W] jeans at the Avenue they fit me comfortably, when I get a pair of 22's at Lane (Bryant), they fit kind of snug. It's irritating, I don't think I've gained weight, but I have to go up a size when I shop there [Lane Bryant]. It's ridiculous!"

Navigating Vanity Sizing

The best way to navigate the sea of varying sizes is to not rely on retail sizes alone. While it may feel good to purchase a size 20 dress when you've always worn a 24, this can cause you to forget that being a size 20 in store ABC is just for that store only. It is a vanity size. What you need, is your true body measurements on hand. Your bust, waist and hip measurements are your guide for fit.

Most plus size retailers have online stores. Locate their size charts and use your measurements to select your size for each retailer. Since vanity sizing has become so disparate over the years you may find that with certain retailers your size for tops may differ than your size for bottoms. For those who are triangle or pear-shaped, this is a common occurrence. For those with an hourglass, rectangular, or oval shape this can become frustrating since in theory they should wear the same dress size for tops and bottoms.

How to Take Your Measurements to End Vanity Sizing Confusion

Plus size women should know their body measurements as the full figure body has curves that need to be accounted for. If you do not know your measurements you won't need to go to a bridal shop to have them taken. Do it yourself. You will need an 80-inch tape measure, your best fitting bra and a friend (if available). To find your bust measurement, take your measurement around the fullest part of your bust.

To take your waist measurement you need to measure your natural waist. Not many women are aware where their natural waist falls because of pant and skirt styles that do not sit at the natural waist (low rise, hip-huggers, etc). To find your natural waist, bend to one side. Where your torso bends is where your natural waist falls. Place the tape measure there. While holding the tape measure in place, bend to the other side and wrap the tape measure around your waist to obtain your natural waist measurement.

The hip measurement can be a bit tricky as well, as this measurement also takes into account your derrière. Typically, the hip measurement is taken at the fullest part of the hip. However, if you have a round derrière you may need to adjust or take an additional measurement around the hips. For narrow hips with a protruding derrière, stand sideways in front of a full length mirror. Where your derrière protrudes the farthest is where you should take your measurement. If you have round hips and a protruding derrière you may need to take one measurement around the fullest part of the hip and then one around the point where your derrière protrudes the farthest. Whichever measurement is larger should be used as your hip measurement.

Vanity sizing can make plus size clothes shopping a chore if you are pressed for time. Running in and out of the changing room with four different sizes of the same item can be time consuming. If you have the time and this works for you, then it's business as usual. If time is not always on your side, eliminate the guesswork vanity sizing has created by taking your own measurements and comparing them to the store's size chart. Then you just need to try on one of each item to see how it looks on you.

SOURCES

Jackson, K. (2006, May 5). 0 is the new 8. Retrieved June 28, 2010, from The Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/05/05/0_is_the_new_8/

Santos, L. (2010, June 26). Age 33 from Delaware. (S. Pierce, Interviewer)

Triffin, M. (n.d.). Vanity Sizing: The Insanity of Size 0. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from Cosmopolitan: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/celebrity/fashion/vanity-sizing

Warren, M. C. (2010, April 18). Clothes retailers flatter women with vanity sizing. Retrieved June 27, 2010, from The Times: http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article7100795.ece