I think that waist/chest cut is rampant these days in order to hide extreme pear shapes.Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
Works for me;)
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I think that waist/chest cut is rampant these days in order to hide extreme pear shapes.Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
Works for me;)
I finally gave up on women's jeans completely. I couldn't get the size waist I needed AND the length I needed AND not have a huge gap at my heinie showing my lovely polka-dot undies to the world.
Shrink to fit Levi 501 were great in high school, and they are still great now.
The men's sizes seem to be consistent. I know they will shrink to perfection at my waist. I don't show a plumber's crack. (at least not after a few washes)
Ibex had long enough sleeves for a while, but I'm finding they are gradually falling into the same "Large and Extra Large just mean big around" trap, so soon I'll be looking for a new favorite shirt maker.
My hubby and I were just talking about this...I thought I had heard that Nike wasn't doing cycling stuff anymore (I have never seen their shoes or jerseys online or in stores), yet Lance's jersey has a swoosh. Or are they just a sponsor, but not the manufacturer?Quote:
Originally Posted by channlluv
I wonder if vanity sizing will eventually lead to minus numbers. If it continues, I will be a size -12 before I die.
Don't mess with Athleta - their stuff fits me PERFECTLY :D:DQuote:
Originally Posted by GLC1968
I'm 5'8.5" and 125 lbs. No boobs. No butt. :( My daughters got all the curves. I can't even find jeans anymore. Lucky and Silver used to fit, but now they gap by about 2" at the back waist. I have a long torso and long arms. By the time I find something long enough, they assume I'm also big around. I hate skin-tight teeny-bopper shirts, but women's clothes are always too short, or they become shorter and wider with every laundering. Sigh. I hate shapeless guy's shirts – sometimes the only way I can find tees that are long enough.Quote:
Originally Posted by KnottedYet
I used to be a 10. Then an 8. Then a 6. Now a 4. I haven't changed weight in years.
Other pet peeve, while clothes go one way, shoes go another. When you wear a 10.5 or 11, and they run "1/2 to 1 size short, please order the next size up," AND they only go to a size 11 (if you're lucky)... It's almost impossible to find cute shoes.
Deb
Try shrink to fit Levi button-front 501 again. Seriously! I never thought I'd be wearing them again 25 years later, but really they are magical. Same thing we did in high school: add 1-3 inches to your measurement for the waist (more inches for larger hips) and 3-4 inches for the inseam. Keep washing, keep the faith, until the waist shrinks enough to absorb the gap.Quote:
Originally Posted by blackhillsbiker
If it weren't for good ol' Levi 501's I'd be buck nekkid right now...:eek:
Yeah, don't get me started on shoes. I thought I was a 6.5D. They don't make women's shoes in 6.5D (or men's that short), so I have been wearing either 6.5C or 7B my whole life.
Now I have a podiatrist that says I should buy even wider shoes. Dude, really? THEY DON'T EXIST! Oy.
And wow, Oak - those are some long feet for a short woman!! :eek:
wow - listening to all this, I feel like a GIANT. (and that's way before we get to the size 11 shoes....)
While I agree that the vanity sizing is ridiculous, I don't see the issue with going to a tailor and getting little issues fixed. I'm a curvy 5'-1" (read: hips meant to birth a cow and an ample bum:rolleyes:) so everything is long and I have to buy a size larger than I need just to clear my hips. $10 at the tailor's gets them the proper length and the waist taken in. And don't get me started on these tiny leg openings on shorts that my thunder thighs can't even squeeze through! I can't expect them to account for every whacky body type out there, so I get as close as I can and fine tune it from there.
I didn't look at this thread when I got home from dinner last night, so to comment on Veronica's question about the 30" pants; when I said "regular" pants, I meant pants not from Athleta, not "regular" sizes, as opposed to petites. Most petite pants are now made in 30" lengths, especially the jeans. Regular sizes are, as you said, 32-33 inches.
GLC, I have a couple of petite sized skirts from Athleta, so they do make them. Not a lot, but some. My bigger gripe is with Title 9. I love their casual clothes, but they have no x-smalls and their smalls are often size 6-8. I noticed in the catalog I got yesterday there were a few more x smalls, mostly from Mountain Hardware (not their own brand), which is a brand that fits me.
I don't mind bringing a pair of nice work or dressy pants to be hemmed, but since I am buying petite sized clothing, I don't think I should have to do this. I certainly don't want to have to pay to get athletic clothes or jeans hemmed!
And yes, my DH has the same problem. He is 5' 7" and weighs 148. He is very muscular. While he has no issues getting pants, since they come in waist/length sizes (although a lot of stores don't have the shorter lengths and smaller waist sizes), his problem is with shirts and jackets. He has to buy all slim fit dress shirts and now, at age 53 has suddenly become a "small" in a lot of brands, when he pretty much was a medium all of his life. And a lot of men's clothes don't even come in smalls anymore... yet they have the 2XL sizes.
What I loved about Spain is that I felt tall compared to everyone there!
Another reason to come visit New Orleans - there are a LOT of petite women here, and the stores continue to have pretty decent petite departments. I'm 5'3" and don't feel "short". Around some women in my office, I'm actually tall - I kid you not. The old European, French and Italian mainly, blood lines show, with a little inbreeding perhaps :rolleyes: (until H.Katrina New Orleans had a very low out-migration rate). There are some tiny well dressed ladies walking around this city, so the stores continue to carry petite sizes.
Can't help the vanity sizing, or the size difference even among the same manufactorers - tried on a 12 today that was too snug, so I put on a 10 that fit just fine when I was getting dressed for work :rolleyes:.
I agree. I've never understood why men consider it perfectly normal (and expected) to have a suit altered when they buy it, but women expect that manufacturers should accommodate every individual in every particular.Quote:
Originally Posted by NoNo
Especially with lengths! Making clothing to suit every single inseam simply wouldn't be possible.
Of course, I do wish that women's trousers were made like men's, so altering the waist would be easier.
Go look a place like LL Bean. Men can get pants in pretty much any length or waist. Obviously when you place your order someone hems the pants to the correct length. Women's pants should be like that.Quote:
Originally Posted by PamNY
For $49.50 a guy can get a pair of chinos at the right length. For $39.50 I can get petite, regular or tall. Then I have to take my time to go to a tailor and get them hemmed correctly. I'd rather throw the ten bucks at Bean and just have them arrive at the right length. Plus the women's chinos aren't nearly as well constructed as the men's.
I can understand pants fitting women differently at the hips. Women can have several different butt shapes, which men don't seem to have. But length... we have really should have the same options
Veronica
In fact, I would be surprised that many people have alot clothing bought off the rack, that fits perfectly.
Anyone who sews, knows there is always abit of altering the pattern pieces before cutting the fabric. One really starts to understand in greater detail a person's unique body shapes/curves.
I never saw anything wrong cutting off 4-6 inches pant legs. Yes, it's a pain in the neck to do an alteration. Shrug. Yes, it can alter the overall look of a pant. But then...I don't buy the style in the first place. (which is why I won't wear capris. Doesn't complement shorty here.)
Maybe it's because women just tend to buy alot more different garments (?)..I can see it being a hassle for fashionistas who don't sew. Fashionistas who sew alot, would consider it a design/redesign challenge or at best, minor reworking.
I think that probably explains the difference in how men's and women's pants are manufactured/marketed.Quote:
Originally Posted by shootingstar
Plus, perhaps men aren't as particular? Ordering a specific inseam from a catalog doesn't necessarily produce a good fit. You need to try on the pants to see how they hang.
I've been thinking it's time to improve my sewing skills. Following patterns is not my thing...
What really gets me is how much harder it is to find clothes that come anywhere close to fitting me these days. When I wore a size 20, it wasn't so hard-- things might have been frumpy or not to my taste, but I could at least find stuff that basically fit. Now, most places I can afford to shop don't carry anything under a size 4, which is usually huge on me. I'm just thankful for the boy's department; all my shorts come from there, and a lot of shirts too. I just wish boy's jeans were long enough... But it's kinda ridiculous that I'm nearly 40, and stuck dressing like a 12 yr old boy. It's almost enough to make me want to put 50 lbs back on... improving my sewing skills is definitely a better option!
I just bought some Keen sandals in a size 8 and I have really wide feet, too, and generally get sized at DD or E. I've had the same challenge as you -- they don't make women's shoes in DD or E. But these Keen sandals fit. They may do for you, too, and they had 7s in stock (I bought some for my daughter, too), so they just may fit you.Quote:
Originally Posted by GLC1968
Most of the time I wear Birkenstock Arizonas because they have such good arch support and are very wide. If they discontinue that style, I'll be in trouble. Not all of their shoes fit me. I'm glad I tried the Keens.
Roxy
But men's (unisex) clothing does seem to have the same issues. Have you noticed the change in what a "large" T-shirt is to some manufacturers?
Last year, one of the rides we participated in up-sized their "large". The T-shirts were barely wearable. This year the "large" is a full 1.5" wider in the shoulder than last year's oversized shirt.
I never had to try on T-shirts and sweatshirts. Now, for many T-shirt manufacturers I've gone from being a large to being a medium.
Like shootingstar, I really haven't bought any clothing besides cycling gear for the last several years. I dread the day my current set of jeans wear out...
Plus Keens come in kids' sizes, too--and those are also wide. I have a pair of Keen Venice sandals and those seem to run wider than any other model of theirs. I generally wear a 7.5-8.5D, so I loves me some Keens. Dansko clogs are good, too, at least the ones with the more traditional sole, like the Professional model.Quote:
Originally Posted by channlluv
one thing I've noticed that's gone the opposite spectrum is underwear. For a long time I could never find panties that fit me without looking like granny undies up to my belly button. Then there were all sorts of low-rise panties that fit so well. Now they're back up higher again, and there's no way I can wear them without the tops showing up past the jeans waist. The only ones that fit are from Pink these days.
Try Patagonia's Barely Bikini.Quote:
Originally Posted by badger
Veronica
It's most depressing in the children's sizes.
I started buying "youth" T-shirts at the races several years ago - more for the length than the size, and sometimes because I just liked the design better or they were sold out of small adult sizes. Eight or nine years ago when I first started doing that, I could squeeze into a youth XL.
Lately, Medium children's T-shirts just hang on me. :(:(
A couple of years ago, I had a top taken in to the tune of $50. That was more than it cost! I was shocked. I've also had pants hemmed for $17 (just the length, no lining, nothing complicated, no waist). I think that's standard for this area, but too much for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by NoNo
I finally found a reasonable tailor 20 miles away ($10 hems, not including waist), but she is BUSY. When I asked her last month if she could make me some skirts, she said she slows down a little in Feb. Is it like this in other parts of the country, or am I in a dead zone for tailors?
Yep, the Keen youth 6 fits me as do many of the women's models in a 7 if I remove the insoles. I also had luck with Doc Martins back in the day because I could just get a 'unisex' 5. Thing is - none of these are technically wide enough in the toe box for me. Better than anything else I've found, but still not quite wide enough! Danskos and Sanitas are also close - but again, not wide enough in the toes. I'm actually going to be selling the two pair I tried here on TE later this week. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by zoom-zoom
But, I recognize that the shoe thing is because my feet are really odd. It's not a fair gripe when the current type of footwear offered actually fits MOST women.
I found this too. In fact, even fiding a GOOD tailor is exceedingly difficult in some areas! Honestly, if the thought of spending my day sewing didn't sound so dreadful, it would probably be a good field to get into! Job security and all...Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie
I love LLBean. I have to buy all DH's pants there. He's a 30 x 34. Nearly impossible to find at a department store.Quote:
Originally Posted by Veronica
Dillards is home-based here in Little Rock (AR), by the way... They are not a bike friendly business, nor a bike-friendly bunch in general.
I used to do a fair bit of clothes shopping there for business wear, but the last time I was in there a couple of weeks back it looked like they had changed their entire inventory over to women's wear... I had to look across two floors to find the little corner where they had stashed the men's department. Pickings were pretty slim.
I'm sad to see that you guys are having the same problems, despite the amount of floor space those goobers expend...
Well..... for some of us "alterations" would pretty much mean just re-using the cloth to totally remake something that actually fits, because the normal sizes no longer fit anywhere... and I really can't sew. I break sewing machines just by looking at them...Quote:
Originally Posted by PamNY
Yes, I guess you can call me a fashionista who can't sew. I almost failed home ec because of it in eighth grade. I doubt I would sew, even if I could. There are some good tailors around here, though.
I spend a lot more $ on cycling and other activity type clothes now, so the problem isn't so bad. But, I am going back to work in a year and I will need some new skirts and dresses. I've thrown out a lot of stuff that is getting dated.
Shoes, yea, well, I wear a size 6 in casual shoes and a 5.5 in dress shoes. Not fun. My dad was a shoe manufacturer for years and the sample size used to be 4. Now it's 6. So, I guess feet are getting bigger, too. I guess I should be happy I am not my mom, who wore a size 4 and had to get her shoes for my wedding in the kid's department, since dad was no longer in the shoe business.
I don't know what y'all's problem is.
I wore a size 10 in high school when I was 115 pounds and a size 10 in college when I was 125 pounds and now I weigh 145 pounds and I STILL wear a size 10. I'm sure my frame just can carry the weight well so I don't have to change sizes. That must be it. :rolleyes:
According to Wikipedia I am not a fashionista. But I still want my clothes to fit.
Veronica
[QUOTE=redrhodie;522620]A couple of years ago, I had a top taken in to the tune of $50. That was more than it cost! I was shocked. I've also had pants hemmed for $17 (just the length, no lining, nothing complicated, no waist). I think that's standard for this area, but too much for me. QUOTE]
I hear ya! I took two - read that TWO - pairs of slacks in to have the waists taken in and hemmed up the length and it cost me $70!!! I'm cheap, and almost always buy clothes on sale, so this was way more than I paid for the pants; more than I would have paid for them off the rack if they fit. But I was at a loss on what to do!
LMAO!Quote:
Originally Posted by sfa
I logged on today after returning from a lunch time trip to the mall to get some new clothes for work. I haven't bought any in probably 6 months (a long time for me!) and have been buying cycling attire instead. Well, my slacks are looking sad, so I need some more! What a frustrating experience. How can I walk into a store wearing pants I bought from there last year, and got to the rack and pull a couple that are labeled the same size and cut, and have them all fit differently??? It's just annoying. And, btw, at 170, I am NOT a size 8!
I do have to agree with the earlier post about outdoor attire - it's even more difficult to find pants that fit as Columbia and others make them for women built like men - straight down, no hips. I do have lucky with Mountain Hardware and Prana, but I end up spending a fortune.
I dunno. As for the tailoring issue and usual issues that I've always had with pant legs, sleeves (cuffed, long tops are abit of headache), no point for me to complain too loud.
My sewing machine is still around in the storage rm. So no point in me sittin' on my butt and doin' nothing. I do my own alterations....always even if it means cutting off pant length, sewing on seam binding and hand stitching up the hem..which is what I do for any dress pants, skirt.
Altering jean length are faster. But it's been several years since I've bought a new pr. Like Thorn, I dread the exercise of looking for a pair that structurally fits me without showing my butt crack. I keep putting it off because right now I have a great excuse --can't afford a new, stylish pr.
Other people don't mind weeding the garden whereas I don't mind minor clothing alterations.
Last few years, I have also come to the conclusion a healthy, reasonably fit body is way more fashionable and long lasting. It is a the foundation to help any piece of clothing look good/better. Hence, that's why I've lost alot of interest in fashion store browsing myself.
Altering a pair of pants to shorten the rise is not much less work than making a new pair of pants.
Adding fabric onto the legs was fashionable for a few years, and I'm far from a fashionista, but I don't know that I'd do that now. :p
I'm so glad that low rise jeans are staying in fashion for the time being. "Superlow" jeans are more like low, "low rise" are more like normal on me. I HATE wearing pants that come up over my ribcage.
Yes, sizes are getting bigger but . . . coming from the fat end of sizing I'm down to a size 12 for the first time in my adult life. :D I know deep down, it's a "vanity" size, but I don't care! I no longer have to shop in the plus size department for those ugly floppy clothes that I hated. I've got another 10 to 20 pounds to go. Maybe I can make it down to a size 8. :eek: That would be truly amazing. So, I'll buy into being vane, I've earn it! :p bikerHen
I hear you, sista!! I would die if the rise went up to "mom jeans" height again.Quote:
Originally Posted by OakLeaf
****
I've hemmed jeans where I'll cut off the real hem and re-stitch it back onto the new edge, but it's fiddly work. I just roll up the back where they tend to get scuffed under shoes now.
have any of you also noticed that some stores will put out "narrowing" mirrors that make you look slimmer so people will buy?
They also have shorter petite pants than some places -- 28.5" or 29". Their smallest petite size is still 4P, but it's sized more like a 0-2P from Ann Taylor Loft. I have their LL Bean Visa so get free shipping both ways -- nice way to try to see if something will work, and if it doesn't, send it back at no cost to me!Quote:
Originally Posted by limewave
[QUOTE=JennK13;522683]I just got two pairs of pants cut off and hemmed for $10/each at a little tailor shop here - and this is in expensive Chapel Hill. I am lucky! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by redrhodie