Supersizing of America & a rant

[badger]

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.

[Veronica]

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.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

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.

[redrhodie]

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) 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.

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.

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?

[GLC1968]

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.

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.

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.

[GLC1968]

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.

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?

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...

[limewave]

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.

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.

[PscyclePath]

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...

[Eden]

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.

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.

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...

[Crankin]

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.

[sfa]

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.

[Veronica]

According to Wikipedia I am not a fashionista. But I still want my clothes to fit.

Veronica

[JennK13]

[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!

[JennK13]

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.

LMAO!

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.

[shootingstar]

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.