Vanity sizing

jas72 said:
I must say though I don't know where to put my nads when wearing 501s it's like there's no nad space at all.

:(
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:eek: I'd forgotten about that completely, blocked it out my mind is closer to the truth. Not pleasant in the least last time I tried on a pair of 501s, I can't imagine how anyone fits into them.
 
JodieG said:
People always comment on the fact that Marilyn Monroe was a size 12/14 but because sizes have been increased slowly she'd actually be more like a size 6. I see the linked site has said 12/14 for Marilyn but she looks much smaller and also does in images I've seen of her.
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Actually she wouldn't be anywhere near a 6, I can tell that even from looking at her. My sister is a 8 and looks way smaller than her in every proportion. If you go by her official measurements she would be a current size 10-12. Though of course that will vary widely as each shop seems to do their own thing.

For me sizing is nothing but a very very rough guide. Normally I go into a shop and take the two nearest sizes into a changing room and try them on. Which ever size fits is the one that gets bought. The size of your body is the size of your body, who cares what is on the label. In all honesty I would rather we bin the 8/10/12/14 rubbish and put actual measurements on it instead.
 
Muban said:
Actually she wouldn't be anywhere near a 6, I can tell that even from looking at her. My sister is a 8 and looks way smaller than her in every proportion. If you go by her official measurements she would be a current size 10-12. Though of course that will vary widely as each shop seems to do their own thing.

For me sizing is nothing but a very very rough guide. Normally I go into a shop and take the two nearest sizes into a changing room and try them on. Which ever size fits is the one that gets bought. The size of your body is the size of your body, who cares what is on the label. In all honesty I would rather we bin the 8/10/12/14 rubbish and put actual measurements on it instead.
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From the photos I've been looking at tonight her waist size definitely puts her at about size 6 for today. She has hips but most clothes allow for that too. No way is she a 10/12 today.

Thing is not everyone want to go and try things on (me!) and even the measurements put on aren't accurate either. Plus you can't have waist, hip, leg etc measurements as the variables would be huge and most shops couldn't stock them all.
 
The waist size is only one measurement. You can't size someone on that alone. Most people are sized on chest/hip measurements.

Womens sizes are roughly:

6 30.5-23-32.5
8 31.5-24-33.5
10 32.5-25-34.5
12 34-26.5-36

As her measurements were 37-23-36 as her bust and hip are much bigger than a 6 I really don't see how you can think she is that size. I suppose it's down to your interpretation. I have the same issue myself to an extent where if I get a dress to fit my hips it's usually at least one size too large round my waist and one size to small round my chest.

EDIT: Luckily I can now shop at Bravissimo which takes this into account and I can finally get fitted shirts that I can get my chest into.
 
Inch sizes > Nominal sizes.

32" = 32" = 32" when i'm buying jeans. The fits can vary etc. but the waist is always pretty much the same size.

I hate buying tops that are labelled S/M/L/XL/XXL/XXXL because I have to try everything. Some shops a small fits well, other shops a medium is too small. It's silly.
 
Kate Dillon always has and always will be the sexiest person on the planet. That is all.

Thought I'd throw that in there to +1.
 
Muban said:
The waist size is only one measurement. You can't size someone on that alone. Most people are sized on chest/hip measurements.

Womens sizes are roughly:

6 30.5-23-32.5
8 31.5-24-33.5
10 32.5-25-34.5
12 34-26.5-36

As her measurements were 37-23-36 as her bust and hip are much bigger than a 6 I really don't see how you can think she is that size. I suppose it's down to your interpretation. I have the same issue myself to an extent where if I get a dress to fit my hips it's usually at least one size too large round my waist and one size to small round my chest.

EDIT: Luckily I can now shop at Bravissimo which takes this into account and I can finally get fitted shirts that I can get my chest into.
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See I wear an 8 and my waist size isn't that small and I have a large bust, my hips are smaller than a 6 though my those measurements. That's the point though, the sizes they say really aren't what they actually are. Also I can't believe her back size was a 36 as she looks tiny, her hips were large but her waist and back size look small, large bust but small back.

I have the same problem with tops or tight dresses in that if they fit my hips and waist then they don't go anywhere near my bust so I have to buy stretchy clothes so they fit my bust but don't make me look like a bin bag.
 
Yes she 'looks' but it doesn't mean she was. It is all down to your interpretation i very doubt that she was a size 6, 10-12 is more realistic for someone known for her curves and fuller figure.

If i buy trousers to fit my hips there is NO WAY in a squillion years they will ever fit me in the waist due to having 10" difference clothes just aren't made to fit that kind of thing. Buying dresses i have to buy ones which fit loosely around my hips or they are just way too big everywhere else. GAP have started doing womens measurements in inches like mens sizes, you would be amazed how many women have no idea what size they really are other than their dress size. And i have measured women and men in order for them to believe what i am telling them. (We keep a tape just in case ;))
 
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Blackstar said:
Yes she 'looks' but it doesn't mean she was. It is all down to your interpretation i very doubt that she was a size 6, 10-12 is more realistic for someone known for her curves and fuller figure.

If i buy trousers to fit my hips there is NO WAY in a squillion years they will ever fit me in the waist due to having 10" difference clothes just aren't made to fit that kind of thing. Buying dresses i have to buy ones which fit loosely around my hips or they are just way too big everywhere else. GAP have started doing womens measurements in inches like mens sizes, you would be amazed how many women have no idea what size they really are other than their dress size.
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Yes but the sizes in her days were smaller than they are now, hence the difference. You can see from some photos that she was tiny even with hips. I cannot believe she was a 12 by today's sizes or even a 10 really as her waist was tiny and the clothes would have been hanging off of her. It's a misconception that has been perpetuated, she did have a good figure but that's still entirely possible if she was a 6/8 by today's standards. Maybe they are on about waist size as that's quite important with clothing. She certainly didn't look large, had boobs and hips but small still.

I suppose they've never needed to know before though. Do many women measure themselves if they're not dieting or buying clothes by inches?
 
So we just ignore her official mesaurements (inches haven't changed in the last 60 years) then and go on what instead? The article also states that some people think she would be fat by todays standards and plus size. Which is something I always thought was silly as clearly she wasn't.
 
Muban said:
So we just ignore her official mesaurements (inches haven't changed in the last 60 years) then and go on what instead? The article also states that some people think she would be fat by todays standards and plus size. Which is something I always thought was silly as clearly she wasn't.
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By the dress that the woman in the picture tried on? It clearly doesn't fit her and she is a size 12. Quoted measurements for her can be made up the actual dress she wore isn't.

"The myth that Marilyn would be considered near plus-size today has become a battle cry in the culture wars over female body image," Seigel says. "The truism that the world's sexiest woman would be fat by today's glamour standards has been repeated unattributed in hundreds of articles and books.

"Nice try, but image activists will have to come up with other arguments," Seigel says. "Marilyn Monroe was not even close to a size 12."
 
I can see that you aren't willing to be open minded about this so i can't see how arguing against you will so any good.

No very few women measure themselves unless dieting. Which i believe has added to the vanity sizing fad. They see a grouped number size 12 for example not their specific size so it has been easy for manufacturers to slowly increase the measurements of their clothing and still call it size X.
 
Yes and the article is American. An American size 12 is a British 14. I don't think she is a 14 either.
 
Blackstar said:
I can see that you aren't willing to be open minded about this so i can't see how arguing against you will so any good.

No very few women measure themselves unless dieting. Which i believe has added to the vanity sizing fad. They see a grouped number size 12 for example not their specific size so it has been easy for manufacturers to slowly increase the measurements of their clothing and still call it size X.
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Not true at all, I am open minded but I have eyes!

Muban said:
Yes and the article is American. An American size 12 is a British 14. I don't think she is a 14 either.
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Far as I can see it's at least 2 or 3 dress sizes smaller, huge difference in the inches on that dress.

Anyway agree to disagree, she looks smaller to me but as you say size is subjective to everyone and so maybe we're both wrong.
 
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