I was watching an "I Love Lucy" rerun recently and was shocked to hear Lucy say she wore a size 12. She had an itty-bitty waist, she couldn't possibly fill out a size 12! As it turns out, dressmakers have been playing up to women's egos for years by labeling clothes with increasingly smaller sizes.
Women have statistically grown larger over the years, but designers are kissing up to women by creating "extra, extra small" and "00" sizes. With over 60% of American women overweight, it's tough to believe there are a glut of extra, extra small sized bodies. According to vintagevixen.com, what was a size 8 in 1950 had become a 4 by the 1970's and a 0 today.
So what becomes of the genuinely petite frames of some women? They're left with size 0 garments that are far too big for them. Will we soon start seeing negative sizes on our tags?
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Size Inclusivity
- Designing clothes for diverse body types and expanding size ranges to be more inclusive.
- Objectivity in Sizing
- Creating standardized sizing charts based on objective measurements instead of vanity sizing.
- Virtual Fitting Rooms
- Developing virtual fitting rooms to help consumers try clothes on virtually before making purchases.
Where This Applies
- Fashion
- The fashion industry must shift their focus away from vanity sizing and towards providing inclusive sizing options.
- Technology
- Innovative technological solutions such as virtual fitting rooms can revolutionize the way consumers shop for clothes online.
- Retail
- Retailers must embrace objective sizing techniques and provide more size-inclusive options to reflect the diversity of their customers.
