How to drop two dress sizes without dieting!

[watervole]

Live a long time.

I was a size 14 in the dim and distant days of my youth.  Now, a size 10 (or 12) usually fits fine.  I haven't got smaller, the clothes have got bigger....

Comments

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

You've upset me now, I thought I'd only gone up one size with putting some weight on.

You are correct in the change of sizing. I saved the sizing page from a pattern book back in the 60's when I was making clothes. I've just got it out to compare with modern sizes that google found for me. In the intervening 40 years the body measurements have moved down a size just as you said.

[kalypso-v.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I really must be getting fat. I'm sure I've gone up at least two sizes in the past ten years.

[the-magician.livejournal.com]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_sizing

Absolutely. It's usually easier for men, as a pair of 40" waist trousers are usually around 40", and an 16.5" collar shirt has a collar of about 16.5". Though of course there is enough variation in that to never be *quite* sure ... and I have shirts marked XXL at home, several are too baggy for me now, but two are still too small.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

Some of the size changes are to reflect changes in height -- it's slightly progressive over the range. There has always been a tendency by shops to make things slightly longer as the sizes increase, but they are now starting at a higher base (if that makes sense).

[gaspodia.livejournal.com]

The same thing has happened to shoe sizes. I was a size 4 in my teens, a size 3 in my early thirties and now I'm a size 2 according to M&S!

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Yes, the shoe sizes - and I am definitely NOT shrinking;a reversed "evolution" ? *grins*

[darth-tigger.livejournal.com]

Yup. In the eighties I was a 10 on the top, 10 or 12 on the bottom (depending on cut) and 14 if I wanted stuff baggy. A few weeks ago in M&S an 8 was too big (I could almost take the trousers off without undoing them). I asked for a smaller size. "Oh, we don't do a smaller size." You used to. "No, we've never done a 6". No, but 10 used to be a smaller size than that!

I mostly wear sports stuff now, usually unisex or elasticated/belted. I've pretty much given up on 'normal' clothes.