It Never Gets Easier

[ladysprite]

It's that time of year again - the most dreaded and horrible season; time for clothes shopping.

About once a year or so, sometimes less often if I'm lucky, I realize that the vast majority of my everyday clothing either no longer fits or has been traumatized by my lifestyle to the point that they're no longer in decent shape. Admittedly, this is at least partially my fault - I usually give up while shopping and buy clothes that only marginally match my shape in the first place. But either way, at this point my work pants are loose enough that patients can climb inside them with me, and I'm down to one pair of jeans that even vaguely fit, and *something* needs to be done about this.

I spent a couple of hours last night trying to remedy the situation, and I have come to the realization that most pieces of clothing in most stores fit almost no one. Short, slender, curvy people? Nope. Tall skinny people? Nope. Medium-height, medium-sized people? Nope. As far as I know, almost none of the women I know have much luck walking into a store and finding pants that fit. This is not quite as reassuring as it maybe should be; mostly it makes me frustrated.

I know that there are things out there that'll fit me - I have at least one pair of pants to prove this. What I need right now is the stick-to-it-iveness to keep on searching until I find more, instead of quitting halfway through and buying stuff that just kind of hangs on my body but at least meets the criteria of 'not naked at work, not torn/stained.' And when I find this Trouser Mecca, I shall share it with my sisterhood, and we shall all rejoice together.

And as a note, whoever decided that Lee should only stock their size 2 jeans in their 'Hi Rise Slenderizing, Control Top Tummy Tuck' cut has clearly climbed the Crazy Tree and fallen out of it onto their head a few too many times.

Comments

[kightp.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. As far as I can tell, the only "person" ready to wear the average ready-to-wear is the department store mannequin. And I've never met a human being shaped like a mannequin.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

And I've never met a human being shaped like a mannequin.

I have. They were a really good listener, and never interrupted me when I was speaking. But she blew me off - didn't utter a word - when I asked for her phone number. And, honestly, did I really want to talk to someone again when they had, like, *no* facial expression?

I was pretty impressed at her ability to hold the exact same position for so long, as well... and amazing control over her autonomic system... she wasn't sweating or trembling from the strain, either. Hell, I'm not even sure if she ever blinked!

Hm. That might explain it.

She was obviously involved in some esoteric meditation and training practices, so she *couldn't* respond to me when I asked questions.

[kightp.livejournal.com]

You're weird, sir. (-:

[gmkieran.livejournal.com]

I have. They scared me. :(

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

I realize that I'm a boy and therefore have at best a tenuous grasp on the nature of women's clothing, but....if you're wearing a size 2, is "slenderizing" really something that's of momentous concern? I think even Barbie is going "Dude, that's messed up."

Good grief.

[denimskater.livejournal.com]

I am led to believe that, in women's clothing, "size 2" has very little actual meaning. The tags should actually read something like "hey, this might fit you, it's bigger than a breadbox and smaller than a tree. Good luck!"

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

For pretty much any value of 2

[gmkieran.livejournal.com]

bearing in mind that someone thought it was a good idea to include "size 0" in women's clothing. What the heck is size 0?!!! 0 should indicate non-existent. Anyway...

Oh, and I believe Barbie would wear a different size depending on which tenth of her body you were trying to clothe. Size 8 blouse, size -1 waist, size 3.5 hips, etc...

[denimskater.livejournal.com]

When I find jeans that fit, I buy 6 pairs. Because yeah, it happens maybe every 4 or 5 years.

They stopped making the Levi's size that fits me two years ago.

[redfishie.livejournal.com]

there are precisely 2 companies that make pants that fit me. It took a long time to find them, and I dread the day that they change their cuts.

You could also try getting custom made pants online - I think lands end does this for minimal additional money based upon your measurements.

[redfishie.livejournal.com]

mind you lands end is pricey for pants anyways.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

Less expensive than going naked, though. Warmer, too.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

queenortart awears by Talbots. Try their Petite range, which used to be specialist stores only. Not sure if that is the case now.

I'm a big fan of Lands End - and their hemming service is great.

[arachne8x.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain. Buying pants has been known to bring me to tears. Trying on pants is what always points out to me that the fashion industry doesn't think women should have my shape. Good luck with your search, mine usually involves margaritas and cheerleaders to keep me from getting way too upset.

[rosinavs.livejournal.com]

This definitely won't help you, but the last time I went jeans shopping, I found one pair that fit me perfectly - in wide leg. It just has the perfect waist-to-hip ratio for me. However, I really don't need more than one pair of wide leg jeans.

The same store, Lane Bryant, had just started a "Right Fit Jeans" line, which has three different waist-to-hip cuts. I'm halfway between two of them, but did find some that fit well enough to buy. The waists on them are a little big, though, so they sometimes get a bit loose after moving around in them a while. These are, however, the first pair of jeans I've owned since time immemorial where they fit my hips and the waist isn't killing me.

[quietann.livejournal.com]

You want the petites department, seriously.

I'm a bit heavier than you are -- size 8 or 10 petite -- and curvy. Macy's has done well by me, and their store brands or "everyday values" are reasonably priced. (I am currently wearing the stretch jeans, size 8P; they are nice enough to wear to work and they cost $25.) Eddie Bauer is also good, if their size 2 fits you. They have a "curvy fit" that works very well for me; it's smaller in the waist and a bit roomier in the hips.

I also know someone about your size and shape, though maybe a bit skinnier, who bought her jeans in the boys/young mens department and had them altered.

[tpau]

if you have that one pair that fits, find the brand and stile and size and buy online more of it. in different colors or whatever...

once you find one pair that fits, jsut get more of it

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

I'm already shopping in the Petites department, and that helps with the leg length, but the stores I've tried almost never carry my size - most of the time I can't find anything under an 8, and yesterday even the 2's were too big.

I've tried boy's jeans, but they don't fit my hips - while I'm little, I've got a pretty pronounced waist-to-hip flare.

What I need is to just find a store that stocks a wider range of sizes, or bite the bullet and just order them online....

[glinda-w.livejournal.com]

Yeah. In the decades I was seriously underweight (5'9", 110-115 lbs), almost nothing fit. (I did have good luck with Villager clothes in the late 60s - except for the pants, which were never long enough. Oh, and the prices, which I couldn't afford except on sale, or found second-hand. That's mostly the "why I learned to sew" when I was a teenager.

During the oh, 15 years or so when I was happy with my size (same height, about 135 to 145 lbs., size 10 then, almost certainly a smaller number now) - nothing fit. See above, sewing, and some things could be fairly easily altered.

Now, the last decade or so, with the medication-caused weight gain (same height, add 50 pounds) - still, NOTHING FITS. And with the fibro & chronic daily migraine, I don't really have the "spoons" to do any sewing.

No matter what size a woman is, I swear to ghod, there are no clothes out there that will actually fit comfortably.

I hate shopping for clothing. Hate, hate, hate.

[qarylla.livejournal.com]

Goodness yes.

I forgot my work clothes at home yesterday and after my time at the gym I did a speed shopping run. While I found things that looked good on me, it is because no one but me could tell how loose the pants were in the waist band. I consider myself a rectangle of a woman, but these pants were at least a size too large at least in that one area. I just count myself lucky that I didn't have to call in naked and grubby.

[ianargent.livejournal.com]

And I drive my wife crazy by walking into the mens dept at sears, picking 5 things off the rack, walking to the counter, paying for it, and going home. When they come out of the washing machine, they fit. Once every 5 years or so I try one thing on (to measure what too much crap food and not enough good exercise has done to my waist and hips).

I can do this because mens clothing (pants in particular) is measured in inches in 2 or more places. Generally speaking there's a choice of fits on top of that, so I can buy "semi-custom" clothes off the rack.

Why this doesn't happen in women's clothing is a mystery to me. (Admittedly y'all would need a few more measurements - vive la difference).

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

Why this doesn't happen in women's clothing is a mystery to me. (Admittedly y'all would need a few more measurements...)

My current theory is that those "few more measurements" are the reason.

As far as I remember, I've never purchased a mass-produced piece of clothing with more than two measurements, and I suspect that there's only one piece of clothing that is mass produced, has more than two measurements to define it, and is commonly available in the United States - the bra.

I'm probably wrong about everything in that last sentence.

[ianargent.livejournal.com]

Men's longsleeve shirts - chest, neck, and sleeve length.