stupid sizing?

[Marquise]

I'm resigned to being XL in most cycling clothes. And I don't get why I can wear L in PI shorts/tights but need XL in a PI jersey, the opposite of "normal" clothes, where I usually need larger bottoms than tops. Even trying to stick with brands I already own, I sometimes find a new item in a brand I've got multiples of doesn't fit like the others.

[ny biker]

I'm 5'7", 140 lbs, small busted, wear a small in regular shirts. But some of my workout tank tops are XL. In cycling tops I am anywhere from S to L depending on the cut -- even within one brand, I'm not a consistent size.

It's a problem for retailers, too, although I don't know if they know it. I rarely buy athletic tops online because I have no idea what size to get.

BTW right now I'm wearing a t-shirt that I got in the mid-90s on a trip to see Mets spring training games in Florida. It's a size large, but it's smaller than the "small" t-shirt I got at the Livestrong Challenge last year.

Oy vey.

[Eden]

Well - they are not adding the sizes onto the small end.... I'm 5' nuthin, relatively thin and I'm super lucky if I can find xs or xxs (or 0, 00 or what ever they add next) to fit into at all...... feel lucky if you can find clothing that actually fits you, no matter what number or letters they label it with.

[emily_in_nc]

Eden, I have a feeling no one is going to feel sorry for you.

I do understand, being a smaller gal myself, but many on here would give their right arm to be as tiny as you are!

[Crankin]

That's why I hesitated on saying anything, but it's not just a matter of being small all over. Even though my weight is on the smaller end, petite sized people (i.e. short people) come in all sizes... up to size 16 in most stores. What does a size 10 five foot tall person do? I can remember when I was in my twenties and looking for work clothes. It was really hard for me; I never wore pants and some of the junior clothes were not appropriate, even though they fit. I remember when Petite Sophisticate opened when I was in my early thirties. It was the eighties and I bought tons of suits there that I wore when I taught high school. I wore them on my interviews when I moved to MA. It was like I died and went to heaven.
And, I do think it's kind of discrimination when there's no clothing for smaller people. I can't help my height.
And I guess cycling clothes are just as variable in their proportions as regular clothes. I pretty much stick to 1-2 brands because I know they fit.

[redrhodie]

What about bathing suits? Ever notice how they have their own completely different size chart, that doesn't relate to other clothing? And it's larger than regular clothes. It's like the reverse of vanity sizing. Add to that those dreadful mirrors and lighting (I'm talking dept stores specifically) and you're in for some fun.

[Tri Girl]

I know, right, Red?? What is up with that? I don't like having to go up 2 sizes in a swimsuit from what I wear in regular clothes. Not cool!! If they would figure that out, they'd sell a lot more swimsuits! Very frustrating! I like when I find things from Ann Taylor at the thrift stores- they do some serious vanity sizing. I can swear 8's and 10's from that store. Makes me feel sorta better about it.

[emily_in_nc]

What about bathing suits? Ever notice how they have their own completely different size chart, that doesn't relate to other clothing? And it's larger than regular clothes. It's like the reverse of vanity sizing.

Yeah, I'm worried about this b/c I just ordered two separate swimsuit pieces from Lands End (a bikini top and boyshorts), and with quite a bit of fear and trepidation, I ended up ordering my normal clothing size rather than sizing up. I did this b/c after reading all the reviews, it seemed that the pieces ran true to real sizes. Lands End has separate size charts for swimsuits, and my measurements fit into my normal size. But that probably means nothing! I just have this bad feeling they're going to have to go back for the next size up.

[Eden]

Eden, I have a feeling no one is going to feel sorry for you.

I do understand, being a smaller gal myself, but many on here would give their right arm to be as tiny as you are!

I'm only tiny because I'm short and everything about me is scaled down- I'm healthy thin, but not exactly super skinny. Believe me you would *not* give your right arm to be this small....

there are a lot of things that I have to settle for making do with or adapting something that is too big and plenty more (including bicycles) that I am totally on the edge of fitting. Trust me - you do not want to be on the fringes of "normal". Pardon me if I roll my eyes a bit at anyone who complains about whether or not they are a m, l, or xl - hey at least they make your size - ask me about the dozens of pairs of boots I looked at before I finally found a pair that was even produced in a small enough size - ask me why I have to wear two pairs of socks with my winter cycling shoes *all* of the time - ask me if I can actually purchase a pair of jeans made for adults anymore... oh yeah, an ergonomically correct workstation.... yeah right, not if you are my size, adapt and make do....

[Crankin]

Thank you. I am probably an inch taller than you and also thin, but not "skinny" by any means.
I almost never go into a physical store anymore. There is an Ann Taylor Loft near my house, where I buy lots of stuff, because they have my size, but right now I am not so happy with their stuff. The Talbots next door constantly tries to get me to buy stuff there, when I go in to buy stockings or other little accessories. Besides the fact that the clothes look like they are for old ladies (even though I am an old lady, I don't dress like one), the size 2s there swim on me. I buy a lot of stuff from Banana Republic and Gap; there is a Banana Republic petite store in a mall about 18 miles from here, so maybe twice a year I go there; the rest is done on-line. I didn't know the Gap had petites on-line, as they are not in the stores. I have found tons of skinny jeans that fit me! However, their sweaters and tops are a little big on me; they don't have xx small petites (even though I am not xxsmall).
Bathing suits, well, I only buy them from Athleta now. I found one tank style, halter top that is flattering to me, or at least as flattering as a bathing suit can be.

[Pax]

My SO and I are at opposite ends of the spectrum, I'm 5'10" and big, she's 5' and tiny. Neither of us has much luck in stores. For some reason if you're heavy the stores assume you are short (most plus size clothes come in a 30" inseam???). My SO is almost ten inches shorter than me but our inseams are only 1.5 inches different, she is all legs with a super short torso... almost nothing off the rack fits her. The current womens clothing style of tapered in waists normally hit her somewhere low on the hips. Last time we went shopping for some nice clothes she was trying on L and XL as well!! This pretty much means I'll never be able to wear womens clothing, no matter how much weight I lose.

We end up wearing guy jeans (Lee fits her, Wrangler fits me), and lots of tshirts/sweatshirts.