The Frustrating Reality of Fashion Sizing
If you have ever tried on clothes from different fashion brands, you know the confusing experience all too well. You might wear a size 8 from one label, a size 12 from another, and a small from yet another. Pose this question on platforms like Reddit, and you will discover a plethora of discussions from frustrated shoppers. So why do fashion brands resist adopting universal standard sizing?
The Simple and Complex Answers
The short answer is that brands do not have to standardize, explained Leila Kelleher, assistant professor of fashion design and social justice at Parsons School of Design and director of the Size Inclusion in Fashion Lab. The longer explanation reveals that brands base their sizing data and measurements on their intended customer base. Typical body sizes and shapes differ depending on factors such as whether they target the 20-something or 50-something crowd, or whether they sell predominantly in Western markets versus geographic locations like Asia. This variation can even occur within a single company: a size 6 in a U.S. Gap store is not necessarily the same as a size 6 in a Gap store in Kazakhstan.
What this means is that, no matter how much we may wish for consistency, there is not a reality where a single size of clothing will fit everyone who considers themselves that size. While taking an average of a customer base might seem like a workable solution, even this approach does not always render the desired results—and sometimes it fails completely.
Historical Flaws in Sizing Systems
Lisa Hackett, a cultural historian and lecturer at the University of New England in Australia, pointed to a revealing study conducted by the U.S. Air Force in 1952. The objective was to design the perfect airplane jump seat. Researchers compiled measurements from 4,000 pilots, calculated the average, and then produced what they thought would be a universal-fitting jump seat—that nobody fit into. Today, they use adjustable seats, highlighting the limitations of averaging.
Whether it is a conscious choice or not, said Alison Hoenes, a pattern-maker for slow fashion brands, we cannot fit everybody into a single garment. This principle applies directly to the fashion industry, where one-size-fits-all solutions are impractical.
How Brands Determine Their Size Charts
Brands must choose who their clothes fit best and who their customer is, explained Hoenes. Though, she added, many could do a better job at creating clothes that fit their target customer base. So how does a brand determine its sizing parameters? Turns out, the system was flawed from the beginning.
The industrial revolution and mass production ushered in the try to fit as many people as possible sizing ranges, said Keena Hudson, visiting assistant professor of fashion design at Pratt Institute.
Standard sizing charts first appeared in the 1940s. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducted a study in 1939, and the National Bureau of Statistics administered another in 1949. The former included measurements predominantly from white women of lower socioeconomic status because it paid a participant fee, and the latter failed to account for how women's body shapes change through the decades. Subsequent sizing standards compiled by the American Standards for Testing Materials were based on this same data.
So, pointed out Kelleher, They are not representative of bodies. And especially not bodies today. Fashion people talk about bodies in a very abstract way as if they are not attached to a person. It is quite weird.
Vanity Sizing Complicates Matters Further
Vanity sizing refers to labeling clothing with a smaller size than what the measurements of said clothing might indicate. Many of us feel validated and pleased when we discover we fit into a numerical size lower than what we typically require. There are, of course, a veritable boatload of psychological reasons and ramifications of this, which are too vast to explore fully here, but it suffices to say that most of us are quite aware of them even if we still fall prey to them.
Remember, Hackett said, the idea that being able to maintain a certain body shape somehow makes us a better person completely ignores genetics and a whole pile of factors such as bone size that we have no control over.
Vanity sizing is rooted in anti-fat bias, explained Kelleher. We have ascribed a lot of value judgment to what size you are when, in reality, all that matters is that clothes fit your body.
Further, as Hudson pointed out, what is considered plus size in the U.S. is actually the average size of the population. A 2016 study published in the International Journal of Fashion Design found that the average American woman wears a size 16 to 18. Mys Tyler, a fashion inspiration app, collected sizing data from over 42,000 women during 2020 to 2024. Their data suggests that, on average, American women wear a size 14 and the most common dress size is a 16. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that women's average waist size is 38.5 inches while men's is 40.6 inches. This can be attributed to the fashion and entertainment industry's practice of predominantly hiring people whose body measurements do not correspond to those of an average person.
Fit Versus Size: A Critical Distinction
Within the whole vanity sizing and unpredictable sizing conundrum is the fact that size and fit are different things. Two people with the same set of measurements could prefer garments in different sizes. One may like to wear things looser while another person prefers a snugger fit.
As Hoenes said, There is not a clear answer for what good fit is. Which is likely part of the problem.
But, Hoenes continued, the industry could achieve better results if, before designing anything, they identified who they intended their garments to fit, then observed real not-model type people wearing garments.
The industry has trained us fashion professionals to see fashion in a particular way: on nine-heads-tall fashion illustrations and size 2 models. This is reflected in the pattern piece proportions in fashion school textbooks and the default avatar sizes used in digital design software.
Instead of designing to a default, we need to design and fit specifically for a customer's proportions, Hoenes said. Both Hudson and Kelleher are working to usher in a new generation of designers equipped to do this.
Practical Tips for Online Shopping
First, measure yourself, said Hudson. This is most important. Know what your bust, hips and waist measure. Know if you are considered long- or short-waisted. This is not information that you need to share with anyone else if you do not want to, but it will help you make a better decision when ordering clothing online.
On the flip side of that, brands need to provide accurate measurements and specs, and, according to Hudson, be more detailed.
You need more information than just a bust, waist, hip. A bicep and thigh measurement would be nice, as would shoulder width, which is the measurement between the two outermost points of your shoulders. Trying to figure out what fits you uniquely has always been around, whether you are shopping in store or buying online, said Murphy. This is where something like True Fit comes into play. Shoppers can visit the True Fit website or use it integrated into a shopping brand's site and take an interactive personal questionnaire that compiles and interprets data related to fit and sizing to provide them with the best size for their personal preferences.
When partnering with retailers, True Fit's integration allows it access to sales and returns data, which trains its AI and algorithms. This is why when you initiate a return, you may be asked questions about why: Is it too tight or too loose? This data goes anonymously into the pool of information that True Fit analyzes and interprets.
When shopping on a new-to-her site, Hackett likes to consult Reddit threads and read customer reviews. This gives you a good idea on general fit and sizing expectations. Many small and niche fashion brands exist and more designers are creating garments for real people; the trick is finding the ones that cater to your particular body shape and personal style. As shoppers, we likely have to let go of the idea that we will wear the same size in every brand, or even any brand. Armed with the correct data and tools, though, puts us in charge of the process.
