The Vintage Sizing Questionaire...

P

Patentleathershoes

VFG Veteran
VFG Past President
I have often read information regarding the sizing scale changes in fashion. Sometimes i scratch my head and wonder...because they say that a "large sample of the population" was measured, and I find more and more people who find less and less that fit them. I suppose that is why many people people turn to vintage fashion, aside from historical interest, et al.

Anyhow...from the perspective of being interested as a wearer of where other people that wear vintage fall on the size scale (as it may not fall within average sizing small or big because so many peple turn to vintage when they don't match the size scale) but i am also interested as a seller when deciding if things might be too obscure a size to carry in my shop, or to splurge a bit more on.

So this first poll is for ladies clothing.

What is the flat measurement (acrossed the bust) do you usually buy in vintage? Let's say a basic silhouette like a princess seamed or shirtwaist dress rather than a caftain, etc.

(you can remain totally anonymous and just answer the poll or you can join the conversation :)


Chris

PS:

To the Menfolk: If you buy vintage for close females in your life (wife, girlfriend, sister, mother, busines partnet et al) whether because of your access to it being in the biz or just because you are a generous guy you are welcome to chime in or vote too.
 
That is a hard one Chris as I'll buy any bust size over 40" that I can find, especially with early pieces. Of course I will buy all sizes as vintage is hard enough to find but if it comes down to deciding between two pieces to buy, the one that fits me the closest (about a 44" bust) always wins out.


>because they say that a "large sample of the population" was measured, and I find more and more people who find less and less that fit them.

OMIGOSH! YES!!! I thought I was going insane with wondering that! I think they have done a sizing revamp over here in the UK and for my figure, it's for the worse. They have started making the waists bigger on things so now making me fit in between sizes. Now that I've lost weight, I've got a proper hourglass figure 44/34/44 but I find all the clothes are cut too square in the body now.
The UK 18 (US 16) which fits me bust, is WAY too big in the waist and hips but the UK size 16 (UK 14) is still a little big in the waist although it fits me hips.
The manufacturers seem to have the waists mega big on everything now. The only things that still fit me ok are things I bought in 1999!!!

I used to be able to find things at Gap too but they have redone their sizing too. They use the US sizing in Gap over here so I used to get the US 14 long for jeans but now the 14 is WAY too small even though, like I said, I lost weight. They now have started to carry a US 16 (although they have stopped doing the long lengths in the large sizes because apparently, no one tall can possibly be a size 14 or 16!) over here in Gap and that fits like my old size 14 Gap jeans! ACK! Go figure...

Lei
 
I hear you Lei! I have a huge bust (and in my opinion, NOT a good thing). So everything I buy just hangs like a sack if it is to fit my bust. There seems to be no tapering of the waist anymore. Granted our waists have gotten bigger but mine certainly isn't straight down from my bust. Then I'd really shoot myself! So any clothes that I buy now are all guaranteed to look silly except for across my bust.

It sucks.:flaming:

~M
 
Oh, and for your poll. Are you asking what size vintage we buy for ourselves or just in general? If it's just in general, I can't really pick a catagory because I generally look at the item type, quality etc first and size last. Unless something is super teeny, tiny, I won't buy it and the bigger the better as far as saleability goes because it's so hard to find vintage in larger sizes.

~m
 
But the thing that manufacturers can't seem to get into their heads is that fitted clothing that have a definede waist look better on women of all sizes, especially larger women! Square is NOT good for women of any size! Square + man = good :D

Lei
 
Maureen...

what we buy for ourselves.

Lei - i have similar problems with clothes. i just don't bother much anymore because it is a nightmare going shopping. When i was younger, I thought i must be fat. Now i know better, and i just don't bother unless i find something that fits and then buy more than one if i can.

I read a study done back in...i don't know..maybe the early 90s that because the population is aging, they are making things that are cut more generously in the stomach area or were going to make clothing lines that catered to that. However, i find there are just as many people who are considered seniors who are trim. But at the same time, in the junior's department where the clothing is a bit more youthful, the waist on a size 2 is 30"!?!?!

Everything came crystal clear to me when I met a woman who had been a fit model, for size 2 or 4 (i forget which). Don't get me wrong, she was not emaciated in any way, but on the other hand, she had a dancer;s body with no curves to speak of. So clothes looked fantastic on her, but for the rest of the women who were not built like that, things don't quite work that way. ANd aside from that they had someone who was slightly over 5'3" to base petite/short clothing on. So that explains why i find inseams getting longer.

Chris
 
I hear you all loud and clear. I have a magnificent large bust and tiny waist, my husband loves my Edwardian type figure but the designers loathe it. Try getting anything for a 40 inch bust 24 inch waist and 38 inch hips. If it fits the bust it gapes everywhere else. When the house is finished I am getting a decent sewing machine and I shall make my own things without the generous sized stomach LOL. As for bra's groan, most 32 Gs are nasty things without quality or style. Either I go without or overspill from vintage and Agent Provocateur. Actually I'm going to have a crack at making lingerie when I get the machine.As for vintage I dive on anything nice with a 40 bust LOL
Louise
 
Omigosh Louise, don't even get me started on the subject of bra sizing. That is another topic which gets my feathers ruffled! :USEGUN:

Lei
 
Me? What bust?

At least you ladies don't look like Bart Simpson in a dress...

Oh & I checked the bix for the size I wear in casual clothing...

For a dressy dress, I'd have to go with a smaller one.

leisa
 
I am going to keep this on today's post for a few days.

Might not get a big enough sample to be anywhere near scientific, but i still find it interesting

Chris
 
Here is an interesting tidbit...

in another thread on "guess the year" the pics are from a sewing book dated 1972.

There are sizing charts for different categories.

In the book there was:

womens (plus sized)
Misses
Miss Petite
Half-Size
Junior
Junior Petite
Young Teen/Junior

Today we have petite, juniors, misses, and womens and that is about it. Its all profit margin for sure. But if more fit, i would buy more!

Chris
 
Plus size stuff is sized differently too. My dress size falls into both the "regular" and "plus" size categories but a UK 16 in the "regular" section fits differently than a 16 in the "plus" size section. I can rarely find something to fit me in the plus section as they cut things too short and too square.

Also too, I find that they make tall sizes skinnier. I don't know why, just because you are 5'9" doesn't mean you have the measurements of a supermodel!:rolleyes:

At least I know Victorian and Edwardian stuff fits me well- modern clothes makers just don't get a woman's body ;)

Lei
 
When I was younger (in the 80's) I don't think I went a week without hitting the mall - I loved to shop, especially for clothes!!

Now...I hate it! I am short (not quite 5'2") with 40" Bust - 34" Waist - 44" hips. Nothing seems to be made right for my body!! And sizes mean nothing! I guess, on average, I am a 12 - but I have a favorite pair of jeans that are a size 10 and fit perfectly....yet tried on a 14 the other day, and couldn't get the damn things over my hips!

I find I do much better with vintage buys - on websites or ebay - that list all the measurements, than anything I buy modern.
 
The fit of modern clothes seems designed more for men then women. I love vintage but sometimes its hard to find exactly what I want. So I'm definitely getting a sewing machine and making items with top quality fabrics designed to my taste and fitted to my body LOL
Louise
 
I decided to do that too. I might try and make my own miniskirts. i can find a zillion and one circle skirts that will fit me, but i think i will be trying to make miniskirts and shorts because i have about given up with that.

I wish i had a vintage store near me where i could just go try stuff on byt i don't.

I think part of the thing is that manufacturers consider that the average woman is a B cup bra, so darts are all positioned with that in mind. so if you are smaller or larger in your figure than that you may not get something the fits you quite right without having to do the "i wear 6 different sizes depending on the maker" thing.
 
I love the 50's era "I love Lucy" dresses. They are so flattering to my body type. I also have the classic "hour glass" which my husband loves but designers seem to hate. Unfortunatley the vintage dresses are usually too small, especially around my ribcage. I have ripped the side seam in more than a couple of my vintage finds...
 
>Unfortunatley the vintage dresses are usually too small, especially around my ribcage. I have ripped the side seam in more than a couple of my vintage finds...

Wear a corset, that is why the rib cages are so small on vintage dresses as the corset would have held 'em in :) I wear my corset everyday now due to my back and my rib cage has gone noticeably smaller.

Lei the pro corset girl :D
 
Exactly Lei!! Everyone always says that the ladies of days gone by were so much smaller than today. While some of that might be true (pre fast food days) people tend to forget that EVERY lady wore foundation garments and the clothing took that into consideration!!
 
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