Womens Cycling Clothing Runs Small!

So I am at REI yesterday, I wanted to use up the rest of my dividend points. So they had a Pearl Izumi sleeveless cycling top. I took an XL!! I am 5'5",, 135lbs, and usually take a womens large top. The large fit, but I like my tops a little bit loose. I usually take a medium in dress tops.

Why are they making women's clothing so small? I don't even bother getting women's shorts anymore, as I cannot stand how darn short they are. I always buy the $50 mens medium Pearl Izumi shorts.

Anyone else notice this?

I would've said just the opposite ... there are few remaining brands of cycling clothes that retain honest sizing. I actually wouldn't have thought PI was among them, but I know even within manufacturers, different articles are sized differently.

I bought a pair of Lucky brand jeans last week on the recommendations of y'all. I asked for a size 6, which is the last size jeans I bought, even though I'm the same size or just slightly bigger on the bottom as 20 years ago when I wore a 12. (Before my time, when "Misses'" sizes were introduced, a 12 would've been the size of an average 12-year-old girl.)

Well, in 2011 Lucky brand sizing, I wear a 2. If I survive another 20 years and keep my current measurements, I guess that means I'll be wearing a negative 8.

I much more appreciate my Large LG shorts. No, I don't like the fact that I take a Large, but I know very well that at my size (29" waist, 37.5" hips), Large is what I ought to be wearing. I'm not huge, but I am chunky, I have some fat to lose before I look the same as the "average" woman lining up at a starting line next to me, and I appreciate LG's honesty.

Yes, people are getting bigger, and I don't mean (only) the obesity "crisis" - people worldwide are getting taller, bigger boned, more muscular. I don't think apparel companies need to revise their sizes every five minutes. Some of them probably need to make things in larger sizes. They don't need to call the larger sizes something different from what they are - IMO.

I was given an XXL Wild Goose Chase jersey, which I love (as I did the WGC last year with two friends), and which someday I hope will fit me, because right now, there just is not enough room for "the girls" in it. I can zip it up but am not into the uniboob look nor feel. Granted, I'm not small, but having to order several sizes up does not thrill me. Nothing in REI's women's biking section fits me; I don't even bother looking there any more. I order my shorts online, and wear cotton tee-shirts.

And yes, people are getting bigger, but some of us are already there! (I'm 5'10" and am, as my 6'5" first husband likes to remind me, the "runt of the litter." I asked my 5'8" grandmother, born in 1897, if she had trouble finding clothes that fit her when she was a girl, as she was certainly tall for her generation. Her response: "We didn't buy clothes; we had them made." Oh!!!)

I think something must have changed at Pearl Izumi, as I always have taken larges. Perhaps a manufacturing error or something. I am very muscular up top, and thus either seek out large womens tops or mens mediums. But on the whole, womens cycling tops have never fit me quite right as they seem to cut them slimmer.

I don't get bogged down by sizes at all. I've been this weight forever, and have jeans that are over 20 years old!

funny you should mention this.
I needed a new pair of gloves. I always thought i had medium sized women's hands. But if that's the size I buy, i can barely get them off, and when my hands are hot, I have much difficulty getting them off. Discovered that women's large and some men's smalls fit me nicely a few years ago.

Went into the LBS yesterday and ended up buying two pairs of gloves, fingerless (Pearlizumi MEN's Medium!) and long fingered also men's medium!! what's up with that?

Gee, I would say that Pearl Izumi runs large. But maybe it's because even if they make something in an x small, the stores don't carry it and the smalls are huge on me.
Craft is the only brand that I have found that runs a little small on me. It's more like the xsmall is too long and it is very tight. The small fits, but is waaaaay too long. Gore stuff fits me snugly, but I like that for cycling gear.
Currently, I only buy Terry Bella shorts or Shebeest S pro shorts. I don't even try other styles in the same brand. I can't wear Shebeest jerseys, the top part of the jerseys, even in x small, are huge on me or have weird shoulders, or some other defect.
Like Oak, I find regular clothes getting larger and larger. My body size has not changed much in the last 10 years. But, I've gone down 2 sizes in some cases. Yet, the dress I bought for my older son's Bar Mitzvah in 1995 still fits me, and I suspect that is my "true" size.

It may just be a different "cut" or "fit" than other brands.

I cannot believe the variety of sizes I have in my closet. I generally wear a size medium top. However, I have everything from XS to Large. It all depends on how it is fitted. I have a tiny chest, but a huge rib cage. Average waist for my size but big hips/rear. It makes for an interesting time shopping.

I don't wear PI b/c the tops are generally too short on me. But I think they run about normal, but they don't have a lot of room in the chest. Which is fine for my A cups but I can see having to size up for the chest.

I don't even bother looking at any PI branded jerseys or jackets. I love their shorts and I have one of their vests but their jerseys and jackets (at least the ones I have tried on) are sized ridiculously (way too small through the shoulders and arms, too short length wise...). I fit fine into LG's size small jerseys (and a medium for their "next to skin" race fit jerseys).

Edit: I too am just about 5'6", however, weigh a little more. I also wear a medium in PI shorts. And to the OP, PI makes some women's short models w/ a longer inseam, as does LG (they actually have a model w/ like a 10" inseam...way too long for me).

I'm 5'6" and 135 lbs. I typically wear small tops & size 2 pants. My new Castelli jersey is Lrge and is a "form fitting" top. I tried on one of their vests and definitely wear medium. It's really just a cr@p shoot in regard to sizes.

I just posted a thread about this a few weeks ago, the fact that I have to buy XL biking clothes even though i'm not even 'heavy' or tall! :mad:
Here's that thread:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=42507

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Originally Posted by itself

I took an XL!! I am 5'5", 135lbs, and usually take a womens large top.

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Some of us are at the extremes: Crankin, for example, on the petite end, and me on the other. But a 5'5" woman -- that is average for women in the States -- who is a normal weight, as is the case here, should not require an XL, or even an L, top unless perhaps she's generously endowed, particularly wide-shouldered, or otherwise has something un-average about her build. itself is a medium woman; her clothes should be, too!

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I just posted a thread about this a few weeks ago, the fact that I have to buy XL biking clothes even though i'm not even 'heavy' or tall! :mad:
Here's that thread:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=42507

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Just because someone wears XL, it doesn't mean they are "heavy". I know you are saying it is not the norm for you...but just wanted to comment on that :-)

I'm 5'7", 140 lbs with broad shoulders and back, and I recently bought a medium PI long sleeved jersey that fits me fine. As a I recall, I tried on another PI jersey at the same time that was a "race cut," and although it fit it was too snug to be flattering.

In Shebeest, I'm anywhere from small to large depending on the jersey. I can't wear Sugoi jerseys because I'm between sizes with everything I try on, except I got one of their tri tops last year on sale in large, which fits great.

So for me cycling clothing is like regular clothing. Start with your best guess at your size and expect it to not fit.

p.s. I don't find women's shorts to be too short. I wear Shebeest century or SSS shorts and they're fine at mid-thigh length.

I'm just a hair shy of 5'7", 135-140lbs (guess--I don't own a scale and haven't had a physical since I went to college). In street clothes, I take anywhere between a size 4-6 (current sizing, anyway), and a M in tops. In jerseys, I often take a L or XL. I usually have to size up to accommodate my chest--and I'm a B-cup! :confused: Castelli is the only brand that I haven't had to do that with. You really have to try stuff on.
In shorts, I'm mostly a medium.

Like Oak alluded to, I'm going to go with the assumption that they base sizing for cycling clothes on the average woman at the starting line, rather than the population average. I'm probably bigger than that. ;)

NYbiker--I'm between sizes in most Sugoi jerseys too. I'm still keeping my "Tentacles" jersey!

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

I just posted a thread about this a few weeks ago, the fact that I have to buy XL biking clothes even though i'm not even 'heavy' or tall! :mad:
Here's that thread:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=42507

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I "feel your pain" as someone once said. :rolleyes: I am average build, pear shaped myself (okay a little more tummy than I would like). I could probably wear large jerseys except they fit way too tight around my hips...grrrr... I wear a jersey that used to be my husbands, and that is about right through the bottom but kinda large through the shoulders. I like that it comes down longer too. I need to start buying mens jerseys I guess, I just always feel funny looking in the mens section at the bike shop. :o

I always wear Men's Medium jersey's and Women's XL's because they're roomier. In general I wear mostly men's cycling stuff. Less pink involved. (Sorry to those that love it.) If I could only get my hands on one of those Chrome champion jerseys! So awesome!

Also, @AppleTree - "feh" to embarrassment. I gotta get my ride on. I don't care what the guy at the counter thinks. LOL.

Just getting in on this discussion-
I'm 5'1", about 114 lbs, but short-waisted and curvy (34D). Currently, I can wear size small shorts in several brands (Giordana, PI, Performance), but jerseys sizing seems to be much less consistent.

As it happens, the Performance bike shop had a huge clearance sale, so I tried on a pile of jerseys this morning. I tried on 2 Pearl Izumi jerseys: One was way too large and one was way too tight esp. across the bust. Louis Garneau, too tight. Sugoi, med fit was ok (I just didn't like the design). World Jerseys, fit just right. I have 2 Terry and 1 Twin Six and 2 PI medium jerseys that are about right, but 2 other PI jerseys that are a different cut, and a bit snug across the bust. And the free kit (Hincapie) we got last fall from our training El Tour de Tucson? I needed a size small jersey in that one.

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Originally Posted by azfiddle

And the free kit (Hincapie) we got last fall from our training El Tour de Tucson? I needed a size small jersey in that one.

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Well dang. I just ordered a team replica jersey (I never wear team kit but wanted to support this team, etc.) in Medium, and from Hincapie's sizing chart, I was worried that I ought to have ordered Large. I'm a little bigger than you "overall" but small-busted, so I guess I should've ordered Small. The only piece of Hincapie gear I have is a very light wool base layer, and it is Small, but it's pretty much skin-tight, so I went up a size for the jersey. Well, hopefully it won't be enormous on me, and I don't really plan to ride in it anyway. :p

I wear a women's medium, but cycling clothes are meant to be snugger. I'm not comfortable with that, so I usually wear a large or extra-large depending on the manufacturer.

I agree clothing manufacturer's are sizing clothing differently. Technically, I wear a size smaller than I did in high school but I'm not kidding myself into believing it.

Hincapie, however is race fit--I can't squeeze one arm into an XL. Bummer because I'm a fan and the designs are cool.

Wow, good to hear that I am not the only one! Holy smokes, some of you gals are the same weight I am but in a size 2! Christmas, I'm a size 8/10, just shows how differently we are all built!

I pretty much just buy men's cloths in general anymore. I'm 5ft even, have short legs, and thicker shoulders. My regular every day clothes are mostly men's. For cycling, I've found some bike shorts at Performance that are women's I like, everything else is men's, including the gloves. I have yet to find a pair of women's glove I can wear. So at this point I basically just shop in the men's section. Heck my blue jeans are men's. (I also have to drive 2 hours to Raleigh to get to a LBS I actually like, which there are two of Performance and there's a Trek dealer I like that is the upstairs of a two story building.)

I am broad in the shoulders and sometimes I take a larger women's size in cycling clothing than I do in regular clothes. I can wear a men's small but often they are too long and hang over my rear in a way that the stuff in my pockets bounces around too much. I guess it is a matter of trying different brands too see which fits the best. The reality is that I have sizes of regular clothes that range from 0 - 8 -- right now I am mostly a 6, but it seems to depend.

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Originally Posted by Koronin

I pretty much just buy men's cloths in general anymore. I'm 5ft even, have short legs, and thicker shoulders. My regular every day clothes are mostly men's. For cycling, I've found some bike shorts at Performance that are women's I like, everything else is men's, including the gloves. I have yet to find a pair of women's glove I can wear. So at this point I basically just shop in the men's section. Heck my blue jeans are men's. (I also have to drive 2 hours to Raleigh to get to a LBS I actually like, which there are two of Performance and there's a Trek dealer I like that is the upstairs of a two story building.)

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Curious where do you find men's jeans short enough, or do you buy boy's sizes? I am 5'2" and wear women's petites. Had no idea any men's pants would be made in short enough sizes for me!

Men's jeans that are the 29 length fit without needing hemmed. Now if I don't have shoes on they are slightly too long, but with shoes on they are fine. Men's jeans, well pants in general are done in length as well as waist sizes, so no small, medium, large, ect. Figure out which waist size you need and try a couple of length sizes. 29 is the smallest length size. I bought one pair at the Levi Outlet store at Concord Mills, the other pair I bought was at Target, but it seems men's jean sizes stay truer between brands than women's sizes do.

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Originally Posted by Koronin

Men's jeans that are the 29 length fit without needing hemmed. Now if I don't have shoes on they are slightly too long, but with shoes on they are fine. Men's jeans, well pants in general are done in length as well as waist sizes, so no small, medium, large, ect. Figure out which waist size you need and try a couple of length sizes. 29 is the smallest length size. I bought one pair at the Levi Outlet store at Concord Mills, the other pair I bought was at Target, but it seems men's jean sizes stay truer between brands than women's sizes do.

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29 length would work for me (that's the inseam I look for in women's petites), but I'm set on jeans for now. Moving to Belize, I won't need many warmer pants, but that is good to know. I haven't ever tried on a pair of mens' pants!

I am always frustrated with women's clothes sizing. The range that a medium must fit is huge. Or a small. Or an XL. Men's cycling clothes are the same broad range, but many of their other choices are not. The idea that men can specify the waist, length, neck, sleeve, is amazing.
If only the manufacturers expanded their women's options to include: Regular, tall, and petite would be something. (Small regular, small tall, small petite, etc)
If you find a fit in something that you like, buy two...

S

Amen to Reg/Tall/Petite Sarah! I'd clean them outta talls!

You're welcome.

FWIW, I just got my Hincapie jersey in Medium, and it definitely is smaller than most brands.

I'm a solid Small in most brands of tops, on the line between Small and Medium in a few. This jersey I can wear (though I didn't really buy it to wear it :cool:), but I'm definitely on the line between Medium and Large. Their sizing chart is accurate for this one at least.

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Originally Posted by itself

Wow, good to hear that I am not the only one! Holy smokes, some of you gals are the same weight I am but in a size 2! Christmas, I'm a size 8/10, just shows how differently we are all built!

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Funny! I am 5'8 about 30 pounds heavier and a 10/12 :-)

I'm 5'6", and my weight generally fluctuates between 154-158. I wear a size 8 in jeans/pants and a L in most tops...yet in cycling-specific clothing, I almost always wear an XL on top (I am extremely broad-shouldered) and a M in most PI shorts/tights, but a L in most other bottoms.

Linda

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Originally Posted by nscrbug

I'm 5'6", and my weight generally fluctuates between 154-158. I wear a size 8 in jeans/pants and a L in most tops...yet in cycling-specific clothing, I almost always wear an XL on top (I am extremely broad-shouldered) and a M in most PI shorts/tights, but a L in most other bottoms.

Linda

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To make it even weirder, I'm 5'4.5", about 180, wear a size 10 jean. I've been wearing women's XL jerseys (mostly Pearl Izumi), and have a mix of M and L shorts. The jerseys fit loosely, and the L shorts (I have LG, PI, and Shebeest) are actually a bit baggy on me in the thigh.

Guess fit is affected a much by how you carry your weight, as how much weight you're carrying.

OK. I'll jump in. I'm 5'6" and currently 140 and I generally wear a size 10, although sometimes a 12 depending on the brand, and generally a medium. Athletic clothing I need to buy larger--always a 12, or a large or XL.

Here's the thing: when I was in junior high and weighed 110 pounds I wore a size 10. In college, when I started rowing and building muscles I was up to 120 pounds and wore a size 10. After college I started cycling; when I got married I weighed 130 and wore a size 10. I put on a lot of weight after my second baby and only when I was 150+ did my size really go up--definitely needed a 12. When I started needing a 14 I decided enough was enough and I lost weight. I was back down to 130 a few years ago and STILL wore a size 10. When I started training for triathlons, I got back up to 140 (funny, I just realized that every new sport I take up causes me to gain 10 pounds). I tend to think of myself as the poster child for vanity sizing--I get bigger, but my size doesn't change! I think athletic clothing doesn't give in to vanity sizing nearly so much, which is why I'm in a more honest 12, L, or XL.

Part of the problem with sizing, though, is that sizes like "small, medium, and large" are comparative. Compared to most American women I'm pretty much medium sized. I'm not tall or short, just average. I'm not fat or thin. Just average. So in a way it makes sense for those sizes to change over time as the population changes--I might be enormous by 1930's standards, but for now I'm just medium sized.

Sarah

Pearl Izumi does fit me in the sizing I expect.

True some of the higher end (pricier) jerseys look quite small, which for me to say that..is probably tiny for many folks.

Honest, cycling clothing, it's one of the rare types of clothing, where the size tag is in fact "small" or "extra small" for me and fits ok without major oversizing for me. Of course, sleeves always too long for me.

Boy am I glad to read this thread. I am 5'7" and about 155 pounds. I wear a size 10-12 and am very long waisted. No way can I buy anything less than an Large or XL in a shirt and XL in shorts. Really? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by itself

I don't even bother getting women's shorts anymore, as I cannot stand how darn short they are.
Anyone else notice this?

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I have just the opposite problem. I wear a medium and the legs go almost to my knees! I hate having short legs :(

Just saw a Hincapie jersey in Club fit! It was a part of a custom order on sale on the internet. I need 25 bicycle friends and a design!

Seriously, my TE jersey from the design competition last year is my favorite fit (black & red one). Please make more of those TE!