UKC

Hi folks,

Not here so much for advice this time, but for a long overdue rant!!!

Outdoor hiking trousers and size increases...literally cannot find ANYTHING to fit anymore, as a very small size 6/8 it now appears that what used to fit in that size has expanded at least 2" in the waist, and I am talking about well known british  brands here too, that have always been a perfect fit before in the same size.

I personally suspect that vanity sizing has now crept into the outdoor industry..there is no other explanation for the labels to state the size I have always had, but now it is way too big.

I can't speak for men's clothing, but would be interested to know if anyone else is having a similar problem...

In reply to wainright: So this is a huge thing! I noticed it years ago, and the explanation I heard was kind of amazing. At that time (~2013) there was one brand in the us that was very popular, and the change in sizing was sudden. In bottoms I was a medium, then I was an xs. In tops I stayed the same. I’m pretty average sized, and wear medium in non-sports clothes typically. The explanation at the time was that the wife of the owner of the company, who was kind of a celebrity as clothing line owners go, had always been a medium, and she had sign off on the sizing and fit modeling. So as her size changed, body proportions shifting about with age and life, the “M” evolved with her. No idea how much accuracy there was to it, but it tracked my experience for sure. 
 

In reply to AtLargesse:

Vanity sizing is a well known thing in the high street fashion industry, however, it is my opinion that it has now crept into the outdoor industry too..

I can name several brands (including british one's) that have always fit me in past years, but now the same size label is at least two inches bigger..

Just my opinion

In reply to wainright:

I had the same rant last time I bought a harness. DMM Renegade Medium supposedly fits down to 32" waist. My waist is 33". Did it fit? Did it hell. Had to buy a small.

In reply to Hooo:

Same - I bought that same harness in the same size as a gift for MrS a few years ago and it was massive.  

Sizing in womens clothing is very unreliable and erratic.  Even if you go buy the size charts and take body measurements (which you shouldn’t have to - surely the point of having a numerical size is that it’ll always fit those measurements) the size of the garment is often way off.  I have even found two apparently identical garments, same size, same label, same item, to be very different in size.

Whilst I can see that different brands leaning towards slightly different fittings can be a good thing as there are so many variations in body shape within a size bracket, vanity sizing is a total pain, particularly for smaller sized people who can’t size down as they are already wearing the smallest size.

To add my own grump about women’s outdoor clothing - they could do with making the armholes/sleeves/shoulders a bit more accommodating.  Bearing in mind that some of the users might be active people who have some muscle on their arms (North Face I’m looking at you with your very narrow sleeves).

In reply to Sealwife:

Pleased it is not only me that is strugging with this vanity sizing crap!!

Your comment is correct regarding sizing down, as I have nowhere to go with that at all, it is also massively annoying that companies are adding a women's size 18 to their women's trousers, but no intentions of adding a size 6 (Rab are an example of this) I understand that larger females need outdoor gear too, but smaller sizes are not being added to the ranges.

Absolutely ridiculous that you can't get the clothing for the sport you enjoy