i’m a size what?
last sunday, i was feeling pretty awful about a few things. in true lindsay fashion, i decided to drop a load of cash on myself (i don’t do that often). amongst the items i purchased (besides a new hair style and color) was a gray business skirt. i walked into express, grabbed a size 2 (which i have been in express clothing since i was about 15), and went to the register.
monday morning, i threw on the skirt. to my dismay, i could not keep the skirt over my hips. that’s correct, not my waist, my hips.
my “measurements” are approximately 33-24-34. this is the only thing keeping my small frame looking remotely feminine - i am relatively proportional. knowing these numbers, this can lead one to conclude that the waist of this skirt was at least 33 inches. i was able to pull the skirt off of my waist, make two fists, and fit them easily into the gap between the skirt and my waist.
i double checked the size. size 2.
i read somewhere that the size 8 of today is the size 16 of 30 years ago. clothing manufacturers are relabeling clothes with smaller sizes. i would surmise this is a move to make women feel more confident. there are numerous times that i have talked to girls who are about 15 to 20 pounds heavier than me, and have claimed to be the same size as me. i never questioned it aloud, but always wondered. but after this past weekend, i will no longer doubt their claims for a second.
sure, i understand that if a manufacturer sizes their clothing so that a larger woman thinks she is a smaller size, it may entice her to purchase that brand of clothing more often because she can get into a “6″ instead of a “10.” however, for those at the other end of the spectrum, my only remaining option is to shop at kids clothing stores which does not lend itself well to a working professional.
the only rational thought that comes into my head is that women need to get over this horrible self image hurdle. yes, i understand that i am much smaller than most females, but have you looked at my training page? i work relatively hard to be as petite as i am. i hurt, i sweat, and i spend (on average) 2 hours a day working out. granted, i have nothing else to do, but it is somewhat of a priority for me.
if you are unhappy with your clothing size, get your ass to the gym. i promise that if you are working out, working hard, and eating right, no matter what your body type and body size is naturally, you will become content with what you have achieved, and the little number on the tag in your jeans will not make a difference to you anymore. don’t let your lack of motivation affect my ability to purchase adult-sized clothing.
Seriously, why aren’t womens’ clothes sized by actual measurements? I should say though, that for an engineer you were too easily fooled by measurements without units. In all my classes, you did not receive credit without units.