Vanity Sizing & Labelling?

[Lady Day]

We get whatever Lane Bryant and the 'womans world' parts of shops offer.

We get less choices about color or prints, having to accept whatever is on sale that season if we actually need to buy a top -now- and cant shop around for ages.

I hate their cuts, fabric content, and styles. So I just stopped going to them as well.

LB just released some nice wide leg trousers, but they are all low cut. No no no!

I take a tape measure with me when I shop. I NEVER go by sizes. Too much hassle. I wish they would just offer clothing by waist, bust and hip measurements instead of some obligatory size.

*sigh*

LD

 

[Rosie]

Sizes have definitely changed. How do I know? I wear the same size I wore in high school but, I'm at least 60 pounds heavier then I was in high school not ot mention, my boobs alone are ridiculously huge. A size 24 years ago was a 46" breast, that same size 24 is now a 54" breast.

There are many choices for plus sized fashion one just has to shop for it. I am the biggest woman I know and I am also one of the best dressed, even on the ocassions I am not vintage or vi. (not to sound conceited but this is something others tell me also).

 

[Miss Sis]

I know what you all mean. Years ago I was an English size 12 (this is when I was about 13) - now, being much the same sort of size, if not a bit more womanly I am about a size 8. How does that work?

In Gap, I was size 4 in jeans about five years ago but the last time I got a pair they are a 2! It is Vanity sizing and no mistake.

At least with vintage I KNOW a size 18 will fit (if it is an American garment and has a label) Most English clothes of the era don't have size labels so you have to measure anyway.

 

[BonnieJean]

Right on, Rosie!

There are many choices for plus sized fashion one just has to shop for it. I am the biggest woman I know and I am also one of the best dressed, even on the ocassions I am not vintage or vi. (not to sound conceited but this is something others tell me also).

Being classy is never out of style and any woman no matter what size can do it. Its a little more challenging for us curvier women to find the right clothes, but I think the extra effort is worth it. Obviously, Rosie, you're one classy lady and I certainly admire you. I just wish some of my friends would realize this too and not settle for the "frumpy" clothes that some stores offer for plus-sized women.

Size does not make the woman, but its the attitude and impression that comes from within that does.

 

[Rebecca D]

Vintage pattern sizing confuses me, too. I have a 26" waist (up from a 24" waist before beer and age got the better of me), but 26" waist patterns are always too big for me. Does anyone else run into this problem? There's no way I could go down a full size, but I'm getting tired of taking in my skirts.

 

[mysterygal]

I find that with clothes, you pretty much just have to try it on...gone are the days where you can look for a particular size, grab it, and go.
Vintage sizing is different than modern sizing. I'm either in a size 1 or 3(depending on the different clothes designers)...with vintage however, it's a size 6 sometimes 8.

 

[mysterygal]

Being classy is never out of style and any woman no matter what size can do it. Its a little more challenging for us curvier women to find the right clothes, but I think the extra effort is worth it. Obviously, Rosie, you're one classy lady and I certainly admire you. I just wish some of my friends would realize this too and not settle for the "frumpy" clothes that some stores offer for plus-sized women.

Size does not make the woman, but its the attitude and impression that comes from within that does.

:eusa_clap Well said! This is what I think is so great about the 40's and 50's, the clothes seemed to encourage a curvy woman instead of the pencil stick which is in style now.

 

[Tourbillion]

Well, nothing ever fits me, but....

I always have to alter patterns to get them to fit, and they have less vanity sizing than ready to wear.

Vintage patterns work better for me though, because they have bigger hips like I do, but the waists are often still too big--like the dress I made for the Queen Mary event. I was afraid it would end up to small, but it was a bit large instead.

As for size 12, I have an interesting tidbit. My friend's mom Anne was a model in the late 40's and 50's. She said they had to wear a size 12. I took this to be an 80's modern 4 or 6, which is similar to runway models today. They are about 32-34" bust, 24" waist and 34" hips mostly. That is a 2 or a 4 today. It would have been about a 6 back when she told be about the change of sizes. I seem to recall a size 8 being about 34" 26" 36"

Here's the weird thing though, my simplicty pattern says a 12 is 30" 26" 33" which seems tiny to me (except weirdly for the waist). Anne, the model was 5'10" and that thin? Yikes. I really want to call her and clarify this.

Now and then, the clothes were bigger than these measurements, so there was vanity sizing, right?

Now I'm totally confused.

 

[Miss Sis]

I find even the sizing on vintage patterns doesn't really tell you what you will be getting, just the same as modern patterns.

I am a 37" bust and even 36" bust patterns are far too big and have to be taken in miles. I always sew a generous seam allowance so I don't know why it always comes out so much bigger then it's supposed to. BUT I am always worried that if I get a smaller one and cut it out - it will be too small, so I always get the 36" size anyway. Argh!

 

[Rosie]

Being classy is never out of style and any woman no matter what size can do it. Its a little more challenging for us curvier women to find the right clothes, but I think the extra effort is worth it. Obviously, Rosie, you're one classy lady and I certainly admire you. I just wish some of my friends would realize this too and not settle for the "frumpy" clothes that some stores offer for plus-sized women.

Size does not make the woman, but its the attitude and impression that comes from within that does.

Awww Bonnie, what a sweet thing to say. Thanks, you're making me blush. Sending lots of hugs and kisses your way.

 

[Sunny]

I find even the sizing on vintage patterns doesn't really tell you what you will be getting, just the same as modern patterns.

I am a 37" bust and even 36" bust patterns are far too big and have to be taken in miles. I always sew a generous seam allowance so I don't know why it always comes out so much bigger then it's supposed to. BUT I am always worried that if I get a smaller one and cut it out - it will be too small, so I always get the 36" size anyway. Argh!

I'm beginning to suspect that pattern companies add too much ease to the patterns. This might be allowing for women who "sew optimistically" and cut out sizes that probably aren't the best for them. Also, people these days aren't used to garments that really fit. If it's a knit, they expect it to cling and outline everything, but otherwise things don't fit closely.

It's a bit of a pain at times, but making a muslin is an excellent way to test the fit or sizing of a pattern. Sometimes you can make it up in a cheap steal off the clearance table, and end up with two garments from the same pattern.

I'm liking vintage clothes a lot because of the shaping that's involved in them. Perhaps it's as simple as allowing for a curvy figure instead of a straight one, as ready-mades are today, but things will fit at my waist while allowing plenty of room for the rest of me.

Simplicity really messed up the Martha McCain Civil War dress patterns by adding at least 2" of ease to bodices that are intended to be perfectly fitted. That is, completely smooth over corset and chemise. There is no ease in the bodice, and the tight fit of the sleeves allows for manueverability. The company didn't get it, though. :eusa_doh:

 

[AllaboutEve]

With regards to vintage patterns coming up too big, I have noticed that you really need to keep an eye on the seam allowances as they can vary across the garment.

Some of the vintage 1940's Simplicity that I have made have had half inch seams all over and then 1 inch seams down the sides. This was apparently to give you the option to let the dress out later on rather than having to buy another lot of fabric (expensive and hard to come buy in some era's).

I always buy a 36" ( vintage 18 )bust but then I still have to let it out because the standard pattern measurement is only for a B cup so I usually let in darts. Hips usually fit just about but then the waist is too big. I wish that you could buy a pattern for a UK 12-8-12 that would fit me just fine!!!! I'll keep wishing .......

It is without doubt vanity sizing that has made it all so complicated,....one lady at a sewing class I went to shrieked when she saw that my pattern was a size 18 and told me that I had definitely bought the wrong size until I explained to her that it was a vintage sizing.Just goes to show how much sizes have altered!

It all seems rather stupid to me I think that fashion retailers should all agree on a standard set of sizes and stick to them and that we should all just buy what fits us!!! It's a shame that women compare themselves to each other by a set of numbers. I was a UK size 8 for years and over the last few years I have crept up closer to a 12 and I really don't care, I can tell you now that I feel a lot better and I love having bigger boobs and a bigger behind!!! I mean if people are that bothered about what size the label reads why not just take it out or change it with a marker pen!!!!lol