Tuesday 11 September 2007

Size matters

That's size matters, rather than size matters - I don't want to comment on the latter.

I went to visit my family this weekend, and while I was there my jeans split. Not in a 'I have finally put on so much weight that I split the seams' way, more in a 'I spend so much time sitting down that I have worn through the bottom' sort of way. All my jeans when they split do it in the same place. I must do a lot of sitting / wriggling on that side! Well, that's my excuse. And I'm sticking to it.

So, in a state of emergency, we went jeans shopping at the outlet village, where the jeans shop happened to have a buy two get a third pair free offer on. Fabulous. Even better - my mum offered to treat me to them, so I got three pairs of jeans for the price of none. Hurrah! (and thank you, mum!)

I got two pairs the same, and a pair that I really liked. In fact, I liked them so much that I didn't even say no, I won't try on a size bigger than I would usually go to (I was already on the bigger size than I like to think I am and they wouldn't fit). Bought the bigger pair.

Then we went to another shop, and bought a fourth pair. By this point, I was really fed up of trying on, so we just got them in my usual size, and decided to return them if they wouldn't fit. I got them home and put them on, and they fitted perfectly.

So, within a matter of 2hours, maybe less, I got 4 pairs of jeans: one size 10, two size 12 and a size 14 (which is a little tight). Maybe this is to do with the jeans' country of origin? Perhaps. But if I can comfortably wear three different sizes within 2 hours, then does the size on the label really matter? If you wear what's comfortable, and what you look good in, then the rest is just numbers, isn't it?


And as an aside - I'd like to reiterate what I said in a comment on ThePhDLitChick's site - men, if I can see your boxers over the top of your jeans, then your jeans are too big. If the crotch of your trousers is tying your knees together, then your trousers are too big. (Not trendy. Not cool. Too big). And to the man I followed up the stairs from the bus stop on campus this morning: you need to sort this out quickly; the view from behind is not pleasant.

6 comments:

ThePhDLitChick said...

I agree! Sizing is ridiculous! I remember going shopping for a suit and I bought a size 6 jacket, size 8 skirt and size 12 cardigan...all of which fit me! Each item came from a different shop and, evidently, conformed to their image of that particular size!

Anonymous said...

What's worse is when you try on all the sizes from 10-16 in various dress styles in the same shop and nothing fits! Zara is the bane of my life when it comes to clothes shopping. I love the clothes, but it would appear that I can only wear the accessories. Oh well...

Anonymous said...

This blog appeared on my 'news headlines' ticker on my desktop. i thought u'd gone international for a sec!! I know the feeling about jeans though... and all sizing issues. i am anything from an 8-14 and refuse to buy from shops that tell me i'm a 14 haha. soem are such a weird cut as well that they end up maiing u feel inadequate for having any curves at all. i hate shopping these days.... but probably 'cos i put on a stone ;-) xx

Autumn Song said...

anonymous: don't feel bad about wearing 14s. If you can still buy an 8 elsewhere it really is all just numbers! I'm trying to adopt this as my new philosophy (I, too, have out on some weight finishing the PhD). If it fits and it / I look(s) good, then size really doesn't matter.

Amy: some shops just make strange shaped clothes. It's not you; it's them.

thephdlitchick: I don't have a reply to make to your comment really, but don't want you to feel left out!

jo(e) said...

Yeah, I also hate how inconsistent sizes are. Most of the time, the more expensive the item of clothing, the smaller the size I can wear. Weird.

Autumn Song said...

Yes, weird. Sounds suspiciously like a sales tactic to me, Jo(e)...