Saturday, February 4, 2012

What Size Am I And Does It Matter?

If you live in the United States, no matter how old you are, you have probably seen a TV episode of I Love Lucy. Lucy was played by Lucille Ball, a talented actress and wonderful comedian.
In the show, she played the wife of Desi Arnaz (they were married for a few years in real life too), a Latin band leader. Lucy always wants to "be in showbiz," and the running gag in the story line is her constant pestering to "be in the show."
After one of the showgirls becomes ill, Desi offers Lucy her big chance with the caveat that she has to fit into the showgirl's costume. Can you guess what size the costume was?
The outfit the showgirl wore was a size 12. Yes, that's correct, a 12.
Fast forward to the 21st Century. There are no standard size specifications for women's clothing sizes.
Menswear sizing is still determined and sold by the numbers.
But when plus sized women shop, they are faced with the dilemma that every company has a proprietary size chart and even then, their clothing may not adhere to the chart.
In my closet I have tops that range from an XL to a 22, dresses in missy size 14 to plus 1X.
What does it mean? Nothing, except of course a lot of frustration, since many designers and companies that offer plus size clothing only sell online.
I love shopping online, and take the risk that what I order won't fit and will need to be exchanged or returned, often at my expense.
A recent online purchase ended up costing me twice as much, since the item didn't fit. I know my measurements and had checked the company's size chart before I placed the order. I was disappointed, but sent it back. The company sent back the wrong size and the top was too big! So by the time I received the third top, the cost of shipping actually doubled the cost of the top.
I'd like to say the answer is to know your measurements to prevent this type of problem.
However, knowing your measurements is only half the  equation. You must understand your body type, as well as other details like what necklines, sleeve styles and lengths fit you best.
My neighbor, who weighs at least 35 pounds more than I do, is also five inches shorter than me, yet she wears a smaller bathing suit.
A clothing designer must determine what body type he/she is going to address, which is why a lot of plus size clothing is just so...BIG. It's very hard to dress women, we come in a lot of different shapes, even if we all can wear the same size.
So when you're shopping, don't worry about the size the garment is, choose the garment that fits and looks the best. If an alteration will make the item fit even better, go for it. I know it's an additional expense, especially after you may have paid for postage. But if it fits well and looks great, you'll feel better. And you will wear it. After all, how many things are hanging in your closet that you don't wear?