Ann Taylor cuts size 16

[FarCenter]

The economic crisis taking the retail world by storm has claimed another victim: plus sizes. Women’s clothier Ann Taylor Stores Corp. recently stopped ordering size 16 for its namesake and Loft divisions. Beginning this spring, the size will only be available online.

An Ann Taylor spokeswoman blamed low demand for the size in both brands, but some industry experts speculate that the elimination is really a cost-cutting measure.

“It’s more expensive to produce,” said one retail expert, explaining that larger sizes need separate patterns cut and fitted, which can be quite costly. In addition, production requires more fabric.
<snip>
In fact, nearly 70% of women are size 12 and up, according to retail sources.
<snip>
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20090508/FREE/905089980

[dipsydoodle]

1. I noticed this earlier today in the UK

M&S admits bra price boob.

Marks & Spencer said today it would stop charging more for larger bras after more than 14,000 consumers joined a Facebook group calling for an end to its differential pricing.

Unlike most retailers, M&S charged £2 more for bras with a cup size above DD – a cost described by the Facebook group Busts 4 Justice as a "tit-tax".

The company defended its position saying the charge reflected the extra cost of producing a bra for larger bust sizes, and that other specialist lingerie retailers charged £60 or more for larger cups.

However, it has now backed down and today took out full-page adverts in the press to tell consumers that from tomorrow, all bras will cost the same. Under the headline "We boobed" the adverts say: "We were wrong, so as of Saturday 9th May the storm in a D cup is over."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/may/08/marks-and-spencer-bras-facebook

"tit-tax" :rofl:

[BR_Parkway]

214. So if we raised enough hell, double cheeseburgers would cost the

same as single ones? I've never understood why clothing isn't priced more based on size - we sell so many other things based on the quantity of it (of course, now I don't understand clothing pricing in the least bit)

[NNN0LHI]

2. Next thing you know builders will start leaving out the 13th floor on new skyscrapers

[elleng]

61. They ALREADY do!

Ever see Floor 13 on elevators????

[bunnies]

3. 70% of women are size 12 and up?!?!

:wow: Thats shameful. Seriously.

[Hepburn]

5. I am 5'10" tall...

...just what size do you think I should wear? A fucking 6?

:eyes:

[bunnies]

9. Size 6 is made for tall women...

I know because Im under 5'2" and every stitch of clothing that fits me is foot too long!!!

[Hepburn]

11. A size 6 blouse is a halter top on me.

I am not tall, I am VERY tall....and there is NO way to get sleeves long enough. Size 16 is not really longer than a size 6 ~~ it is just wider.

[bunnies]

14. Yeah. I hear ya. Tops are different. I wasnt even thinking about that...

Why the hell cant those who make womens clothing get it right?! You're tall, I'm short and clothes dont fit either one of us. WTF is up with that?! I miss wrap-arounds. :)

[Hepburn]

31. Look around a department store sometime, OK?

There are:

Petites, womens, plus sizes....and NEVER a tall department.

Want to talk about the forgotten woman? Here we are ~~ anyone not medium or short! We simply do NOT exist. And do not get me started on women's shoes over size 10. OMG....!!!

:mad:

[bunnies]

62. Last time I bought new clothes was 2001.

I either make them myself or get them from the good will. I'd be happy to sew you some! :hi:

[Hepburn]

76. You know....

...I used to make all my clothes, too. Many years ago. That way they were tailored exaclty to fit!

Now? I am retired and I am a t-shirt and drawsting pants type person most of the time.

Thanks for the offer, tho...there is nothing nicer than custom made clothing!

:hi:

[bunnies]

116. Theres no clothing I love more than drawstrings and wrap-arounds...

I might be on the lighter end but that doesnt mean I havent struggled. 140 lbs is fine for most women... but when youre just over 5'1" its a different story. Maybe thats why health should never be discussed in terms of lbs or sizes. Whats healthy for me is incredibly unhealthy for you. :pals:

[Hepburn]

118. I am into stuff like that, too...

...much easier to customize for your specific measurements and you can keep it tight or loose depending on the comfort level you need or want at any given moment.

I used to make wrap around skirts for myself...so comfortable.

[uppityperson]

191. The more expensive the brand, the larger each size measures.

For instance, inexpensive brand of size 12 is the same physical size as an expensive brand's size 6. So, size 16 might be equal to size 10 of another brand.

Unlike men's clothing, which is (mostly) by true measurement, women's clothing of the same number size can range all over the board.

[surrealAmerican]

213. Good point.

That and the way manufacturers will change their sizing every so often leave a lot of women not knowing what size to wear. My measurements have been the same for the last 30 years. Back then I was a size 8, and you couldn't buy anything smaller than a 6 in most stores. Now I usually wear a 2, but most stores do carry 0's.
We should really go to a sizing system of actual measurements.

[shanti]

hey

i really feel for ya on the shoes...it must be very tough to find cute shoes over size 10!

[Hepburn]

79. Not so bad now...

...but years ago when I was in high school and college ~~ in the 60s ~~ the ONLY shoes that went over 10 usually were Hush Puppies.

Thank gawd I saw the light, became a hippie and found Birkenstocks! :hi:

[shanti]

99. aren't they great?

i love my birks too! really helps with the plantar fascitis. :hi:

[Hepburn]

114. I have deformed feet now....

...and the Birks are a gawd send. Just got some new ones not long ago. :hi:

[Danmel]

206. Tough to find in a 51/2 too

unless by cute you mean little girls shoes!

[shanti]

223. well

i see a LOT more cute smaller size shoes than larger ones. nordstrom rack is one of the better places to find hard to fit shoes.

[tabbycat31]

236. try finding cute shoes in wide widths

[KamaAina]

84. Bush toady Karen Hughes had to get her size 12 shoes at a shop catering to MtoF trans!!

Seriesly. There is such a place in Austin.

[Hepburn]

89. There is one in WeHo...

...and I love the place.

The reason: The shoes are made on a MAN's shoe last...not a woman's last and just stretched in the middle. That means the ones done on a man's last are correctly proportioned for my longer toes. I wear the same size shoe and am the same height as the average American man.

And...want to talk high style clothing? WeHo cross-dressers rock and I love them!

For very dressy, formal and special clothing ~~ there is no greater place for a tall woman to shop than places like this! I love the guys that are in there. Too funny and so great to me. One day they were having a debate if I was born female or not and finally two of them got up the nerve to ask! They still love me and I think it is cuz I really love them! I have not been there for years. Maybe I will take a ride to WeHo in the near future.

:hi:

[KamaAina]

92. Mmmmmmm... tall girls....

(I'm 6'3" and a half)... :loveya:

[Hepburn]

104. You and my son are the same height....

...:hi:

I have been tall all my life ~~ 5'8.5" in the 6th grade. My late husband was 6' in the 6th grade and he also was the same height as you as an adult.

Ever belong to a tall club? I was the shortest girl in my club! There were girls there OVER 6'5" tall.

[KamaAina]

108. Well, as a male, I'm not really all THAT tall

I kind of like the idea of whispering sweet nothings into, well, something, that's all. :-)

[Hepburn]

111. Female version:

I like tall guys cuz I got tired of dancing cheek to chest! The short guys always seemed to ask me to dance. Guess being a DD had something to do with that, too! :evilgrin:

IMO, a guy your height is the perfect height for a gal my size! At least that was true for me and my late hubbie. I could wear high heels and he was still taller!

[KamaAina]

113. You're a Doctor of Divinity?

Guess being a DD had something to do with that, too!

I do enjoy someone spiritual... :P

[Hepburn]

119. Yep....that's it...

..DD is my doctorate!

:rofl:

[Shell Beau]

115. My mom and grandma have the opposite happen with shoes.

My grandma wears a 3 and my mom wears a 5. They can never find shoes either. EVER! Special order. Thanks for the internet.

[Withywindle]

187. I have a co-worker with that problem.

She's 26 and she shops for shoes in the children's section. And she's really, really not the pink Hello Kitty Mary-Janes type!

[CoffeeCat]

203. I have a friend who wears a size 5 shoe...

...and she buys most of her kickin around shoes in the kids section at Target. She's got sparkly, silver
tennis shoes, Hello Kitty and all kinds of funky stuff.

She's 45, but she looks 25. I hate her. :)

[SpookyCat]

181. I'm really late to this discussion, and this is quite OT...

but as a 6'0" tall woman, I have discovered Eddie Bauer for my basics. They have Tall that means TALL! Some are too long even for me! :hi:


Oh, and as far as a size 6 for a woman my height? Yes once I was a size 6, even a 4...when I was severely anorexic. Most women as tall as you and I, should not be a size 6.

[Kat45]

183. Petites don't always help those of us who are really short.

Petite clothing is for women 5'4" and under, and it seems that most of it is sized for 5'4". I'm 5'1", and most petite pants are too long for me; I have three pairs of pants I need to get shortened, and I'm hoping it's not too expensive. Sleeves are almost always too long, which is quite a pain in the neck. The skirts I wear are longer than intended because that's where they hit on my body. If I want to get a long skirt it can be difficult because they tend to sweep the floor when I wear them. I understand that tall women have trouble finding clothes that fit, but I just want you to know that petites are no panacea for us short women.

[Maine-ah]

184. I'm 4'11"

I have a 28" inseam I run a size 4-6. My friggin feet are a 7....nothing is ever short enough, and my shoes are always out of stock.

[DemReadingDU]

196. same here, 4'11"

but my feet are only size 5 or 5 1/2. It is difficult to find shoes, but before I had my kids, my feet were a tiny size 4 or 4 1/2!

Always have to hem up my slacks, but jeans I just roll up.

[Medusa]

197. I'm a petite too.

Who do they make these pants/skirts for? I'm 5'3 and they are still too long for me. :shrug:

[Manifestor_of_Light]

192. Hint:

Learn to sew.
Or, at least, learn to hem your pants. It's not difficult at all, and you can use lace seam binding or bias tape to make it look nice.

I'm short too. I'm five foot three and have a 30" inseam.

I wear men's slacks in a 36-30 and they fit much better than women's pants. I have no fat on my hips or rear -- it's all in my tummy.

I have to hem up the men's slacks and they are a bit too deep in the rise, since I don't have that manly equipment in the front, but I can pull them up a bit and wear a belt so they don't fall down.

:D

[Inuca]

209. I hear you :-)

Same situation. I periodically have to clean my closet to get rid of the slacks (what I wear 99% of the time) that I thought were OK but are actually too short. A recently bought pair of jeans marked TALL will probably go to some form of charity after the next wash.

[shanti]

70. here ya go:

www.sunheartclothing.com

well made, environmentally correct, AND look good on all sizes! what more could you ask for? :shrug:
i love these clothes!

[Hepburn]

83. LMBO....

...I am medium pants...and a 2X top!

:rofl:

[Inuca]

211. I came across this

a few days while looking for clothes on ebay :-).

[bettyellen]

25. 16 is also going to be a good 1 1/2" -2" longer usually for a blouse.

[Hepburn]

34. And I am approximately 5" taller than the average female.

An extra inch to two inches of fabric is NOT gonna help.

[bettyellen]

47. Uhm, 4".. and thats from the shoulder to waist, so yeah it helps - but it depends on where

your length is and most importantly- how the designers like to cut things.
It's really a matter of what proprtions are popular, and a lot of tops now are on the cropped side. You should be buying talls to get another 1 1/2' to boot.
but i was just clearing up the whole they are all the same length business- not true for tops or dresses. only for pants and (sometimes) skirts. sorry, it's my vocation.
:hi:

[Hepburn]

55. Talls are waaaaaaaaaay too big for me....

...a size 12 or 14 blouse is like a size 3X. They are HUGE! And most tall stores start at size 14.

I am just and in between person in regard to tall stores ~~ tall, but not giganticly tall. And...the pants are unbelievably big.

I end up wearing a lot of guy type jogging pants ~~ long and with a drawstring waist. Works for me. And jeans...I can usually find at a reasonable price, but get a tall and have the legs shortened about 1".

:hi:

[polichick]

12. LOL - I wear a size 6 too and they're never long enough! (I'm 5'7")

[Hepburn]

15. Tell me...

...NOTHING gets longer....it just gets WIDER!

Tall stores? OMG.....I swim in that stuff!

Personally, I like a lot of men's shirts cuz you can get them in slims for the body and with LONG, LONG sleeves!

:hi:

[polichick]

19. I like men's shirts too, especially for covering up in the sun!

[Warpy]

100. Yeah, the sleeves were always my complaint

and why I taught myself how to sew years ago. It's the only way I could get a blouse with sleeves the right length, just cut the pattern apart and stick in an extra inch and a half of paper.

Now that I'm retired, I wear cotton knit shirts most of the time and just push the sleeves up to 3/4 length and nobody's the wiser.

Plus, I never have to iron them.

Had my feet grown over a cheap 8 1/2 or expensive 7 1/2, I had my shoe store in Boston all picked out. I think they had fashionable shoes all the way to 16 on the shelf.

BIG drag queen clientele, of course.

[bunnies]

17. See, I automatically think about pants due to being so short!

:hi: The tops thing... I totally get it. I just forgot that there are actually tall people on the earth. :blush:

[polichick]

28. It's crazy - regulars are too short, longs too long...

I always think the petites are lucky to have their own special sizes ~ but maybe shopping is a pain for all of us!

[bunnies]

38. oooh. Dont get me started on the petites!!!

:nuke:

The petites might be right in the length department - but every time I try on a "petite" pant, I look like Ronald McDonald. Six extra inches of fabric in the thighs and a sagging ass that hangs half way to my knees yet a waist so small that buttoning it requires a deep breath and a coat hanger. Petite sizes. ahhhhh! :banghead:

[bicentennial_baby]

Exactly!

My height may be petite, but my curves are not! :rofl:

[polichick]

85. LOL - and here I always think they look so cute! :)

[friedgreentomatoes]

153. what do you do with the coat hanger?

I mean, how does a coat hanger help in buttoning something a bit too tight around the waist?

[bunnies]

165. With a wire coat hanger....

You stick the part that goes over the closet rung through the little hole at the end of the jeans zipper tag. You then lay flat on the bed... and zip up your jeans using the coat hanger (they're too tight to zip with your fingers). We did this in the 80's. We always knew it was ridiculous.

[friedgreentomatoes]

178. Got it.

However, I would never wear something I would need a coat hanger to do up with. I would be too scared that the button and/or zipper will give away or tear in public. Moreover, how would you go to the restroom?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

193. Read my post #192 above.

I buy men's slacks b/c i have narrow hips and a thick waist. My shoulders & ribs are the biggest part of me.

In fact I started wearing my BF's slacks he outgrew. He's five foot eight, but we have the same inseam length. I would not have known that they would fit unless I tried them.

The cool thing about having legs the same length is that we can walk around with our arms around each other and walk in perfect synchrony!!

Now, as a woman of five foot three, I NEVER thought I'd find a boyfriend short enough for me to do that with!! :D :bounce:

[Hepburn]

42. I hear ya....

...My legs are kinda long ~~ but most of my extra height come from a VERY long torso. Avg pants = too short and long pants = too long!

Would be nice if we gals could shop for pants like guys do! :hi:

[bettyellen]

49. look for cropped pants in tall sizes, lol!

[Hepburn]

58. Cropped pants, bolero jackets....

...there are some things that us tall gals NEVER wear. Looks like we have out grown our clothing. Cute on a petite...not so cute on a tall.

:hi:

[polichick]

87. I tried cropped pants one summer, but they reminded me too much of...

...the "pedal pushers" I wore as a little kid ~ I even had pedal pushers with bells!!

[Hepburn]

90. OMG....

...peddle pushers! I had those when I was a kid in the 1950s...and, yeah, some had those dang jingle bell things!

:rofl:

[polichick]

96. They still had them in the 60s - I think my mom bought the ones with bells so...

...she always knew where I was. lol

[Hepburn]

I think my grandmother bought mine...

...but knowing her ~~ she probably thought they were cute! :hi:

[Retrograde]

185. The great thing about cropped pants for short people like me

is that they're just the right length for regular pants on me. I think the style itself is ridiculous-looking on most people, though.

[bettyellen]

217. well yeah- my point was that lengths are sort of all over the place these days...

so you realy need to be creative and look at where they hit on you before you assume you need a long or petite or whatever.

[bicentennial_baby]

32. I'm 5'1 and wear size 6 Old Navy Jeans

6 short.

[bunnies]

46. I have great luck with Old Navy...

They seem to have the right hip/ass/waist/thigh ratio for us shorties. Thats the only brand I'll buy without trying on. I bought a brand new pair from the goodwill a couple of weeks ago. $5.00!!! :woohoo:

[bicentennial_baby]

63. Exactly...My fave right now is The Flirt, Size 6, Short

Wore out my old pair, and got a new pair last weekend. I love them! :bounce:

And go you! :fistbump:

[AlCzervik]

67. Size 8---long!

[bunnies]

72. Im still hooked on the boot cut ultra low waist...

Havent gotten to check out any of the new styles in years. Your inspiring me though... I might have to make a field trip tomorrow! :bounce: :toast:

[polichick]

71. Hmm, do they have longs? Maybe I'll try 'em.

[AlCzervik]

74. they do, most of their pants come in long, that's usually what i buy.

[polichick]

77. Thanks, I'll check it out!

[Withywindle]

188. Old Navy's vanity sizing bugs me, though.

I've gone through most of my life being a content size 6 to 8 or thereabouts....

so the first time I bought an Old Navy anything that was size 8 off the rack it almost fell right off me. I'm a size 4 now? News to me! I must be having the opposite of the middle-age spread!

Once I got used to that, yeah, I do like their pants.

[DemReadingDU]

199. I prefer Lee brand, size 6 short

but at the Goodwill, I found Lee size 6 medium, for only $3.99. I roll them up and wear around the house.

[me b zola]

225. BS

When I was fit, thin, and a total hottie I wore a size 10. I am a 5'8" large boned muscular woman. My body was to die for, you couldn't find much, if any fat. At one point in my life I was anorexic and looked horrible & sickly(like I needed to be hospitalized--I wore a size 8.


Amazon women unite!

[JerseygirlCT]

21. Exactly

I think the tiny people wearing zeroes may not realize that as people get taller, it's quite natural for them to wear larger sizes.

While a 12 might sound shockingly (!) large to a person 5' tall, it's pretty normal for a person six inches taller, and for you? It's damned terrific, I'd say!

[Hepburn]

24. Trivia:

Marilyn Monroe was a size 14.

:hi:

[bettyellen]

35. which is what we call an 8 these days.. unlike menswear, women's numerica sizing has changed a great

deal in the past 40 years. M

[polichick]

107. Is that right? She looks about like today's 8 to me.

[bettyellen]

220. yeah the whole range has shifted over the years, i had wranglers fron the 60's size 12

they fit like a tight 6. of course bands size differently, it changes year to year!

[DemReadingDU]

201. no kidding. sizes are bigger today

I found this romper suit (not sure what to call it - one piece with shorts and top attached, zipper front) from my mom, from the 1950's.

It plainly says size 12. It fits me great, but I am only a size 6. I look at old pictures of my mom from the 1950's, and clearly she was no size 12 back then. She looked like what a size 6 is today.

[Arkansas Granny]

200. In high school during the 60's I was a size 12. Now, at the same height

and weight I am a size 4-6.

[shanti]

80. i know!

wish i could still wear a 12!

[Muttocracy]

93. here's a story on just that - average size 12/14 - Boston Globe 2004

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/fashion/articles/2004/12/05/multiple_choice/

Multiple Choice

Hip fashion designers may not be interested in dressing the average American woman, but this South End boutique is.

By Tina Sutton | December 5, 2004

You'd think being an average size would be a good thing, but not if you're a woman looking for hip boutique fashions. It's as if cutting-edge designers never leave their studios. If they did, they might notice that the average American woman is a size 12/14. Younger women especially are taller and bigger-boned these days. To them it seems a bit perverse that collections with the most forward fashions have their sizing backward, catering almost exclusively to the twiggy types.

...

Ask the hottest designers why they cater to the thin set, and the answer is often insulting: Women sized 12 to 16 won't invest in higher-priced clothing until they lose weight, many of them say. According to Women's Wear Daily, many designers also feel that offering larger-sized clothing might "sully" their hip brand image.

...

That busts another myth about women size 12 to 16. They don't want to hide their bodies. "We're not providing the usual tents," jokes Hauck, referring to the shapeless dresses typically offered in larger sizes.

[Number23]

170. Exactly. A size 12 ain't nothing

People freaking out over American women being a size 12 up should get out a bit more.

This girl was the first "plus size" winner of America's Next Top Model. She is a size 12.

She looks healthy and beautiful. A person 5 feet tall that's a size 12 may be a bit chunky, but for a tall person a size 12 isn't a big deal.

[Lorien]

180. Yep. I'm a size 10 at 5' 8" and I have a similar build

funny thing is that I've always gotten a good bit of male attention, but a lot of criticism for my weight from other women. I work out, eat a healthy, mostly vegetarian diet and have low cholesterol, good blood pressure etc. I did the anorexia thing in high School and never got below a size 7 even though I only weighed 97 pounds. Never again!

[JerseygirlCT]

216. Yeah, I think she looks pretty terrific, too. nt

[toadzilla]

82. I'm 5'10 aswell, I wear a 6...

nothing wrong with that.... I think I'm pretty healthy.

[pipi_k]

229. I'm about 5'9" myself and...

even at my lowest weight (and looking pretty anorexic) I was still a size 12/13 because I have a "sturdy" bone structure.

[VenusRising]

20. No, it's not shameful!

:eyes:

[Mari333]

26. puhlease

not all of us binge and purge.

[Hepburn]

36. Excellent reply!

:applause:

And...I know a size 6 gal my height. Guess who does exactly that? Not me...in my size 10 or 12 jeans, but the size 6 who is my height. Lovely teeth etched with stomach acid go with that size 6.

Sad...very sad.

[Mari333]

59. I am a size 12

and I am exactly the size I should be at 5 feet 9 inches. I have HUGE feet too. but I only buy old clothes I find in thrift shops. old shirts and pants, often mens clothes, because they are comfortable. I like baggy stuff . I stopped shopping for clothes in malls and retail stores decades ago..the shit is cheaply made, usually falls apart, and in the womens section everything looks like it was designed for cheap hookers.

[Hepburn]

68. I am about the same size....

...but I am an inch taller. Frankly, that is a rather small size for a woman who is our height.

[Mari333]

81. true/ I weigh about 140 or 145 and I used to be 135

but as age creeps in, c'est la vie. I dont care. I like being old. its fun. I get discounts if I stoop over and say Im 60. I love perks.

[Hepburn]

91. I got a Senior's Discount at the movies yesterday....

...cuz I am now over 60! :hi:

[Mari333]

95. woot!!!! nt

[Shell Beau]

120. On that same note, I have a friend who is 5'9" who is naturally

very thin. She wears a 2. She eats healthily and has nice teeth. Some people are naturally thin just as some are naturally large.

[Hepburn]

126. I agree with that...

...I understand that if you eat correctly, a body will find its "natural" weight and some people are thin and some are heavy...with most in between.

Heredity has a lot to do with it, too. My mom was thin, so was her mom...and I would never call my dad heavy. Until one time I had steroids to shrink some tumors, I was always on the thin side. Amazing what steroids do! Wow!

[seabeyond]

133. really has much to do with bones and muscle mass too, not only about fat. n/t

[emmadoggy]

230. EXACTLY!!

Thank you for pointing that out. I'm fairly average to slightly above average height at a little over 5'7". But I have LARGE bones. Back in my thin days, I was a size 12 at a nice healthy weight (in the 140's). If I were to get quite thin I might manage a 10, but I couldn't imagine getting into anything smaller than that - I would be sickly. I'm broad-shouldered and have a large ribcage so even when thin, I would need XL tops (size 14 usually).

As it is, I am several sizes larger now. But as an example of just how much bone structure and muscle mass matter - my sister and I are both quite overweight (me, probably slightly more). To look at us, I don't think we look all that much different - but she is about 2 inches shorter than me and has smaller bones (she wears about 3 sizes smaller shoes and a few sizes smaller rings). In TOPS, she wears about 2-3 sizes smaller than me! In a top, you just wouldn't think that we would be much different based on the way we look, but because of her smaller frame, she is able to wear smaller clothing even though she is overweight to nearly the same degree as me. Also, she has a much larger bust than I do, but is still able to wear smaller tops and also wears a smaller bra size.

Women's clothing and the way they are sized needs a serious overhaul in my opinion. And more standardization.

[CoffeeCat]

208. A relative of mine...

did the same thing. Her teeth eventually were all pulled and she has dentures--at age 30.

Very sad.

[bunnies]

40. Its ok to hate thin people. Really. nt

[Mari333]

45. I am thin but not anorexic

and a size 12 is healthy for women. especially women who are over 5 feet 9 inches and are 60 yrs old. geezus.

[bunnies]

54. Im not anorexic either.

And I wasnt talking about women over 5'9 and 60 yo. I sincerely doubt that 70% of women are over 5'9" and 60 yo. And a size 12 is NOT healthy for me at my height, sorry to say.

[Hepburn]

48. Who said anything about hating thin people?

:shrug:

[bunnies]

56. Hep, implying that thin people are bulimic is hateful... no?

I felt insulted. Just because Im small doesnt mean I binge and purge.

[Mari333]

64. well, you went on and on about how shameful it is that so many women

wear a size 12 or over...
I am sure all of those women are beautiful and delightful and I dont think theres anything shameful about them.

[bunnies]

121. One statement is "on and on" ???

thats absurd.

[Maru Kitteh]

173. One statement was all that was required to reveal yourself.

If you believe prejudice and/or judgementalism where the bodies of others is concerned is a defensible stand - you should own it.

[Hepburn]

66. I implied NOTHING....

...I have a friend my height and she is very ill because of binging and purging to keep her size 6 figure. Her teeth are etched from the stomach acid. I cannot tell you how many times I have been with her when she has binged and then run to the john and stuck her finger down her throat. You should see my guest bedroom john after she spends the weekend.

That is NO implication ~~ it is a very sad personal story and she has ended up hospitalized from doing this shit to herself.

I was talking about her in that post ~~ and no one else. Sheesh!

[bunnies]

128. I wasnt talking to you....

Unless Mari33 is your sock puppet. Mari333 implied that everyone under a size 12 binged and purged. Its insulting.

[Hepburn]

132. Sock puppet?

Why say something like that?

BTW: I have no problem with people of ANY size unless their size is causing them health problems...then I am concerned for them.

[bunnies]

139. Why? Because I responded to her attack and you spoke lilke I was talking to you.

Hep... I've always liked you. I dont want there to be any issues. The tubes make it hard to understand where strangers are coming from - I'm not being evil... If I was, Id admit it.

[Hepburn]

146. OK...it was my mistake with the way this board lines things up...

...I did think the reply was to me...so I responded ~~ but for myself. I thought you thought I did not like thin people!

BTW: I like you, too...:hug:

[bunnies]

166. So we're good then?

:bounce: :hug:

[Hepburn]

207. Well, of course!

:hug:

[AlCzervik]

140. correct.

i was bulimic for almost 10 years and it had ) to do with what size i was, i think many people (not you) are under the impression that an eating disorder is because of fashion mags and clothing sizes. Anyhow, i'm recovered for a 16 years and i ended gaining weight and then losing the correct way about 4 years ago, size 8 now and i sure as hell don't binge and purge anymore because i got help by getting to the root of the problem which for me was a control issue, not a size issue.

[Hepburn]

144. IMO: My friend has a self esteem problem....

...and I can say that her nutso mother who eats her alive in every conversation she has with her was probably the cause. My friend does, however, really have a thing about being only a size 6. She is a brilliant lawyer, but being perfect about everything ~~ including being a perfect 6 ~~ really is important. Yeah, I can see the control issues, too. She is also, like me, now in her 60s and this has gone on for years. I don't know if there is any hope for her at this point, but I am hoping that she does not end up like Karen Carpenter. I just keep standing by her and hoping for the best. I know she has to do this for herself...but it is painful to watch her suffer.

BTW: Congrats to you for getting healthy ~~ in many ways! :hug:

[AlCzervik]

152. Well i hope your friend can get some professional help because there will come a point

where she strokes out or has a heart attack and she needs to know that and yes it sounds like a control issue, it really doesn't sound like a fat issue. I was lucky and i had support but admitting i had a problem took me a long time and to be honest there was a lot of shame that went with it but now i know i'm lucky to be alive and i have a really wonderful husband who helped me to get that help. I also had a full dental restoration btw and in june i'm having 2 tooth implants done and just doing the dental work helped me close that chapter.

You're being a good friend and she's going to really need you when she hits the bottom and i have no doubt she will.

[FloridaJudy]

65. Not all thin people

Just the ones who make nasty cracks about those of us who aren't. Those are easy to despise.

[bunnies]

134. Creative discrimination.

:thumbsup:

[Missy Vixen]

163. I don't hate thin people

What I hate, though, is someone who's never struggled with their weight, has no idea what the average fat person goes through on a daily basis, but they're going to give diet advice.

I know a woman who's severely underweight. She just can't gain. She's tried it all. I can't believe the stuff people say to her thinking they're being "supportive" or staging their own mini-intervention.

She's one of my favorite people. The last time we talked, she was going to investigate getting a trainer to build some muscle. :hug:

Clothes: Lands' End. They do great clothes in plus size. I'm not a fashion plate, but I'm comfortable and look presentable.

[eShirl]

30. "Thats shameful. Seriously." Shameful? SERIOUSLY?

Shame on YOU.
Seriously.

[blonndee]

37. What's shameful is your comment.

There is nothing wrong with a size 12, and certainly nothing shameful.

[seabeyond]

73. one niece big boned, taller and thinner at 10-12, other niece petite, small frame and fat

size 6. she raises her eyebrows too at a 10 and 12, yet i look at the two bodies and one kicks another ass in health and fitness and curves

what a way to judge a person. 12 is not fat

just not your body type

[JerseygirlCT]

145. That's true, too - there are lots of variables

Plenty of people my height and weight would wear an 8. I cannot stand anything tight - especially pants. And though I'm small-boned, I'm pretty darned curvy, so fitting can be tough. (Small shirts will fit the shoulders properly, but won't get across the front, lol!)

There is a huge variety of body types and a limited number of sizes - even across brands. Size doesn't on its own tell you enough about the health or even appearance of a person.

[bunnies]

147. small frame and fat size 6?!

You obviously have a different view of "fat" than I do because I cant think of a single "fat" girl that fits into a size 6. Im 5'2" 110 lbs and your niece you describe as "fat" wears the same size as me.

[seabeyond]

154. lol, are you kidding. gals that are naturally small but dont exercise and have weight jiggle in

their tight tops. where as other niece sit ups, exercise, weights.... tight and lean. i have seen lots of smaller gals jigglin their fat cause though nature takes care of their size, they dont take care of their bodies.

[bunnies]

169. Youre calling a size 6 girl fat.

alrighty then.
size 16 on the left.... Size 6 on the right.

[seabeyond]

177. yes, i m saying my petite niece that doesnt exercise and stay fit has fat on her

and my niece that exercises with bigger bones, body and mascule mass has no fat on her.

seems to be a tough concept for you, i dont know why. it is pretty simple and plenty of examples in your real world unless you put all your identity in that number of yours so you refuse to recognize. i really dont get it. and it certainly isnt worth arguing with you about it.

you seem to feel if a person is in a 10 or 12 that means fat. you are simply wrong.

[omega minimo]

98. not all women are short

on edit: just saw your post that you're UNDER 5"2"!!!



It's a big country. Your attitude is "shameful." Hope you learn something in the thread. :hi:

[yewberry]

159. Or nice, unfortunately.

I hope she learns something, too.

[omega minimo]

174. Yes "shameful" would be a fashion/beauty industry that cannibalizes American women

and remains unexamined, despite Miss California-paid-for-my-boobs America contestant/airhead and recent gender biased comments :crazy:

[yewberry]

151. I'm almost 5'11'--So, should I cut off a foot at the top or the bottom?

Tell me...is it shameful to be overweight, or shameful to be tall, or some combination of both?

[bunnies]

168. Please read the thread. nt

[omega minimo]

175. NOPE Still hasn't learned NUTHIN

:thumbsdown:

[Maru Kitteh]

176. I wouldn't advise people to read the thread, it doesn't serve you well. n/t

[yewberry]

186. I've read the thread.

You think that people who aren't built the way you are are "shameful."

Apparently, I get a pass from you because I'm over 5'9"--gee, that's great. Thanks. What if I were 3 inches shorter with my proportions, though...? I mean, have you ever tried to cram a set of 36Ds into a size 10? I'm going to guess that you haven't.

My body is not shameful, no matter what you think. It's pretty crummy that you've decided to judge other people based on your extraordinarily narrow standards.

[Hepburn]

210. Try cramming a set of 44 DDs into ANYTHING, OK? And I am well over 5'9" tall.

That's me...never in my life could I ever buy a 2 piece outfit. Which do it get??? The size 2X so I can get my chest and shoulders into the top...or the size medium or size 10-12 bottoms so the pants don't fall off?

One size fits all? LMBO....! :rofl:

Two piece outfits? Even worse.

And bathing suits? Let's not go there, OK?

[yewberry]

212. Preaching to the choir on this one.

I haven't seen the inside of a size 12 since I was in 5th grade--I got my height pretty early. And I can totally sympathize about the two-piece outfits...tight and buckling out on top, saggy and loose on the bottom! What a great look!

[Hepburn]

215. 5' 8.5" tall in the 6th grade and I was already in a 36B bra at...

...age 11 years. I thereafter grew up and out some more! Same small hips and waist...but the rest of me grew! LOL!

I am wondering...exactly WHO do the women's clothing manufactures make clothes for? What in the heck is "average." And..."one size fits all"...what is that based on?

:shrug:

My best gal pal...she and I are the same height and about the same weight. She is all legs and short in the torso...I am somewhat the reserve. We are about the same age and the same coloring...and there is NO way we can wear the same clothing. So many times, I will buy something I think fits and it ends up in her closet...same with her as to me.

Frustrates the hell out me to go clothes shopping. No wonder I dig men's tops and drawstring pants as a standard outfit!

:argh:

[XemaSab]

158. When I was in high school I was 5"7, 130, and size 12.

I have broad shoulders and big hips.

I would KILL to be a size 12 again.

[Muttocracy]

167. ditto, ditto, and ditto

ditto and ditto

ditto

:toast:

[azmouse]

219. oh thank god, someone else is like me!

I am 5'5" and wore a size 12 when I weighed about 135. Everyone seemed to think with that height and weight I should have worn a size 6. It. Was. Never. Gonna. Happen.

And here it is a few years later and yeah, I'd really, really like to wear that size 12 again. Age happens. :shrug:

I'm happy with where I'm at. I'm working on losing a few pounds for myself. I stopped caring what anyone else thinks of me or my weight a long time ago when I discovered that as a woman I could never be thin enough for some people.

[emmadoggy]

231. Ditto, ditto, and ditto.

Ditto and ditto.

Ditto.

[JI7]

4. are 70 percent of women really size 12 and up ?

[Hepburn]

6. Probably close to that...

...women are getting taller and that means larger clothing sizes.

[leftstreet]

7. Is that big? And, who is Ann Taylor?

LOL I clicked on this thinking she was a governor from somewhere.

[Hepburn]

8. Ann Taylor = Clothing store that sells over priced crap.

Me? I vote with Michelle ~~ give me Lands' End, J. Crew, etc.

[polichick]

16. I'm with you - Ann Taylor is too preppy and overpriced imo.

[Thickasabrick]

43. I've never thought of Anne Taylor as preppy. I see it as sort of

Gen X Business Casual.

[polichick]

75. Really? My preppy mother shops at Ann Taylor...

But I haven't been there for a while, so maybe they have a broader selection these days.

[Shell Beau]

125. It isn't preppy.

They sell dressy casual clothes. If that is preppy, well... :shrug:

[polichick]

131. Well, this is from The Preppy Journal...

The Cosmopolitan Metro Preppy

You can find these preps in major metropolitan cities like New York or Los Angeles. The Metro Preps like updated classics. Their style is sometimes called fashionably conservative. These preps shop in stores in like Banana Republic, The Gap, Abecrombie & Fitch or Ann Taylor. I also think they're the more internationally travelled of all the preppies.

http://preppyjournal.com/node/127

[Shell Beau]

138. I guess it is what you consider preppy. I consider it classic.

I don't shop there, btw. But I could consider J. Crew mod-preppy. I do like J. Crew. I shop there.

[polichick]

143. Yes, it's definitely a classic look - that's why my mom likes it so much...

She's a "clothes horse" and likes things that never go out of style.

[Shell Beau]

123. And J. Crew is cheaper?

[polichick]

136. Maybe not cheaper, but less conservative.

[JerseygirlCT]

22. Probably

I'd guess that's about right.

[blonndee]

52. Size 12 is not that big, really.

These days especially, I think a size 12 is quite good-looking and (usually) proportionate. This is just my own perspective, but I think of 10s as average-to-thin, 8s as slim, and everything else skinny (not in a bad way!). Not everyone is 19 years old and a size 2, despite what the teevee and movies tell us.

[Muttocracy]

60. body scans of three actual size 10 women - women's sizes are absurd!

The notion that all the different shapes and proportions would fit into 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 - silly! :)

[blonndee]

117. I know that there is really no typical "size 12" or "size 10"

and I appreciate your post. It really does make me even more frustrated to see the picture you posted, though, because even though I am now almost a 10 and reducing, NONE of those pictures look like I did at a 12 (although the last is closest, as I have an athletic body and high muscle mass), and I'm sure that's true for many women. It makes me really sad and frustrated to see posts here making assumptions about women and their bodies and judging them, ignorantly. Even if someone IS fat, so what? Why do people feel the need to bash and judge them?

[Muttocracy]

127. I don't think any in the picture is a particularly tall woman either.

When I was at my most athletic (working outdoors all day in my mid-20s) I was a size 10/12 - because I have long arms and legs and a high waist.

I'm working on getting back there, slowly...

[eShirl]

162. I really think it comes down to projecting one's insecurities onto other people.

If one's sense of self-worth is based to a certain extent on how one looks, one might attack people whose bodies are not considered as attractive.

[seabeyond]

164. but to cluelessly attack a friggin number without any knowledge of how attractive

or unattractive it is, but simple ignorance is beyond insecurities.

[xchrom]

10. they would only cut it from the line if they weren't selling

enough to justify the cost.

which might say something else altogether.

[Hepburn]

13. Example:

Can you see a 60 year old very tall female who wears pearl earrings and a chignon in that get up?

:eyes:

I would look like I was wearing underwear instead of a dress.

JMHO

[xchrom]

18. i don't get what you mean? if that's their customer -- that's their customer.

ann taylor isn't a 'big enough' company to seel to every one.

if they were making a good profit from their 16z -- they'd sell them.
i see lots of women -- and men -- in clothes they simply shouldn't wear -- now again that's a different story.

[Hepburn]

23. Well, yeah...

...I would have to say that most people at times wear things they should not be wearing!

LOL...! :hi:

It just that a clingy short dress like the one in the picture would not look good on anyone who had an extra ounce of fat or who was over 5'5" tall or over 40. The way that thing clings, it would show EVERY fault and even make a great body look not so good.

So, yes, I can see why a size 16 would not be popular, but then...people do wear very unflattering clothing at times!

[xchrom]

27. i work in a mall -- need i say more? nt

[Mari333]

69. thats as much material as I would use in a scarf

what the f is with fashions these days? who designs this shit?

[Withywindle]

189. Actually, yes.

With some nice hose, good shoes, and maybe a pretty scarf/shoulder wrap? Why not? Just looks like a nice normal summer dress to me. I'm 40 in July and I'd wear it. (Maybe I shouldn't, but eh :shrug:)

[NashVegas]

157. Many Designers Who Let Their Lines Run to 16 (or larger) Aren't *Really* Making Clothes for 16

They're designs that were cut for less curvy women, made larger.

Then you have designers who make clothes for size 16 but don't sell anything over a 12 in their own boutiques - it might scare the skinny girls away if they see a 16 in the store - but do sell them in department stores. Ingrid whatserface comes to mind.

[Mike 03]

29. Bizarre. As an interested observer, but not a female, I would have thought it would

be the exact opposite: chopping the smallest sizes and increasing the larger sizes. Especially with the way the economy is going.

[Thickasabrick]

39. The majority of their customer base is not size 16. I would guess

it was between 4 and 10. It doesn't make any sense for them to keep making size 16 if not enough people buy that size.

[Mike 03]

50. I plead ignorance. I have no idea what size 16 means, but I do know that in general

the trend for our society is away from slim and getting bulkier.

Is sixteen huge or something? I don't know. Is Oprah a sixteen? Kirsty Alley? I have no frame of reference.

[Z_I_Peevey]

106. Well...if this was a carnival booth and I could win a prize

by guessing sizes, I'd put Oprah at a 14 and Kirstie at 16 or 18.

[Hepburn]

109. Kirstie is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over that size.

She is not only tall...but I would put her weight at pushing 250 since she put on all that weight recently. My best guestimation: Size 4X top easy...maybe 22 - 24 pants, maybe a 26. She is really tall and very, very heavy.

Oprah: IMO...a 16 - 18.





Those are the before and after pics of late...she has gained a ton of weight.

[Mike 03]

122. Thank you for educating me.

My own parents are "large" and I have no clue what size they are, but I think making fun of large people or discriminating against them is really sad.

It hurts me to see what my mother has gone through.

[Hepburn]

130. I have friends of all sizes....

...the ONLY time I care about size is if there is a health problem involved. Like the pal I have who is a 6 and bulimic as all hell...her health sucks. I have another friend who was very overweight and is still overweight. She had gastric bi-pass because her diabetes was out of control and she was having bleeding in her eyes. She could have gone blind. She is still heavy, but has dropped enough that the diabetes is under control. Her surgery, as she says, had NOTHING to do with how she looks to others. She simply did not want to go blind and no matter what she did at that higher weight, the diabetes remained out of control.

My crowd of pals runs from size 2 and short to tall and size 22 or 24. We all love each other...and that is one of the nice things about getting old ~~ looks really do not matter that much at our age.

I am so sorry for what happened to your mom. That is a very sad thing! :hug:

[Muttocracy]

129. your guesses sound right to me - Kirstie 228 in People

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20276768,00.html

What weight do you want to get down to?

I have to be below 140 to really look good. I have to work my legs like crazy. Actually, do you want my real goal? My real goal's always too low. I love the way I look at, like, 128. One time on Cheers, I weighed about 148 lbs., and they told me to lose, like, 20 lbs. Now, I'm 5'8", so at 148 lbs., I wasn't fat. But they're saying, "You know, you need to lose 20 lbs." So what does that put me at? 128. That's where I keep getting this number.
---

No wonder she has weight problems if she keeps aiming for something ridiculous!

[Mike 03]

135. Nothing against her, I hope you understand. I think she's pretty.

But I just know her weight has been in the news now, and I was just trying to correlate it with what the OP is calling "Size."

Men are easier: Except for dress shirts, we have Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large. Women have a more complicated size system, or so it seems.

[Hepburn]

141. I wish I could just buy clothing like guys do...

...sleeve lenght, collar size, slim or medium shirt body, waist and inseam size on pants...Wow! What a wonderful world that would be!

:bounce:

[Muttocracy]

156. Amen! That size scan photo I posted upthread is from a research group

looking at new ways of doing sizing, and being able to custom-order clothing from mass-production companies (sort of like going back to tailoring!)

[Hepburn]

137. I weighed 127 lbs at 5'10-1/2"....

...and that was too thin. I did not look good at all ~~ just too skinny. Between 137 and 147 is about right for me. But I have always been small boned for being so tall. Not a small person at all...just small wrists, etc. I am not big boned for my height. But, I do believe that Kirstie Alley is someone who is naturally a larger person than me even tho she is shorter. She could look wrong at the weight where I look right. As I get older, however, I think I look better with an extra 10 pounds ... fills out the wrinkles, IMO.

:hi:

[JerseygirlCT]

149. I think Catherine Deneuve said something just like that

a while back. She made the decision as she aged to add 10 lbs. Said it was either her figure or her face, and she picked her face!

[Hepburn]

150. Totally agree....

...I can hide my figure...hiding my face is much harder!

:hi:

[texasleo]

195. my face has always bailed out my body.

If that makes any sense.

;)

[blonndee]

155. No shit! If she was 5'8 and 148, she was just fine!

To ask her to lose 20 pounds is ridiculous by any standards other than Hollywood. I'm 5'4" and have a similar body type as Kirstie, and if I were 128 pounds, I would be quite skinny. But if she feels comfortable at 128, I guess that should be her (long-term) goal, although to me that sounds really low for someone of her height and body type, and almost unrealistic. She looked good to me when she weighed around 150 or whatever it was when she was in all those commercials.

[Lorien]

182. I'm her height and I think 128 is fine for a 5' 8" teen

though 135 is a safer weight. I think 134-158 is the appropriate range for an adult woman that height according to most health charts. A lot depends on bone structure and muscle mass, of course.

[Sultana]

228. Fatass

ick!

[Mari333]

33. aww those clothes suck anyway

better to go to a second hand thrift store and buy old duds that feel comfortable. god, i hate uncomfortable clothes. make me itch.

[Muttocracy]

41. Uh, Americans got fat and the sizes under 6 end up on the clearance rack

the 12/14/16 sell out :shrug:

[Thickasabrick]

44. I have the opposite problem. The only things I can find are over size

12. They always sell out of size 6 and 8 first.

[bettyellen]

51. the exact opposite happens in some markets, including BR and AT

[Muttocracy]

88. I guess it must vary from place to place - unfortunately the stores don't seem to order sizes

that reflect their buying population! :)

[Hepburn]

53. Try wearing a size 11 women's shoe...

...except for Nordies, most stores get ONE pair of these and they go first! There are a ga-zillion in a 5 or 6...but ONLY one in size 11!

Grrrrrrr!!!!!

[Mari333]

86. dang girl ya got bigger feet then me LOL nt

[Hepburn]

94. LOL....

...I got bigger feet than ANYONE and EVERYONE, except my kid and my gentleman friend.

:hi:

[Left Is Write]

142. That hasn't been my experience. I almost never find my size on clearance.

[Sparkly]

238. Me, neither -- small sizes are hard to find except in "juniors."

Lots of stores have nothing under size 4 in Misses. So it's over to the "Juniors" section where the clothes seem cheaply made and not grown up -- and the "career" clothes there are all yucky polyester.

[AlCzervik]

57. Anne Taylor-"Yo big girls, don't darken out retail doorstep but we'll gladly take your money online"

and that's what it's all about, they don't want to see larger people in their actual store chubbing up the place.

Pretty disgusting.

[Mari333]

78. um well lets see, which one looks better

I vote for Tina! and yeah shes over 60

[Hepburn]

97. Another vote for Tina!

Hey, did you, too, just HAVE to learn to dance in heels like Tina?

LOL...I think I would cripple myself if I tried to that again now...wonder how the heck she still does that!

:hi:

[Mari333]

102. OMG I stopped wearing Fme shoes years ago

I moved to Chicago when I was 19 to go to college, and I brought all my mini skirts and hot pants with me. In about a month, I gave them all away to drag queens I met in art school. I gave away the high heels too. I never looked back, and have lived to be comfortable ever since. :)

[Hepburn]

110. I stopped wearing the f-me shoes in 1997....

...I retired. End of nylons, suits, silk blouses, and leather f-me shoes!

:rofl:

[omega minimo]

101. You can never be too rich or too anorexic. She wants the $$uperrich superthin, not low end.

[southernyankeebelle]

103. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COMPLAINT IS ABOUT = I COULDN'T

EVEN BUY A SIZE 16. I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY TO FIT INTO A SIZE 16. HAAAJAJAJAJAJAHAHAHAHAHHAA. LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY I BUY MY CLOTHS AT LANE BRYANT.

[Mari333]

105. you go girl!!! nt

[Hepburn]

112. Hey, I am not a small person either...

...and I LOVE that store! They carry 14s and they are LONG...not just wide and short...they are like tunic tops and being tall, I love those suckers. That is also true of Fashion Bug Plus sizes. I have a hell of a time getting tops long enough cuz all of my height is in my torso and I am very busty, too. Lane Bryant is a great place and it is not just for plus size people. BTW: Try Fashion Bug plus sizes. I find they are a good bargain and stylish, too.

:hi: You go, girl!

[Mike 03]

124. Rec and kick.

I honestly think threads like this are immensely helpful. A lot of us are, frankly, dumbshits when it comes to this issue, and for obvious reasons we don't talk about this with our SO's of the opposite sex, so it's very important there is some way to discuss this.

[Hepburn]

148. It is amazing....

...everyone has a "fashion" problem with how clothing does not fit, etc. I some times think I am the only one who is frustrated by clothes shopping. I am NOT the Lone Ranger!

Yep, an interesting thread!

[Muttocracy]

161. Note to clothing industry - you are failing us all! :)

[Medusa]

198. And that could be why their sales keep falling

good enough for them I say.

[Muttocracy]

160. Hey, tell us what size issues men have! educate us!

[Withywindle]

190. Frankly, a lot of us women are dumbshits too.

I'm one of those, I guess, rare birds who hates clothes shopping. (They always have the heat up too high in clothing stores, and the air is dry and the lights are fluorescent, and UGH, I just want to grab a pair of black pants off the rack and GO) I can't do that because they keep changing the damn clothes sizes. I'm two months from 40, my 9th grade metal-band shirts still fit, so can't I just still go buy the size I bought then?

Oh hell no. :rofl:

[walldude]

171. Lane Bryant...

My wife is plus sized and we buy all her clothes at Lane Bryant. Box stores have terrible designers for plus women, the stuff we find at LB's is much more flattering.

[cherish44]

172. Well my BMI is 23.5. in the healthy range NOT overweight

and the sizes I usually buy are usually anywhere from 8 to 12. Stop being mortified that the average woman is a size 12. You've been brainwashed by the media into thinking a size 0 is the ideal.

[BobTheSubgenius]

179. My next door neighbour is thin to the point of being androgynous.

I guess androgynous isn't that uncommon in cases like this, but it's quite horrifying. Especially for someone in the health care industry. Her thighs are barely bigger than my biceps.

[Vinca]

194. Let me get this straight. Most women are at least a size 12 and

I imagine a whole lot are size 16. So, instead of charging a little more for clothing it costs a little more to produce, they discontinue the size. Let the larger girls go naked, I guess.

[nichomachus]

202. And drag queens everywhere are in mourning . . .

[Lerkfish]

204. well, this is too bad, but as a big and tall man, I can say this is just

going back to my childhood and young adulthood when plus size clothes were difficult to find and looked like something your lose uncle would wear. It wasn't wonderful, but we survived.

[notadmblnd]

205. they'll regret it...

all us fat women will now be forced to go naked. And I can say with confidence, nobody's gonna like that!

[Jennicut]

218. I am usually a size 9/10 but its the tops that never fit right.

I got a big chest from my Mom. In freshman year of high school I was already a D. I am a 36 DD now. Tops never fit right. I am only 5'4 and end up with extra large tops to fit my chest. There are only ever 2 styles of bras to choose from. Plus, the DD bras are usually more expensive. Ugg. I hate shopping. Hate it. I might be one of the few woman who wishes her chest was smaller. Now I get why Punky Brewster (Soilel Moon Frye) had a breast reduction all those years ago.

[LWolf]

221. I've wished my chest were smaller most of my life.

DD.

No dress will fit right, I've had to buy 2 piece swim suits by buying 2 separate sizes; one for top, one for bottom. Chronic, lifelong back pain to go with it.

Clothes are always a pain.

If it fits the rest of me, I can't button it across the breasts. If it fits across the breasts, it sags loosely everywhere else.

:shrug:

[Jennicut]

233. Yes! The bathing suit dilemma. Always, always seperates.

[diane in sf]

222. I finally found comfortable, non-wired, no-seam bras at Lane Bryant, but I

still think about reduction--if I had half the volume they'd still be generous. But I'm not sure I want Frankenboobs at the nude beach.

[Jennicut]

235. LOL. I am afraid of any kind of surgery so I guess I gotta keep them.

At least my husband is appreciative.

[JerseygirlCT]

232. No, I'm totally with you

I would so love even to be a D again... Forget even the price, FINDING DDs that aren't monster sized foundation garments looking like what grandma wore is hard.

I'm envious of people who can just wear a top without concern. Or a bathing suit! Bathing suit tops are a killer - I NEED that underwire, so why do so many only make them for smaller sized cups?

Sorry, rant off, but I do know just what you mean. I'm small-boned - without this chest, I'd probably comfortably wear even a small on top. But large it is, because you have to cover all that territory!

[Jennicut]

234. Yes, all the bras in our size are ugly Grandma looking ones.

[Occam Bandage]

224. If larger women aren't buying enough Ann Taylor to make up for the extra cost,

this is a wise decision.

[WillowTree]

226. I've made most of my own clothing since I was 13.

Problem not solved, it's non-existent.

AND I wind up paying less for high quality, properly-fitting clothes that will wear for years than other women pay for cheesy stuff that needs to be altered if it can be made to fit correctly at all.

Sad that so few people know how to sew anymore.

[Sparkly]

237. I should be doing that!

I see things in the store and think, "I could make this for $2 in a few hours!" Problem is, I don't... I buy fabric and patterns and am terrible at making myself actually sew them. :(

Have you tried Lutterloh (sp?) patterns, and do they work?

[Sultana]

227. "In fact, nearly 70% of women are size 12 and up...."

:O




I learn something new everyday.