Stop the sizing madness!!!

[emily_in_nc]

I pretty much stick to one brand (Terry) in cycling clothes. The x smalls fit me perfectly. I find Athleta brand also fits me well and they have many pants in petite sizes (duh, there are a lot of us short people out there).
What I find confusing are the sizing charts that cycling clothing companies put out. If I read them correctly, I should be wearing a small, not an extra small. But the shorts are too big in the waist and the jerseys are just huge. I appreciate that Terry even makes x-smalls in a variety of styles.
As far as regular clothes go, I buy most of my clothes at Ann Taylor Loft, because it's the only store near me where i can actually run in and buy something. My size there has been going down, down, and down, even though I have been around the same weight for 5 years. I also buy at Banana Republic Petites (there is ONE store in the whole state of Massachusetts). Like, I can go in and buy a plain cotton t shirt that actually fits and isn't down to my thighs and baggy. I also have ordered a whole lot from J Crew catalogs, but they seem to have a conspiracy against short people. First, they stopped selling petites in the stores. Then, they stopped making sweaters in petites. Now, there's no shorts in petites. They have pants, suits, a few skirts and dresses. No t shirts. I am pretty much done with them!
OK, done with my rant. Going to get ready to ride.

Robyn, were you and I separated at birth? I also shop heavily at Ann Taylor Loft and have found their sizing getting more "generous" lately too, despite the fact that I have not lost weight. I'd been wearing 4P, and have some of that size that are even on the snug side, but recently, they've been huge, and I've needed a 2P. I notice that they now sell not only 0P but 00P and XXS Petite, so perhaps that's why they made the other sizes larger? Anyway, I like their clothes, and I also wear XS in Terry items! I have never seen a Banana Republic Petites, just the regular Banana Republic, which I have never even been into.

Emily

[teigyr]

It's all depressing! I'm 5'11" and am usually a size 10. I've had mediums fit me and I've also had to buy XL's at times. I have jeans in size 12 that are tight and ones that are size 10 that are loose.

What I don't get is that I am not huge. I'm tall, I work out, and while I have chubby parts I'm muscular also. If I'm XL, what about people who are larger than me?

That is interesting about the thicker middle. I wonder if it is because women are living longer? Don't middles tend to thicken up later in life? I know mine isn't as small as it used to be though the rest of me is the same.

The bane of my existence are shirts that aren't long enough. Please please please, I don't need my stomach exposed! I have to get mens shirts and I don't always like how those fit. I want "girl style" things but sometimes can't get them. Grrrrr.......

[pooks]

I'm not as tall or lean as you are, but I share your pain.

I just posted a pair of jeans for sale over in the other category because they don't fit. I would have thought a 5'8" woman would be a medium-tall (since they also have regular and tall) but these drag unless I'm wearing my hiking boots.

And as for the tops -- I am not a skinny little girl with a cute belly. Everyone concerned should be happy I want to keep my belly covered. So why are more and more pants and shorts low-rise and blouses not long enough to keep me covered?

Gah!

[Zen]

This is one of the reasons I hate shopping.

[HoosierGiant]

I loathe shopping! Detest it even! Hate, despise, and abhor the entire process!

[cinnamon_toast]

Actually part of the reason we are getting thicker around the middle is due to the corset - or the lack thereof. (Now don't get me started on Spanx - those are a miracle garment if you are going to be wearing something clingy.)

I am also a fanatical sewer and I think the sewing sizes you see on patterns have been the same since the 70's. In ready-to-wear I'm now in a 6 or 8 (bottoms) but in a pattern I need to buy a 10 or 12.

And the term for the gradual enlarging of sizes is actually called "vanity sizing."

[wurkit_gurl]

Robyn, were you and I separated at birth? I also shop heavily at Ann Taylor Loft and have found their sizing getting more "generous" lately too, despite the fact that I have not lost weight. I'd been wearing 4P, and have some of that size that are even on the snug side, but recently, they've been huge, and I've needed a 2P. I notice that they now sell not only 0P but 00P and XXS Petite, so perhaps that's why they made the other sizes larger? Anyway, I like their clothes, and I also wear XS in Terry items! I have never seen a Banana Republic Petites, just the regular Banana Republic, which I have never even been into.

Emily

Many regular Banana Republic stores will have a petites section (I get dresses, skirts and some tops in petites, but I'm all leg so pants don't work) albeit not usually a large one. But if you can find them, you can know your sizes and then order from online. To the person from Concord, the next time you're in Boston, go to the Banana in Copley Plaza - they definitely have petite sizes.

[Crankin]

Hi Emily, I haven't looked at this thread in awhile, but yes, I think we were separated at birth! Maybe someday i can come down to NC and we can do some wussy mountain biking together (ha). Seriously, we have talked about a NC vacation for awhile, so it might be in the next year or so.
Wurk it, I did go to the Banana Republic in Copley Place a few times and they had a large petitie section there. But, they opened the BR Petites store in the Chestnut Hill Mall, which is a lot closer and doesn't involve city traffic or the commuter rail. I think they took the petites out of the regular stores after that.

Well, I am glad to see that I am not the only one with this issue. I recently bought a t shirt at The Loft in an xxsmall . I may be flat chested, but I am of normal weight for my height, not skinny skinny.

[quint41]

QUOTE: But you'd think that Terry, Shebeest and other women-specific cycling clothing manufacturers would see the benefit of getting together on sizing. It would revolutionize the biz and they'd sell MORE, not less.

QUOTE: I mentioned that to a friend, even she bought into the "there aren't enough heavy women cyclists to justify making cycling clothes for them,"

#1 -- When I brought up the subject of sizing, I KNEW I'd have company! Which does EXACTLY beg the first question of WHY, OH WHY, these "women-specific" manufacturers do not see the benefit of uniform sizing!! You are SO right that they'd sell more!!! Since I do most of my biking clothes shopping online, it seems to me that this whole scam is being run by the postal services, since THEY are the ones making money on all of my returns!!!

#2 -- I ride with several women, and few of us are rail thin. We were just discussing the size topic yesterday, and we are all in the same boat! The AVERAGE cyclist is NOT a rail-thin racer. (Hey - that would be an excellent poll on this site -- to find out what "average" means -- how many miles per week on average, at what average speed ...)

#3 -- My favorite shorts are Canari women's size L. I have several other shorts/knickers/tights by other manufacturers, some Mediums, most Larges. I just ordered a new Canari Velo Pro Gel Short online in a Medium and prayed that it wouldn't be too tight. Guess what? IT'S TOO BIG!!! I HAVE TO SEND IT BACK AND EXCHANGE FOR A SMALL!!!!!!!!!!! I GIVE UP!!!!!