Vintage Sizing

[NicolettaRose]

I have problems with the sizing today myself. Some things are so strangely made. I have bought size S more than once lately cause everything else was so loose and blah and not fitting the way I want it - and I´m really not a small or tiny person. Every store has their own sizing it seems.

However some people on ebay confuse me just the same... I see a dress displayed in my size and when I request the meassurements it turns out they are either more tiny or way too big. I hate to allways nag them about meassurements, but they don´t allways write them t the discription.

Tell me about it! I went into Banana republic and the size 0 was too big! What is up with that?! I'm not even a techniquely a size 0! Atleast I hope I'm not!!, I'm generally a size 2/4, but most American companies cut sizes huge,and then when they stock thier stores, they always have size 6, 8, or 10 in, but good luck finding anything smaller. If the sizes are too big on me, I can't imagine what those very, very petite Asian girls do. Even the juniors department runs huge. Ughh, its a nightmare. Not everyone is 5'9 and a size 6 like the models on the runways. I am always directed to the petite department, but then these are all cut to short in most places are are generally very fuddy duddy.

A modern size 0 is a joke: 33 bust/ 25 waist/ 35 hips??? This would have been a size 14 in the 1930's!

 

[NicolettaRose]

I have similar issues, especially with shoes. I wear a narrow and the only way I can get a modern shoe to fit is if it runs narrow or I have a ankle strap so it won't fall off! Forget those little strappy things! They would fall right off! I have a few pairs of modern shoes, but mostly vintage ones. Then again, I mostly live in sandals day to day anyway... [huh]

As far as sizing, it's well known fact in the garment industry that sizing varies. What happened is that the manufacturers descided to make the label on the clothing larger in order to boost the morale of women shoppers, since I believe the standard American size now is 10 (correct me if I'm mistaken). It is regrettable that there is not standard sizing on the tags (though designers still use standard size 8 dress forms, which are the equivalent to about a modern label size 2. Go figure). Within companies sizing often varies because of outsourcing. A company will have things made in China, India, Malaysia, etc, with the sizing being off because of production or sizing in that particular country.

If you're a smaller size, as I am, you may want to try out H&M or other European based clothing chains. I've had luck with them, Diesel, and Mango. They come in long lengths, and are smaller proportions than most American, and even British companies. Hope this helps!

H&M is great! Bebe actually works for me as well since they still cut rather small, so do designers like Roberto Cavalli, Giorgio Armani, Versace ( If I could afford a whole wardrobe of this, I would, LOL!, but sadly, I can't)

I once read in a Marie Claire Article the huge difference in ther adverage women for each country.

The adverage american woman is 5'3 and 140 lbs.

The Adverage British woman is 5'4 and 140 lbs

The Adverage french woman is 5'3 and 127 lbs

The Adverage italian woman is 5'4 110 lbs

 

[Lotus Leroux]

Nicoletta, great thread! I too have so much trouble with shoes. My foot is narrow and short so I can basically forget buying most modern shoes. On the upside, I have had good luck in buying vintage shoes.

As far as clothes go, I also have difficulty being that I am petite. It always irks me to go to a store and the pants are way too long. I have to buy pants at specialty stores with petite departments so the convenience of going to say, Target is not an option for me.

 

[Tourbillion]

Yeah, I understand where you ladies are coming from. My own (huge) shoe size is 10 1/2 C, but I only own two pairs of shoes actually in my size. Sometimes getting European sized shoes works for me though. Have you tried Nordstrom's, I've tried to squeeze my feet unsuccessfully in to their narrow sale shoes more times than I care to count.

Although I've heard that the height/weight that Nicoletta posted is now out of date, the average American woman is now about 1/2" taller and 164 lbs. Since the average woman is so much heavier, clothing is being catered to the new average. This leaves the thin with nothing to wear.

Anyway, the increasing standardization of clothing and shoes means that almost no one gets a good fit any more. It is hard to look good if you don't fit the "average" and so few of us are.

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

A modern size 0 is a joke: 33 bust/ 25 waist/ 35 hips??? This would have been a size 14 in the 1930's!

That is really interesting, since there has been sucha furore around the "Size 0 debate" over here with these size 0 aka UK size 4 clothes appearing in shops (which no one actually buys since the average UK woman is a size 16. But that does not seem like it corresponds to a UK 4, more like an 8?

Wikipedia puts size 0 at: bust: 31.5 inches (80 cm); Waist size: 23 inches (60 cm); Hip size: 34 inches (86 cm) though.

 

[pigeon toe]

I've noticed shoe sizing getting really bizarre now. Whenever I go to Nordstrom's and try shoes my usual 6's are always way too big and the 5 1/2's fit. I know my foot hasn't shrunken at all, so it must be that they are starting to do vanity sizing for shoes now as well. How ridiculous!

I'm also an XS in the Petites section of Banana Republic (when it comes to shirt's anyway). What would I be buying if I didn't gain those 10 lbs this year? You can't get any smaller than an XS Petite. It's silly that my size is the smallest because though I am petite, I have friends who are much, much thinner than I am. I'm used to being a S or a M, not an XS!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Try JCrew. They do have their sizing running bigger than what was once the average sizing. However, their pants run in petite, regular and long. They have lots of very pretty dresses and skirts too. Banana Republic used to run well. We have a petite shoppe down the street from us, and when I was smaller (size 2), all I'd wear was their clothes, and JCrew too. That was just last year, but maybe their sizing has changed since then, but I was always very happy with the sizing of both stores, more so JCrew, but I was able to get some very well fitting clothes at both places.

 

[Lauren]

I second that! Especially in shirts I found that J Crew has a great fit. Their petites dresses fit me very well, too. They have great cottons, and their fabrics are of very good quality.

 

[KittyT]

Nicoletta, great thread! I too have so much trouble with shoes. My foot is narrow and short so I can basically forget buying most modern shoes. On the upside, I have had good luck in buying vintage shoes.

I wish I had that problem! I have a size 6 1/2 foot but my foot runs wide. I can't find vintage shoes that fit because everything is like a AA to a AAAA width. ARGH!

 

[NicolettaRose]

I second that! Especially in shirts I found that J Crew has a great fit. Their petites dresses fit me very well, too. They have great cottons, and their fabrics are of very good quality.

I have to third that. Jcrew is a really good place for basics, tanks, polos, etc. Banana Republic is nice, but it also runs a bit big. A modern brand I really like for dresses ( since that is mostly what I wear) is Diane Von Furstenburg.

 

[Kim_B]

I have to third that. Jcrew is a really good place for basics, tanks, polos, etc. Banana Republic is nice, but it also runs a bit big. A modern brand I really like for dresses ( since that is mostly what I wear) is Diane Von Furstenburg.

Yeah DvF is great...if you happen to have an extra $300 to drop for a dress. I did manage to find one on eBay for $60 and it was brand new with tags. It's one of my favorite dresses, that's for sure.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Even when I wa very slim (mooons ago) I struggled to get into some British stores size 16. (Top Shop especially) and my very slim petite friend struggles to get a pair of trousers to fit. In fact, she has a batch of trousers that she bought in France and they are the only ones that fit nicely.
Im a british size 18 and find that the more expensive the label, the more generous the cut.
I do buy a lot fo 40s vintage off US Ebay, I particularly like the stuff by Princess Peggy but I do always feel like Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray:
Hefty Hideaway! Got a glandular problem but still want the glamour?
[/I]

 

[NicolettaRose]

Yeah DvF is great...if you happen to have an extra $300 to drop for a dress. I did manage to find one on eBay for $60 and it was brand new with tags. It's one of my favorite dresses, that's for sure.

DVF is pretty reasonable compared to the likes of Chanel, Michael Kors, and Carolina Herrera, but its not like getting a dress at Gap either.

I tend to shop a little differently, actually more like a man. A lot of women buy many, many cheap trendy items and wear them only a few times, where men, especially thouse who buy suits, will buy a suit and wear it for years.A good well tailored suit can run a man over $1000, but its something he can wear for years.

The same is with me, I do buy a few fun trendy pieces, and I also buy a few designer items, but I tend to buy pieces I love, that I can wear for years. This season I bought a very vintage looking DVF silk leopard print dress for full price, but it something I can wear for years, dress up and dress down. I mix and match items, so I could be wearing a $600 dress a vintage handbag I got at Salvation army for $3

The same with shoes.I don't own a lot of shoes, but the shoes I buy are of quality ( Gucci, Chanel etc), but again, I might get one, or two pair a season, tops, and then wear them and repair them til they bite the dust, I have one pair of Gucci shoes that I have worn day in and day out for three years and they are still going strong.

Also the same is with handbags, I have lot of vintage ones, but when I am wearing modern clothing, I have a few, very well made, very classic designer bags that just don't go out of style. One was carried by Jackie O, one as designed in the 1950's, and is still in style.

 

[GoldLeaf]

That is really cool, Nic! I admire that you are able to do that!

I only get one pair of shoes a season (if I am lucky) and those are the cheap-o ones from Payless lol And believe it or not, I wear them for years! My sandals I am wearing today I got 3 summers ago! I have a pair that I got from payless 6 years ago that I still wear! Ah, necessity, hehe

I think I would have to save for 2 or 3 years to be able to afford something that cost $600. I get one or two pairs of pants a year, one or two skirts, and the same with shirts. And again, those are the cheapy ones from Target and JC Penny on sale I tend to get very classic clothes, so they are in style for a long time. And even if they aren't, I am not one for caring anyway

And of course, with the baby on the way, I know that things won't change much any time soon. But that's ok. At least someone in the house will get new clothes on a regular basis lol

 

[NicolettaRose]

I think the key is, not how much you spend, but how much you like the item. I have items from thrift stores, that I have worn for years, and I still love them as much today, as I did when I first bought them, the same is true for vintage, sometimes some of the least expensive pieces have been the best!

 

[Lady Day]

I do always feel like Tracy Turnblad from Hairspray:
Hefty Hideaway! Got a glandular problem but still want the glamour?

I liked Tracy. She could dance and got the cute boyfriend.

LD

 

[gluegungeisha]

Ugggh, I'm so sick of "vanity sizing." It makes it just about impossible to order something from a catalog or the internet (unless all measurements are stated, and even then accuracy is questionable).

As for shoes...well, I rarely find vintage shoes that fit me at all! I have pretty narrow feet, but often the toes will squeeze too much anyway. I'm a women's 7.5, which is a little bit bigger than most of the vintage shoes I find, but that's not HUGE or anything. Most of the most appetizing vintage shoes I see are size 5 - 6. Maybe my shoe size is just too typical.

 

[gluegungeisha]

I liked Tracy. She could dance and got the cute boyfriend.

LD

fftopic: I just downloaded "I Can Hear the Bells" (Broadway version) as my ringtone. Joy!

 

[NicolettaRose]

What's so weird about vintage shoes is that there are only certain decades that I find a lot that fit, or clothing for that matter. I find the 1930's, how the dresses were cut, and the shoes fit absolutely perfect, the 1940's for some reason is almost always big on me. In most shoes I am anywhere from a 6AA-7AA, its interesting, most of the 7's from the 1930's are actully more like 6's today.

I have a shoe question. I got a pair of 1930's shoes today, on the inside of one it says the maker of the shoes, but on the other one, its says " Paramount Footwear" Designed by ( name worn away) The Paramount in Paramount shoes is the same Paramount in Paramount studios. Could these have possibily been a costuming piece from the studio? I was actually informed by someone I know that Paramount was clearing out a lot of thier old costumes. I wonder if this is where they came from. Anyone have any ideas?

 

[KittyT]

Can we please merge this thread with the other sizing thread that's out there, which covers these exact same issues?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=17655