As someone >90th percentile in height and >75th percentile in weight for the US, I’ve found in the last 5 years I now no longer fit into most “Large” size clothing and need to buy more “Medium” sized clothing. I haven’t lost/gained weight nor shrunk(that I’m aware of). Statistically, numerically and culturally this seems strange.

Anyone else find sizes that “should” or “used to” fit have morphed and you now shop different sizes where your body size hasn’t changed?

A few random calculators: https://tall.life/height-percentile-calculator-age-country/ https://simulconsult.com/resources/measurement.html?type=weight

  • Tar_Alcaran@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    15 hours ago

    75th percentile in weight for the US

    Seeing how 30% of the US is morbidly obese, I’m rather shocked you’re were in a size L at all.

    Or you’re using an outdated chart.

    • pdxfed@lemmy.worldOP
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      9 hours ago

      The weight has changed much more in sizing than height is likely to since it’s easy to gain/lose weight compared to gaining or losing height; it’s why I mentioned my percentiles. The links seemed like decently recent data so you wouldn’t expect someone in my percentiles to be so strangely missized unless sizing was just flat wrong or targeted to certain body shapes in the last 10-ish years.

      My basic experience and data seems to point to height determining size much less than weight now does, which for those of us not rapidly changing weights puts us in a strange spot. There are also many more different global clothes manufacturers than there used to be I’d guess and maybe the newer ones still have no idea how to size for new geographies/cultures? Just guessing.

  • czardestructo@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    13
    ·
    1 day ago

    I was an American large T-shirt for most my life but for the last 10 years I have to get a medium. Americans are just getting too fat and companies dont want to upset them.

  • gingersaffronapricat@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 day ago

    Nope. Clothes seem to have more stretch and fewer natural fibers every year. Sizes have always been inconsistent. But i think the increased stretch and elastic has accentuated the problem. It also makes fabric wear out more quickly. In the last year, I have purchased sizes from 8-18. I don’t trust manufacturer measurements. I always measure and have returned many items that were much larger than stated. That’s something I have experienced going back many years though. I think measuring the clothes themselves is the way to go. But unfortunately not always possible

  • JohnnyEnzyme@piefed.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    1 day ago

    Something is definitely fluffed. That’s all I can tell you for sure, matey.

    Here, I’m just a 5’8" scrawny dude, and yet I need to buy “large” clothing, in the States.

    What’s up with that…??

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      edit-2
      1 day ago

      Maybe it’s your brand and source. I see sizes becoming less consistent, more brand specific. Men’s sizes used to be consistent but now it depends on brand.

      • I get brands known for being over resized, because I need them and they’re more comfortable
      • a lot of “normal” brands I have to size up, and ts still less comfortable
      • others, notably cheap or souvenir t-shirts I might size up twice, or it may not be comfortable at any labelled size

      However I’m taller than average which is part of it. For a cheap brand with no tall sizes, I might size up twice, it might even be hanging off me as oversized, yet way too short

  • i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    1 day ago

    Sizing is unacceptably insane. There has to be an explanation other than “everyone in the clothing industry is an idiot”, but I haven’t seen one.

    Just got underwear for an 18-24 MONTH old and they’re bigger than my 14 year old niece’s underwear.

    • TheWilliamist@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      13 hours ago

      I’m a fat guy with a long torso. Due to ages and aches, I’ve crept up to a 4X which pains me. The thing that infuriates me is that every 4X seems to be very, very short. I don’t know if it’s a scaling issue with the patterns or they think everyone is a short fat fuck…

        • TheWilliamist@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          2
          ·
          10 hours ago

          I do, polos are often okay but I have visions of the 80’s T-shirt dresses when I try on a lot of LT style casual wear… 😂 I think my best option are some diet changes and getting back to biking…

  • sparkles@piefed.zip
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    1 day ago

    Yeah I have ended up buying kids extra large lately. Extra small in women’s has gotten huge, even at stores where clothing has usually ran small. Thought I was going nuts.

    • tal@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 day ago

      Women’s clothes tend to be more prone to vanity sizing than men’s.

      Vanity sizing, or size inflation, is the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming bigger in physical size over time.

      Vanity sizing is a common fashion industry practice used today that often involves labeling clothes with smaller sizes than their actual measurements size. Experts believe that this practice targets consumer’s preferences and perceptions.

      • sparkles@piefed.zip
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 day ago

        Yep. Been aware of that since I was old enough to buy my own clothes. I have several pants in different sizes across brands…there is no continuity. Even waist size isn’t accurate on the tags for women’s pants if they do add it. Hence, in the past, I would typically find a store where stuff fits, find my “size” in that store, and stick with it. Lately even that isn’t working. It’s like sizes have gotten even less consistent, and larger overall. Which is why hearing others are encountering similar issues makes me feel a little comfort.

  • snoons@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    2 days ago

    As a Canadian, I have to buy small size t-shirts from Costco (an American company) because the medium sizes are what Canadian retailers would label as large.

  • tensorpudding@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    1 day ago

    I’ve been having to size up, but that is probably because of my overly-sedentary lifestyle and fondness for good food. Trying to work on it when my mental well-being permits.

  • Fit_Series_573@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    1 day ago

    Pants are so annoying to try to buy. Every brand/version currently avaliable is a slightly different size even with the measurements so it’s hard to try to buy them during sales in bulk online. I’m pretty active for work and have bigger thighs so I go through pants more often than the normal person, but even with that I feel like quality is getting worse causing more of those issues, especially unsuspecting shrinkage. I like the lees extreme motion pants but have noticed if I buy 2 pairs online one will be slightly more narrow than the second pair when it’s both the same pant

    • AA5B@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      ·
      1 day ago

      Levi’s is a brand where I noticed size differences, even with identical pants, where the only difference is country of manufacture