In Between the Right Stuff
As a husband to a fashion industry veteran I hear countless horror stories from inside the velvet ropes. Juicy gossip never had it so good as in the fashion world; and, just like gossip, fashion never dies. Nowadays it morphs and does so at lighting speed. And while the fashion train is flying fast through life, it seems to have missed one very important passenger. This is the topic - and my main concern - that I see wrong with my better half’s world of clothing: the size standard.
My wife and I have met so many amazing people in our journey together. Out of all these individuals not one is the same size, nor the same shape. Each one is just as unique as the traits that make them so loveable, appealing, and outright special. Yet, with each one of those unique individuals, we are all held to the same sizing standards in the fashion world. So, my question to my wife made her head spin: why does that standard exist?
You see, history will tell you that the government established the first sizing standards. Even more concerning, they did so when we were at war [Julie Gerstein]. And, of course, as the fashion world grew out of it’s relationship with this specific government entity, it went through its own phase of size standards. Still somehow based on the initial standards, just revised here and there. But at least a change in the sizing standard occurred (albeit not the necessary changes it needed). Enter Vanity Sizing. Oh yes, the sizing that pits one company against another in hopes of selling the same article of clothing to you, but with a small number labeled on it (I am not talking price here). And so, it has been this way for the better part of three decades. The fashion industry has grown into a mastermind of deceit, portraying beauty standards of a certain size, and the unattainable picture of perfection. But, I digress.
When my wife and I were pregnant with our first child I gained a lot of weight. My shirts no longer fit like they used to. But the next size up that fit my stomach made me feel like my arms shrunk 6 inches. Not to mention how much longer the shirts were, which made my 5’9” frame feel like I was being swallowed up. I experienced my first dilemma with the size standard, and it was certainly not my last. Was it life ending? Certainly not; but, it motivated me to get back into the size I felt comfortable in… however vain an attempt that was. My wife, however found a new love: leggings. Which began her ride aboard the athleisure train to comfort fashion.
Hashtag comfort fashion, people (#comfortfashion). The idea that you can put together an outfit no matter what the occasion with a pair of leggings, great shoes, and some killer accessories. Welcome to the athleisure wear segment. It has seen high exposure all over the world in part because – and think about this – the same pair of leggings will not look the same on different women. So, size standards don’t really come in to question, because the material forms to the body inside it. Women all over the world are walking around more comfortably in leggings of all patterns and colors. Unfortunately, leggings aren’t exactly acceptable everywhere… yet. But it is a great answer to the size standard issue in question. There are certainly more alternatives out there to societal standards of size.
Alternatives such as custom clothing, recycled brands, and second-hand clothing are all answers in some way to the standard size question we raise. The custom clothier is a good option to get clothing fitted just for you – at a price. Tailored clothing looks sharp on anyone, and conveniently ensures that no one else has the exact same item that you do (in fact, a good tailor is always good to have for a variety of reasons, but that is a different story). Recycled brands are a newer trend. Simply taking used clothing and making new clothing out of it. Still in the realm of custom clothing, this option is usually quite expensive for the average consumer. Second-hand clothing stores take gently used clothing and resell to the public at a fraction of retail pricing. It is a great option all by itself. Sizing goes out the window, because most gently used clothing has been washed several times, so the sizing will be highly variable. The point is, to get your own size in your own clothes will cost you, or you can opt for gently used clothing that will take some time figuring out which size looks good on you (back at square one?). Unless you can draw, flatline illustrate, cut, and sew… In that case you’ve got a niche to thrive in.
Fashion is full of niche markets. Whether its high fashion, casual, or sports themed we have played along the entire time, loving every minute of every model, super star, or pretty face to grace a photo. No denying it, there. Vanity is addictive, especially in this day and age of selfies and social media (hello Instagram and pinterest). But size is the issue. Standard is the problem [Virginia Postrel]. Is the fashion industry really to blame, though? A size standardization allows clothing manufacturers to produce in mass. The evolution of Unisex clothing made it even easier to produce in bulk. And as we see movie stars and famous people dressing in both gender sizes, a unisex trend is hard to ignore. But even the gender-neutral sizing does not answer the question of the size standard. Regardless, mass produced clothing allows goods to be acquired cheaper and results in affordable prices. And most of us love affordable prices. So, are we to blame for the acceptance of the size standard of today? Quietly trying to squeeze, stretch, or pinch into our clothing to save a few dollars?
Saving money was the name of the game for my wife and after our first child. Family became our identity, our brand – literally. And, over the next few years, my wife and I would have three more children; and we would ride the rollercoaster of size each time. To our dismay, we didn’t get back the bodies we once had (hold your comments for now). If the question of lifestyle changes bring changes in your body with it was important to the fashion industry, we certainly know their answer: YES. The fashion industry has paid attention to machine learning advances over the last few years and has bought in, big time. So many brands emerging on the market that cater to your individual journey through life (don’t worry, no shameless plugs here). So many styles willing to cater to the new you.
Technology has been playing the arena for the better part of a decade to get to know you. Subscription based clothing companies started popping up a few years ago to make your shopping experience easier (be prepared to tell them a lot about yourself, like almost everything). But, just like learning, the more you put into the system the better it will work for you. Still, these companies may help answer the question of what size are you, but don’t address the need for sizing to change. So, if you are normal, you might have plus size clothing (which seems strange). So the technology more than not helps overcome any uncomfortability with trying on clothing in public. But this and all the other technologies that exist out there are just more things to purchase on top of the clothing itself. So, now we are saving money on brand identity, but losing our personal identity in the process.
This really can’t be the answer to the size standard. Making it easier to shop for fast fashion with a plethora of gadgets that learn how I act, what I eat, and if I plan on changing jobs. All of this just buries the real issue in a forest of code. Size will always be an issue. The standard has become the non-standard. The new normal is not being normal. It isn’t opposite day, either. As Fashion tries to predict and mold what will happen in the future, one thing will stay the same… one big question that will have to be addressed… and some one will have to have an answer.
What size am I?