Tired of the small sizing....arrrrrg!

[Crankin]

I was just going to say the same. I'm a 32A/B, 5' 1" and only certain brands have x small jerseys and shorts. I can actually get more cycling wear to fit me than regular, petite sized clothes at this point. What petite person has an inseam of 30 inches????

[shootingstar]

Methinks certain cycling wear lines are sleeker/tighter in overall design, ie. Castelli, etc. I would agree that cycling wear fits me better than other types of clothing, in general.

There are lots of larger sizes...are you willing to wear men's designs that look unisex? I also think it depends which region of North America. In general, it takes more effort for me to find a small size to fit me in cycling wear...usually the number of garments in my size is 1-2 on the rack in a line. Not 5-6 of same size in same line/style. I'm also 5'1" like Crankin and equally small.

I'm sorry I disagree terribly...there's also lack of clothing that accommodates petite sized women....I'm here in Canada's prairie area and MOST definitely it's for larger women. Not like VAncouver nor Toronto. Maybe what all of us are complaining might be lack of choice in our size for different types of clothing.

[Owlie]

I'm pretty sure that no matter what size you are, you're going to have a hard time finding clothes that fit properly.

Bear in mind, too, that cycling clothing is probably cut based on patterns for the women who are essentially pro racers, and therefore leaner than the average woman.

[amb]

I've always been flat chested!

Being 5-7, 132# and 32A/B, I REALLY wish there was a size "smedium"! I need small for my frame & small chest but a medium for length. Forever in between sizes.... I think Owlie's right - no matter what size you are, nothing fits properly.

I will say I do have a PI high viz yellow jacket that is tight even on my chest when not in the riding position. So maybe their stuff does run small in the chest. I obviously never have that problem!

[winddance]

I've always been flat chested!

Being 5-7, 132# and 32A/B, I REALLY wish there was a size "smedium"! I need small for my frame & small chest but a medium for length. Forever in between sizes.... I think Owlie's right - no matter what size you are, nothing fits properly.

I totally agree - I don't know who the manufacturers use as fit models, but they have little in common with me! I end up with the shoulders and bust fitting in a small (110#, 32D, thanks mom!) and then tons of excess fabric through my torso. XS are generally too short and can be too tight in the shoulders or bust.

In a fit of frustration, I did get measured for a retailer's size database a couple of times. They were astonished that I was so "curvy." Yes, because ALL women don't have hips, butts, boobs, etc., regardless of dimensions.

I have a shebeest great divide jacket. It accommodates the chest and tapers to the waist. It fit so well that I impulse-bought it at a gear swap and haven't regretted that decision.

[Wasp]

I totally agree - I don't know who the manufacturers use as fit models, but they have little in common with me! I end up with the shoulders and bust fitting in a small (110#, 32D, thanks mom!) and then tons of excess fabric through my torso. XS are generally too short and can be too tight in the shoulders or bust.

In a fit of frustration, I did get measured for a retailer's size database a couple of times. They were astonished that I was so "curvy." Yes, because ALL women don't have hips, butts, boobs, etc., regardless of dimensions.

I have a shebeest great divide jacket. It accommodates the chest and tapers to the waist. It fit so well that I impulse-bought it at a gear swap and haven't regretted that decision.

That jacket is SWEET!!!!!! It's exactly what I'm looking for. Have you worn it in cold weather? Just wondering how warm it would be. I bought the Shebeest winter vibe, love the jacket but not so crazy about How it fits across the chest as its tighter than I like.

[Crankin]

Veronica, the petite pants of late have to be hemmed, even when I am wearing 2 inch heels. I mean clothes that I would wear to work, or out at night. I can sometimes get away with no hemming in my current, ridiculous vanity size, but if I go up to my former normal size, the pants are way too long. Are people getting that much taller?

[OakLeaf]

What I've read is that just as "Misses" are made for women 5'7", Petites are made for women 5'4". Anyone much shorter than that has to have things shortened, but it's easier to shorten clothing than to lengthen it.

Just in general ... mass produced clothes are just that, mass produced. Human bodies ain't. Each of us probably has two or three brands that fits us pretty well, and nothing else even comes close. Hope you find "your" brands soon.

[winddance]

That jacket is SWEET!!!!!! It's exactly what I'm looking for. Have you worn it in cold weather? Just wondering how warm it would be. I bought the Shebeest winter vibe, love the jacket but not so crazy about How it fits across the chest as its tighter than I like.

Well -- I live in California, so that depends on your definition of cold. I have worn it on some "colder" mornings (40s,) and some wet, windy days and been really happy with it, but it isn't that cold here and I tend to run hot when I'm riding.

[nuliajuk]

Commercial clothing patterns are drafted for a woman who wears a B cup bra. If you're a D cup or larger you will unfortunately never get a great fit. Unless you're in the plus size range - plus sizes tend to be drafted for a C/D cup.
I have the opposite problem - no matter how fat/thin/fit/flabby I've been in my life, I've always been two sizes bigger in the waist and hips than at the bust. I recently bought a bright orange microfiber jacket off a sale rack at a running store, deeply discounted. It fit in the chest and shoulders but not the hip, so I modified it with contrasting gussets sewn at the sides. It's impossible for mass-produced clothing to be made to fit the entire range of body dimensions, so consider the manufacturers sizing to be a starting point. Buy a jacket that fits your biggest part and have it taken in where it's too big. Any tailor shop or alterationist can do the job quite quickly, and it's not usually very expensive. Unless you're bottom heavy like me - altering around the shoulders is a bit more complicated, so adding fabric is often the answer.

[lovelygamer]

I struggle with this too and it drives me INSANE. According to most manufacturer charts, in order to get a cycling outfit that first perfectly, I'd have to go into the 3/4X category. 3/4X are you kidding me??????? Nothing against anyone else, but I'd personally commit hari kari if I was really wearing a 4X. And, do you know how few designers make and carry anything that size? Yes, I'm overweight but on top of that, I am curvy. Double Whammy in athletic gear, for sure.

[Wasp]

Methinks certain cycling wear lines are sleeker/tighter in overall design, ie. Castelli, etc. I would agree that cycling wear fits me better than other types of clothing, in general.

There are lots of larger sizes...are you willing to wear men's designs that look unisex? I also think it depends which region of North America. In general, it takes more effort for me to find a small size to fit me in cycling wear...usually the number of garments in my size is 1-2 on the rack in a line. Not 5-6 of same size in same line/style. I'm also 5'1" like Crankin and equally small.

I'm sorry I disagree terribly...there's also lack of clothing that accommodates petite sized women....I'm here in Canada's prairie area and MOST definitely it's for larger women. Not like VAncouver nor Toronto. Maybe what all of us are complaining might be lack of choice in our size for different types of clothing.

I'm Canadian as well, and most larger name brand women clothing stores usually have a fairly extensive petite section. I occasionally wear petite size as I tend to be short waisted and they fit better torso wise, but my biggest problem is getting the chest area to fit. I wish it was too big, at least then i would have the option of taking it in.
I'm not against wearing something unisex.....I just want it to fit and be comfortable wearing it, and avoid the dreaded squished uniboob look.

[shootingstar]

I'm Canadian as well, and most larger name brand women clothing stores usually have a fairly extensive petite section. I occasionally wear petite size as I tend to be short waisted and they fit better torso wise, but my biggest problem is getting the chest area to fit. I wish it was too big, at least then i would have the option of taking it in.
I'm not against wearing something unisex.....I just want it to fit and be comfortable wearing it, and avoid the dreaded squished uniboob look.

When I look at the petite offerings now in fashion store..many styles look "old". Then the other extreme too teeny-boppy-near sexy wear which I'm not interested.

When I wear any cycling jacket, I look as if I don't have boobs. (Shrug). Yes a Pearl Izumi jacket does that and I like more form fitting jackets. Keeps the jacket from ballooning in the wind. I really doubt people look at me for that (boobs). They're just looking at me on bike or notice me walking around in my gear....because there aren't many Asian women cycling in our city (although our population is growing noticeably). Now that I've said the latter, I suddenly realize how true of what I just said. Quite different from the other 2 Canadian cities.

[Sky King]

One would think we would all learn - when we actually find something that fits well we should always buy two! Of course, I rarely do that thus most of my bike gear is somewhat tired looking.
I did find a great long sleeved jersey last year from maloja -but alas the store that sold them is no longer. I do see that backcountry.com may have them in stock. HOWEVER they run small, I bought a large and I am typically a size 6 with a 34b/c chest

[Wasp]

One would think we would all learn - when we actually find something that fits well we should always buy two! Of course, I rarely do that thus most of my bike gear is somewhat tired looking.
I did find a great long sleeved jersey last year from maloja -but alas the store that sold them is no longer. I do see that backcountry.com may have them in stock. HOWEVER they run small, I bought a large and I am typically a size 6 with a 34b/c chest

Your a size 6 and due to the small sizing you had to purchase a large ?? WOW!!.
So what do women size 8 and up wear?. That's my point, the sizes tend to be small. Funny how the price stays the same considering there getting away with using less fabric and call it a large.