Have you noticed a difference in the pant sizes you wear lately? For years people have depended upon the size of the clothes they buy to determine the actual size they are and if they have put on or lost weight. But, it turns out that going by the size of the jeans you wear is not necessarily the best way to determine if you've gained or lost pounds or inches. With the advent of "vanity sizing" if you've gained inches in your waist, you may still wear a 36" pant. On the other hand, if you've lost a few pounds, you may drop your waist size to 34" or lower!
Good Morning America recently did a piece that had one of their male producers visiting shops to compare what the difference was in jean sizes. After purchasing a 36" waist size in Levis, Gap, Zara and Banana Republic, one of the best tailors in New York City was enlisted to verify the actual waist measurements. Levis came in at 36.5", Zara's at 37", Gap at 38" and Banana Republic was 38.5".
During the course of this investigation, GMA also looked at Esquire's findings. They were one of the first to investigate the so-called "vanity" waistline. Esquire found that 36" Dockers were actually 39.5" and that Old Navy allowed a full 5" additional width in their 36" pants. I'm shopping at Old Navy!
The reasoning is that men will be more likely to buy the supposedly "smaller" pant size, which makes absolutely perfect sense. Women would do that in a heart-beat and probably do. Even if it is not a name brand, if a woman goes to the store and tries on two different outfits, she is probably more likely to buy the one that is the smaller size, as long as it fits. Who doesn't want to say they can wear an 8/10 instead of a 12/14, or a medium instead of a large?
Some of the companies justify the difference in sizes by denying the "vanity" theory. Banana Republic claims, for example, that their pants are meant to sit on the high hip, rather than on the natural waist; therefore the reason for the difference in inches. Gap goes on record as saying that it's impossible to compare sizing because each retailer is designing for a different target customer. Does that mean that Levis changes their sizing according to their target customer for a specific area? I don't think so.
The truth is that people wear their pants differently, some wearing them lower and some having to have their belly-button covered at all times, but that shouldn't make a difference in the waist size. Shouldn't everyone be able to go out and buy their pants "off the rack" and know that a standardized size should fit them? Shouldn't manufacturers be required to call a waist a waist and a hip a hip? Wouldn't it also follow that if someone has to buy a bigger pant size that they may be more likely to do what needs to be done in order to lose the weight? In some cases, you can gain a full 5" and still think you are wearing a 36" waist. Of course, you must not look in the mirror or get on the scale much, but it can be ultimately deceiving and should not be allowed.
This practice and the lack of standardization makes things more difficult for all of us. How can you order online if you can't be sure of the size you should be ordering? Does that mean you need to try on the clothes each time that you buy a different brand? Men questioned during the taping of this segment felt duped and disappointed that manufacturers were catering to their vanity, rather than "keeping it real".
Good Morning America recently did a piece that had one of their male producers visiting shops to compare what the difference was in jean sizes. After purchasing a 36" waist size in Levis, Gap, Zara and Banana Republic, one of the best tailors in New York City was enlisted to verify the actual waist measurements. Levis came in at 36.5", Zara's at 37", Gap at 38" and Banana Republic was 38.5".
During the course of this investigation, GMA also looked at Esquire's findings. They were one of the first to investigate the so-called "vanity" waistline. Esquire found that 36" Dockers were actually 39.5" and that Old Navy allowed a full 5" additional width in their 36" pants. I'm shopping at Old Navy!
The reasoning is that men will be more likely to buy the supposedly "smaller" pant size, which makes absolutely perfect sense. Women would do that in a heart-beat and probably do. Even if it is not a name brand, if a woman goes to the store and tries on two different outfits, she is probably more likely to buy the one that is the smaller size, as long as it fits. Who doesn't want to say they can wear an 8/10 instead of a 12/14, or a medium instead of a large?
Some of the companies justify the difference in sizes by denying the "vanity" theory. Banana Republic claims, for example, that their pants are meant to sit on the high hip, rather than on the natural waist; therefore the reason for the difference in inches. Gap goes on record as saying that it's impossible to compare sizing because each retailer is designing for a different target customer. Does that mean that Levis changes their sizing according to their target customer for a specific area? I don't think so.
The truth is that people wear their pants differently, some wearing them lower and some having to have their belly-button covered at all times, but that shouldn't make a difference in the waist size. Shouldn't everyone be able to go out and buy their pants "off the rack" and know that a standardized size should fit them? Shouldn't manufacturers be required to call a waist a waist and a hip a hip? Wouldn't it also follow that if someone has to buy a bigger pant size that they may be more likely to do what needs to be done in order to lose the weight? In some cases, you can gain a full 5" and still think you are wearing a 36" waist. Of course, you must not look in the mirror or get on the scale much, but it can be ultimately deceiving and should not be allowed.
This practice and the lack of standardization makes things more difficult for all of us. How can you order online if you can't be sure of the size you should be ordering? Does that mean you need to try on the clothes each time that you buy a different brand? Men questioned during the taping of this segment felt duped and disappointed that manufacturers were catering to their vanity, rather than "keeping it real".
Joseph enjoys writing online articles, he also trys on all of his clothes before he buys them which makes buying online very difficult. One item he buys online without trying (because of the money back guarantee) is his mouse zapper. There are two models, the rat zapper ultra and the rat zapper 2000. These are electronic traps which make quick work of any rodents you may have around the home.
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