We all know someone who is absolutely determined not to buy the next size up. For instance, they’re convinced they’re a size 12 so they “ruddy well won’t buy a 14, even if the gates of hell were to freeze over!” This isn’t you, of course, but if this is you, tell me:
- How exactly did you arrive at this momentous conclusion about what size you are?
- When did you last measure yourself properly, and whose guidelines did you use?
- You’re totally convinced that you’re absolutely this exact same size in every single shop in the universe?
There’s a term for this particular form of mental instability.
It’s called vanity sizing.
The term should be self-explanatory but you can read all about it in my article about the move to bring standard size labelling to the world of womenswear in Europe – Global and worldwide size charts for clothes, shoes and lingerie.
Think about it – men’s clothes are all measured and labelled in inches (or centimetres) so they can buy a shirt in a sealed packet with absolute confidence that it will fit them, no matter which shop they bought it from. If we had the same system for women’s clothes, wouldn’t this make life a lot simpler?
Nightmare scenario
In the meantime and until someone can persuade every manufacturer and retailer of women’s clothes to adopt the same-size labelling policy (and I wish them a hearty “Bonne chance” with that one!), we are stuck with a nightmare scenario when shopping:
- Where would you find an off-the-peg pair of trousers that are exactly the right length, that don’t gape at the back, in exactly the right colour and fabric, and for the right amount of money?
- How many shops would you have to raid before you found exactly the right dress in exactly the right colour and fabric, that drapes oh-so-beautifully, that shows off your figure to perfection, that makes you feel like a million dollars, and that won’t cost you an arm and a leg?
Are either of these truly possible?
Or are we women just living in cloud cuckoo land, hoping and praying that, maybe one day, our knight in shining armour will appear with a portfolio of design ideas under one arm and a Singer sewing machine under the other – and other such fairy tales?
If you’ve had similar experiences, feel free to vent your spleen. Or maybe you’re one of the immortals disguised as a human being here on Earth who manages to find exactly what you’re looking for every time? If that’s you, then please share some of the secrets of how you do it! We discuss vanity sizing on the personal style course too.