Overheard at a Plus-Sized Woman's Store

[Lace Neil Singer]

I never shop there, cuz their clothes are too preppy. Maybe if I worked in an office, I'd shop there.

[Becks]

Another thing about those hideous polos, they're men's sizes. Why, when 90% of the employees at a store are women, do they not offer women's polos?

I try to avoid women's shirts. I find them to be too short and tight in the arms. Men's shirts rule!!!!!!!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Ive heard that its because you associate them mentally with the pleasure sensation of being able to wear a smaller size, and are therefore more likely to shop there.

I have no doubt that is what all the suits in the board meeting thought when they made the decision to do that. However, I associate the store with the sensation of being extremely annoyed because I find that to be very, very patronizing. As if they think that I'm stupid enough to believe I've actually dropped a size just by walking through the door.

I have a very, VERY low tolerance for horseshit.

[NightAngel]

You wouldn't be annoyed if you were one of those women who starve themselves to be the skinny, stick person that Hollywood says we should all be.

I wouldn't mind the men's measurement for women's clothes. It'd make things quite a bit easier I think.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Oh, I know. I know. And that is another rant for another thread!

[CaroPhoenix]

Well, I sent a letter via PFB, however, somehow, it said the letter was for the masses to read??? I have no clue what I did to warrant no one else reading it.

So far I haven't heard anything back from them, though I sent the letter last night, so I prolly won't hear anything until next week. I'll also be typing up a letter and sending it Snail Mail.

As for me .. I'm anywhere from a size 18/20W to a 22/24W - though the 22/24W's are big. I can get some stuff at Wal-Mart (though their George line seems to run a tad small - I did complain to the Manager there once, but since I haven't tried anything else on by that line, I don't know if there was anything done about it). I like Torrid 'cos I can get the sexy, flirty-type stuff there for days when I want to be a sexy, flirty-type girlie girl. One days I want to be taken seriously or I want to get something more business-like, I go to Lane Bryant.

[AFpheonix]

Wrangler 20x and Aura jeans and slacks not only measure around the waist and inseam, both have a variety in rise, fit (relaxed or fitted) and cut in the leg, straight or boot cut.
The 20x Tulsa jeans are especially my favorites, they look great, and they don't necessarily look western-y. Neither do the Aura slacks.

http://www.wrangler.com/

[Becks]

Well, I sent a letter via PFB, however, somehow, it said the letter was for the masses to read??? I have no clue what I did to warrant no one else reading it.

So far I haven't heard anything back from them, though I sent the letter last night, so I prolly won't hear anything until next week. I'll also be typing up a letter and sending it Snail Mail.

Never having posted on PFB, although I have been known to lurk there, I can't help you with that. :comforting pats: there, there™®

If/when you get a response, let us know!!!!!

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Well, that's great the employee didn't let the other woman use the card and the police got hold of her. Of course, lady got her credit card back.

Anyway the store you were talking about isn't in my area (the closest is in Greensboro) so I wasn't sure what it was so I looked it up on the Internet (we do have other plus-size stores) and I didn't know Hot Topic owned another apparel company either.

I'm in Greensboro and I'm not sure what this place is that starts w a T. I"m familiar w/Lane Bryant (whose sizes start at 12, which means I can shop there) , Catherine's and Added Dimensions.

Heck, I didn't even know we had a Hot Topic here. Must be at Four Seasons (and I haven't been there in years.)

[Pagan]

Um ouch! does that mean that because I'm a size 6 I'm not real, or just that it's ok to pick on me about it<snip>

I know idrinkarum has already changed her post, but I was thinking the same thing. Although I didn't have to deal with BlaqueKatt had, I've always been naturally slender (family genes apparently). For some reason, it seems to be perfectly acceptable to make snide comments about something I can't help.

<snip>Next time a bunch of kids wearing HT clothes causing trouble comes in (not that they all do but I encounter the ones occasionally that proclaim loudly how they are witches and they are really just little "play-gans")<snip>

"Play-gans"!! I love that! Luna, may I use it when I see some of ours hanging out in the New Age section? I've had to warn a couple of them after overhearing what they think they're gonna do. Scares the crap out of them when they get an actual live witch in front of them!

RA, it's the same thing in NM, at least where I was living (<snip>

Dreamstalker, bet I can guess which areas of NM you're talking about. I thought I was the only one who noticed it! I've got kind of the same problem. I'm only 5'4", but I've got a 32" inside leg (I like that better than inseam! ). I just barely broke 100 lbs about 5 years ago, now I'm about 120 lbs. This is why I usually wind up over in the mens jeans. That plus the fact that all of the womens jeans seem to be cut huge in the ass. Add to that, my size 9 foot, and I hate looking for pants or shoes!

I know. I have size 4 pants in my closet. I am wearing size 10's right now. All fit. How screwed up is that?<snip>

The whole of sizing in womens clothing, not to mention shoes, bears absolutely no relation to actual sizing. The only place where you can get close to true sizing (and I have my doubts about it anymore) is sewing patterns. Normally I wear, depending on the line, anywhere from a from a 4 to an 8 (Hollister runs very small), in patterns, it's more like a 10. Do I think I've gained or lost weight? No, I know full well what my bod looks like. I really would prefer to go to waist-length sizing, too!

Now for something completely different....and off-topic. Is it normal to not be able to find shoes bigger than a size 7 (UK) in the UK? When we were there, my mom's suitcase went on it's own trip for a few days and she needed another pair of shoes. She wears 10 or 11. Luckily, her suitcase showed up before we left London and got her other shoes.

*EDIT - Please remove parts of quotes that are not relevant to your comments. We have already read the posts and really don't ned to read them again. I don't enjoy reruns. ~Ree

[Food Lady]

It also makes it difficult to measure progress when you *are* trying to lose weight. You know, you get all happy about being "down to" a certain size, and it's spoiled because that particular brand might just run large.

Not only do different brands run differently, but the same pants in the same size can run differently. I bought 3 pairs from dELIA'S, all the same style, size, and inseam, but the two darker ones fit while the lighter khaki pair is too big.

[rdp78]

I'm in Greensboro and I'm not sure what this place is that starts w a T. I"m familiar w/Lane Bryant (whose sizes start at 12, which means I can shop there) , Catherine's and Added Dimensions.

Heck, I didn't even know we had a Hot Topic here. Must be at Four Seasons (and I haven't been there in years.)

Yep, it's the Four Seasons that has a T and I've been there before but it's been years so I don't know what it looks like. From what I understand from their website it's geared to younger women.

Pagan-BlaqueKatt was revering to my post and it's been revised. I didn't mean to hurt anyones feelings I just wanted to tell how great to see more stores like T (I kind of wished they had them when I was plus girl).

Anyway I do think it would be great if woman's clothing be more like men's it'll be easy to figure out if something will fit or not. My highest size was 16 (I have few still) and now I can fit in a 12 pretty well (14 even better). This has been over a span of 7 years and at least a lost of 25 pounds. Anyway I do have a few 10s but most do not fit on me and I'm working on that. Anyway a few months ago I tried on shorts, I found the same style in 10 and 12 I tried on both but they didn't fit. There was a 14 (I really didn't not want another 14) but I just decided not to get it and that style wasn't cut right for my body. The funny thing is I found another short from another brand in a 10 that fit pretty well so it had to be that brand.

I have heard that Marilyn Monroe was size a 16 and it probably was true in a way. What I think was that back in the 50s the clothes she wore said a size 16 but today she could fit in a size 12 and maybe a 10.

[Seshat]

What I want is an indicative 'to fit' in actual standard measurements: inches or centimetres. Hell, I'll take cubits or farthings as long as it's consistent.

In tops, the 'to fit' could be the underbust measurement. In pants and skirts, the waist or hip would be best.

Variations I'd love to see would be:
long/medium/short limb (arm or leg) variants.

curvy/medium/slim hip variants if the 'to fit' is a waist measurement, or curvy/medium/slim waist, if it's a hip measurement.

bust variations, in some flattering variant of the terms 'small/medium/large/hollywoodstarlet'.


To start with, I'll settle for a 'this garment is designed to fit the hypothetical average woman, with a waist/hip/shoulder/underbust of #cm/inches'. That alone would take a LOT of the curse off clothes-shopping.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I've heard it's because women (theoretical women, not necessarily actual human females) like to think "I'm still a size x" even when their actual physical dimensions have changed quite a bit. By having the sizes inconsistent, those theoretical women can always find something "their size" that fits.

It's called "vanity sizing" and it's annoying. I used to be able to order jeans off of Old Navy's website (size 6, low rise bootcut) and not have to worry if they'd fit. Now I have to try them on in the store and I can't find any that fit. They fit totally different. I've gained some weight since I started my new job 8 months ago since I'm not on my feet all day anymore, and I have had to buy some new pants (I'm working on it, though, cuz I don't want to have to replace my whole wardrobe - much cheaper to start walking than buy all new clothes). I've got one pair of jeans that are from Gap outlet and are a size 10, and another that are from Target and are a size 14, and a pair of khakis from Old Navy that are also a 10 and a bit too big for me. (Oddly enough, I have never been able to find pants in Target that fit me before...)

I read once that when they cut the fabric for jeans they have the fabric stacked up and the machine cuts a whole bunch at once, so that's why sometimes 2 pairs of the same style/size of jeans can fit differently, because the fabric at the top and bottom might pull in/out a bit as it's being cut and end up slightly smaller or larger.

-ams-

[rdp78]

Well, I knew this was going to happen. Anyway decided to check on two pants I have both very different in size and brand. Well, smaller size (of course 10) had same waist as the bigger one (12) and even fit a bit better then the bigger one (note: the fabric was a bit thicker then the other one so that could have factor). I've had both of them for at least a year maybe the "bigger one" a little longer then that so that also might be a factor.

I do like Seshat ideas on the fitting. I think it would be better to use both hip and waist but that is from my own experience. The lengths are also good idea for both arms and legs not that I ever had trouble with arms but legs well, my "inside leg" (better then inseam) is about 29" so it's tough to find pants that I don't have to hem up.