Women’s sizing. Let’s talk about it.

One may think, “If I am a size 6 or 12 or 2 at one store, surely, I must be that same size at all the other stores.” Nine times out of 10, you would be wrong. If you do not have the issue of being a different size at nearly every store- I wish I, were you. Going clothes shopping can be incredibly stressful as is what you think looks cute doesn’t and what you think looks questionable looks good on you. When you throw sizing into the matter, it can make it even more stressful.

The difficulty in women’s sizing is that they are all different in nearly every store. Where in some stores a pair of jeans is a size 2, in others it could be a size 4 to 6.

Or with shirts, where in one store you may wear a large, but in another you are either a small or an extra-extra- large. It really depends on materials and how each store sizes; because why would they all use the same sizing system.

This can create some heavy body dysmorphia. It really doesn’t help if you already have it.

Let us discuss what body dysmorphia is. It can be described as:

“A mental illness involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance. The flaw may be minor or imagined. But the person may spend hours a day trying to fix it. The person may try many cosmetic procedures or exercise to excess. People with this disorder may frequently examine their appearance in a mirror, constantly compare their appearance with that of others, and avoid social situations or photos.” Understanding what and how body dysmorphia is, is important to fully understand how the inconsistency in clothing size affects women. Having or experiencing body dysmorphia can allow you to easily create a warped image of yourself when you are trying on clothing sizes that normally fit you, but now don’t.

When you are led to believe you are smaller or bigger than you are, this can create a form of distress for the shopper. Let’s say they are not trying to lose or gain weight, yet they believe they did.

This can lead to a downward spiral for the individual, feeling as though all they’ve worked on is thrown away simply because of the difference in sizing.

Most women know that every store sizes differently but going through the same process in nearly every store can prove to be disheartening and difficult on the individual.

If every store could size the same, or follow a similar universal size chart, there would be less women going down the path of believing they are not enough or experiencing body dysmorphia.