Here's Why Clothing Sizes Are Inconsistent

It's a problem across the industry.

On June 5, H&M announced in a press release that they will be altering their sizing in the UK market. This change comes after several customers complained about how the brand's sizes are often vastly different from other stores.

In March, one customer took to Facebook to share a story of trying on a pair of jeans that she thought were her size only to find out that she could barely get them over her legs. "I am very proud of my body," she wrote in the post. "It has taken a long time but I am thoroughly content with my large hips, squishy thighs and little tum, thank you very much. I’ve always been a 12/14 and pleased with it but when I tried on your jeans I was annoyed, hot and frustrated. The pair of jeans clearly were not made for a woman who is a size 14." She then went on to ask the question, "Why is it ok for a brand to label an item of clothing as a size which it clearly isn’t?".

Now, H&M is looking to resolve the issue by moving the scale up one size. "Following customer feedback, we are taking the steps to change our womenswear measurements to be in line with UK sizing," H&M said in a statement. They went on to explain how the shift will work stating, "For example, the previous measurements and fit of a size 12 will now be the measurements of a size 10." A spokesperson for brand further explained to Teen Vogue, saying, "H&M in the USA will be updating their sizing structure for ladies’ customer starting with new summer and fall 2018 products. We always want to listen to our customers and their feedback. The new sizing will be more in line with the North American sizing standard and the retail landscape of the market."

While this change in direction is an exciting shift for many of the brand's customers, it does raise the question as to why these sizing discrepancies happen in the first place.

Timo Rissanen, Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Sustainability at Parsons School of Design in New York City, told Teen Vogue that the reason might have something to do with the fact that size charts are subjective and every company chooses their own. "Every company is free to adopt a system of their choosing, although most large retailers like H&M aim to work with widely used sizing systems, like those in the EU and the US," he said.

According to Rissanen, this lack of accurate sizing is because the only body shape that is taken into account is that of a thin and straight size. "Most sizing charts don't account for variation in body shape," he tells us. "Most sizing charts for women assume an hourglass figure, and many women are not that shape. The other issue is regional variance. Not only is there regional variation in bodies, but there is variation in that variation." Average body types can vary from location to location so creating one chart based off of a very small group of bodies doesn't make sense for anyone.

So how could these issued be fixed? "I don't think there is one fix, but each company would benefit from getting to know their customer better in terms of shapes and sizes. In the case of H&M, they would benefit from investing in regional analysis of body shapes and sizes."

In other words, everyone is looking for that pair of jeans or a dress that fits them perfectly so it can be really frustrating when you just can't find your size. As H&M has started to do, its time for brands to start listening to their customers, reconsider what their sizes are based off in the first place and adjust.


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