Hey everyone and happy Hump Day! Okay, so I came to a shocking revelation over the weekend when I saw my fourteen year old cousin at a family get together. This young woman is tall (5’7 or 5’8, easily), thin as a rail, and probably one hundred and five pounds soaking wet. She has what I would call a “model” body. Literally. She is the most modelesque person I know and she could send pictures to Teen Vogue and they would call her for a photo shoot immediately. So imagine my surprise when she told me that the skirt that she had on was
A SIZE 6!!
She told me that the size two was too tight and the store didn’t have a four, so she went with the six. My mouth probably hung open for an uncomfortable amount of time, because I wear a four. Me. Sarah. The 5’1 1/4 (Because the quarter counts!), muscular thighs and booty from figure skating, never going to be a model twenty-something. And my baby cousin who looks like she could be in a double zero was wearing a size bigger than me? It just didn’t make sense.
Now, I get that all stores have slightly different sizing. I wear a two at Express, but am generally a solid four. But I was so baffled by what my cousin told me, because she looks like a model. And if this young lady wears a four usually, like me, then what in the hell are the models on the runway and in Vogue wearing?
I can’t wrap my mind around it. If my cousin who could be on a runway right now wears a four, then could the models be wearing sizes other than the double zero, zero, and size two, which seems standard in the fashion industry? Obviously these sizes exist and they’re beautiful. But how can those sizes be so different from my equally model sized cousin?
I don’t really know where I’m going with this but I just thought it was interesting, albeit a little mind blowing. Have you ever met someone whose body type doesn’t match their clothing size? What are your thoughts on the infamous fashion industry size standards? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah
Featured Image By: Biz Journal
lifewithlilred 
I used to work for Forever 21 for many years. I unfortunately gained weight due to health reasons and ended up wearing plus size there. Their sizes are ridiculously small. Where other stores I’m a 15, Forever 21 I am 17 or 18. I walk in and feel incredibly strange now. Like I don’t belong. I don’t belong at plus size stores like Torrid either. Employees there treat me like shit because they see me as a “skinny bitch.” The industry has no idea what it’s doing. I feel like I lost my style after gaining weight because it’s all geared towards smaller women.
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It’s so strange how sizes work, it genuinely baffles me. Life would be a lot simpler with universal sizing I think! haha
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I think the fashion industry standards suck! They cater to tiny sizes. Hello, America’s women are an average size of 14!! That being said, my daughter is 5’3″, 13 years old, and 95 pounds. She’s always been thin. We went to buy her black pants the other day, and I thought for sure she’d be a size 0. To my surprise, a size 3 fit her, albeit with a little room. Maybe I should add that they were junior sizes? I don’t know, but I just thought she’d be a smaller size. I was a lot bigger than she is now when I was 13! Did any of that even make sense? lol
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THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. It literally doesn’t make sense. I feel like clothing got a lot smaller for someone that thin to be able to fit in a size way bigger than normal.
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And it just keeps getting smaller!
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It’s really sad actually, because I’m 23 and I buy my jeans and work pants in women’s sizes. I couldn’t imagine shopping as a teenager in the junior’s department and wearing a size way bigger than what one would think. My self esteem was way too fragile for that shit lol
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Oh, I know, right? It’s so bizarre how a number can freak us out! If an eight doesn’t fit me, I’m not buying a bigger size – shit like that. We get so obsessed with that dam number!
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I have such a love hate relationship with this conversation. I find it intriguing, because some stores definitely have very skewed sizing. We are also all unique and carry weight differently. Some of us carry it well, others not so much.
I always ALWAYS get told, I can’t possibly weigh as much as I do or be the size that I am. (apparently I am one of those who carries it “well” but I also am extremely muscular thanks skating thighs lol) And I literally argue with people because they refuse to believe me. Lol Most people shed some pounds off when they share weight…Not go higher lol. ❤
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I honestly never really thought about it until this weekend but now I can’t stop thinking about it! It actually makes me feel kind of bad because I know that I would hate to be wearing anything but a four so I can’t imagine how other people must feel. Had this been an issue when I was a teenager I don’t think that my self esteem could handle another blow like that.
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It is actually funny because now that I am older, I am actually a smaller size, then when I was a teenager, yet I am not as obsessed with my “size” like I was back then which is a bonus. lol. I have evolved! Haha. BUT I also wonder whether or not it is because I have finally grown into my body or because companies have just totally skewered the sizing so much to fit their own branding agendas.
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I’m 5’9 and when I was in high school I was a size 9-11, but I looked like I was smaller because I have athletic (wide) shoulders and the weight evened out over the rest of my body. All three of us in our blog wear the same size pants (in the waist) but we all look different and it’s crazy!
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Hello I like your fashion post and was wondering if you could follow me so I can have some more inspiration everyday
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