The 'Vanity Sizing' Problem - Between Myth and Reality

Ever since the problem of “vanity sizing” was first brought to the public attention, it has been considered an interesting topic as it concerns us all, as well as the way we think and feel about how we look. Discussions on the subject, much debated already, have so far led to pointing the finger at the producing companies, which have been accused of manipulating and misleading us into buying more and more clothes. The logical question that arises is whether this is the only reason why the phenomenon is so widespread all over the world.

 

For those who don’t know yet, the term “vanity sizing” can easily be explained: since the commercial sizing standards were first established in the mid ‘50s, the measurements the sizes actually represent have constantly been subject to change – in time, clothes have become larger than their size. The most common example is Marilyn Monroe, who was a size 12 (or perhaps a 16, as no one really knows) in the ‘60s, and who would now gracefully wear a 4 (or a 6).

 

When shopping, finding the right size is not that easy - you might need time and lots of patience to actually find just one size for you and then to stick to it. For instance, say you know you’re an eight but, this once, a six seems to look surprisingly good on you. You're not losing pounds, so no hurrahs this time. It is generally considered that it is just another wise marketing technique, as women (who are the most addicted to buying new clothes) would feel better about themselves while trying on and actually paying for smaller sizes. Their “vanity” has been taken care of and they will continue the shopping spree.

 

On the other hand, you should bear in mind the fact that those sizes are a “standard,” thus they cannot be representative for all of us, as we are all different, to state the obvious. Imagine however what would happen if the producing companies put on the market thousands of sizes, to fit us all – for starters, it might cause havoc in the entire fashion industry because of the huge costs. On top of that, you might find yourself even in a greater predicament than before when looking for clothes.

 

As a final note, what should have us all worried, aside from the fact that we’ve been lied to for such a long time, is that, if our bodily dimensions are actually larger than we know, in a couple of years, obesity will probably cease to ring any alarms with anyone.