Women’s Sizing

Corie at Union Station sent me this video.  Fascinating.

Comments (Archived):

  1. Susan Rubinsky

    This is a great overview! Thanks for sharing! What’s really cool is that I’m starting to see startups address this, especially for bras. Can’t wait for someone to do swimwear!

  2. Sofia Papastamelos

    Amen! The vanity sizing is so obvious these days. I am a pretty average sized woman -why am I an XXXS in JCrew? (yes that’s a real size)I like Susan’s comment on new companies popping up to address sizing issues, particularly ones that are founded by women for women. True&Co and Naja are some of my favorites.

    1. Gotham Gal

      XXXS. That’s absurd

    2. LE

      -why am I an XXXS in JCrewA variation of ‘deliver more than you promise’. A positive impression by giving someone a lower number where a lower number makes someone feel good.This is like the manipulation that is used when guessing someones age. You guess lower and never higher. Nobody is ever upset when you tell them they are 8 years younger than they really are. [1][1] One time for girls selling girl scout cookies I said “guess my age within 2 years and I will double what I am going to give you!!”. They were off by 20 years actually. Man did I feel good I gave them more than double and didn’t even take the cookies. It felt great. (Their mother actually gave me a number of 5 years younger since she was closer to my age..)

  3. LE

    This was actually super interesting and a well done video. I would imagine (just a guess) that the different sizing at different chains works to help the vendor get a lock on a customer. Easier to shop again at a store where you know your size (and a fit) than to shop at a new store and hope the size 6 is a size 6 (or whatever).

  4. Elton Graham

    Great topic! I’ve spent over a decade in the fashion, apparel industry and always enjoy discussions around sizing/fit. A very good, recent discussion can be found here: http://99percentinvisible.o… Highly recommend the podcast. Goes back to Mathematician & Astronomer: Quetelet….who coined “average man” and designed for Scotland. Podcast covers issues inherent in sizes such as size biases towards morality and how no one is obviously average. Speaks to fit as an opportunity. Excellent. With technology….I see lots of opportunity around real time customization and bespoke.

    1. Gotham Gal

      will check out the podcast!