I would wish for a designer who is aware of the issues we busty women deal with in finding shirts, blouses and dresses. In fact, I wish for a designer who realizes that the average woman has curves!

my retail dream?? cool modest clothes for teens like me! oh! and actually cute fabric for 1-piece bathing suits that you can swim in, not just lay around in.. i love the ideas about the chain store for skirt tops, and the fliers about correct pant length. Im a teen who likes to dress well, who is petite, short, has basically no hips and a size C top. . its hard to find good clothes at retail stores for me!

OH you all know what my brainchild would be. Uniform sizing in the bra world. It would not matter what country you are from, or what country your bra is from. There would be no fru fru sizing chart that some MAN invented to make his product seem more spectacuarly special. Bras would be sized in one inch band increments, and HALF inch cup increments. A would be 1 inche, AA would be 1.5 inches, B would be 2 inches, BB would be 2.5 inches…..and so on.

My Fashion Fairy would wave her wand and change the sizing scheme for women’s clothes to model the way men’s clothes are sized.

Forget this nonsense of an ambiguous sizes like 4, 10, or 14. Let’s have our pants sized with a waist and an inseam measurement–like men! (Angie–maybe we could tack the pants-leg flier right on to the pocket!) Let’s have shirts and tops with an arm, neck, and chest measurement–just like men’s clothing!

My Fashion Fairy would also grace every dress and skirt with a lining-so that we don’t have to wear Spanx or other smoothing undergarments.

Nicole–Funny you and I came up with a very similar idea at almost exactly the same time! We’re YLF twins!

I’ve always wanted a store that has colors separated by seasons (Color Me Beautiful) and styles separated by body type. The store would also have three way mirrors and good lighting. Also, friendly, helpful salespeople that tell me the truth about how an item looks on me.

I’m with you on the shoes. I would also like that shoe store to have consistent dependable sizing and good quality control full lines each for high budget and med budget. No more sales just good prices from the start. The stores can ship out all of the merchandise that doesn’t sell to a low budget store that will decrease the prices from there.
Can you tell that I don’t like “shopping”?

consistent sizing from store to store so that you’d never be puzzled as to why you were a 4 in one store, a 6 in another, and a 2 in the next – and would never be made to feel bad about it either. i love meredith’s idea of having women’s sizing follow men’s. also, shop assistants who actually know and love fashion instead of the glum/too-cool-to-help-you variety i seem to run into in every store!

More casual wear in woven rather than knit fabrics! I’d love to see more printed cotton skirts and blouses, for example. These are fun to wear, non-clingy, and great for warm weather.

A store that sells cute two-piece outfits only (matching skirt and top for example). It is so hard for me to find dresses that fit as a tall woman, it would be great to be able to get the look and flexibility of two piece outfits. I also just think this is a look that is dying to come back in style.

What great ideas! I especially like the bra and pants sizing suggestions.

I would also like to see pants ( and button down shirts and fitted dresses) available with different waist-hip-ratios. and complimentary tailor on site for small alterations such as hemming and taking in the waists.

Oh, and technically this should have been on the shoe post, but I would love to have boots available with a couple of different calf circumferences.

Free tailoring for full-priced merch – and tailoring at a discount for sale items. One of the Banana Republics here in Mpls does free tailoring for full-priced merch and it’s such a great service.

I echo Redhead and Dee2do, I would love to see stores embrace dressing for your body type concept (both the challenges and opportunities!). And I would really like to see more tops -especially career wear- for large busted women. I am soon going to purchase a shirt from Bratique Helen, thanks to this blog/forum, and I would love to see her and/or other shops expand to include jackets, coats, etc.

I’m with Meredith and Nicole. I hate having to take the size I think I am plus a size up and a size down for each item into the dressing room with me.

Actually my absolute dream would be the ability and time to make all of my own clothes. Clothing fit to MY body with MY preferences. I can’t tell you how many times I love a top but hate all of the colors it’s available in or the v-neck isn’t deep enough. This really isn’t a retail dream though…

I would love to see us overhaul the industry completely and go back to a custom-order model. This would:

1) Reduce the waste of a disposable clothing mindset – you’d pay more, own less, but every single piece would fit you to perfection and be of high quality

2) Completely eliminate fit frustrations – no matter what your body type, height, or fit issues

3) Provide much-needed, local jobs – no more outsourcing (unless you want to try ordering online, like makeyourownjeans or similar). Otherwise, keep the jobs in your town.

I would do this not just for clothes but for shoes too.

It’s green, it helps the economy, it solves all our fit frustrations… really, what’s NOT to love?

My biggest wish is that brands would have consistent sizing. It would be a huge relief if I knew I could rely on a particular company when I absolutely need something to fit well. This applies to pants, dresses, tops, skirts, as well as footwear.

I have big hips for my waist size and wide feet. Pants and shoes shopping is always a nightmare for me. I would become loyal to any company that could guarantee waist/hip measurements or shoe dimensions in attractive, stylish offerings.

Dear Girls,
As a retail owner, designer and manafucturer for two women’s clothing stores in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, I thank you all for the helpful suggestions. I’ve studied all the body types and carry my measuring tape around my neck to measure my clients. It has increased our sales big time and helped me to know how to help you look your best. We are small so we tailor to fit and return next day the alterations. I cut lots of my designs on the bias and this is very helpful for big busty women. My biggest challenge is making clothes to hide what we in Mexico call the llantas or tire around the middle. Too many women make the mistake of letting this terrible part of our bodies show, please cover up. Love yourself and it will all come together.

Right, second time that I’m filling this in…

1) More consistent sizing

2) A ban on the sale of sweatpants as casual clothing

3) Expanded petite sections with more colours and choice

4) Options for calf sizing in boots

5) Friendlier sales assistants who will help you get something that suits you

6) Less crappy music in clothes shops

7) A realisation from clothing designers that women have curves

How funny I’m not alone to think of bras first. In addition what had already been said, I’d like to see more bras that give enough support and coverage without adding a size to your bust.

I second [or third] standards for clothing size as well as in-store tailoring.

Outlawing pants with pleats. This needs to happen.

Sales girls who always carry a tape measure, are aware that not everyone can be a size 2, and after someone tries on 20 things and can only find two things that fit, they stop themselves from commenting on it.

Okay, barring my fantasy suggestion, here’s an idea that could be implemented immediately and quite easily by any and all online retailers:

Instead of a sizing system, provide the exact garment measurements, with the garment laid flat. For example for tops tell me what the length is from back of neck to the hem; what is the width laid flat just under the armhole; what is the arm sleeve length; where does the waist hit; and what is the width from shoulder seam to shouder seam.

For pants tell me not just the inseam and front rise, but also what is the back rise, the actual waistband measurement itself, the hip measurement laid flat (right at crotch point), and the thigh measurement.

A lot of ebay sellers are already doing this and this information is FAR more helpful than a size like 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. I can simply take a similar garment that fits well, and compare the measurements. Some retailers will tell you this info if you call them directly, but it would be soooo helpful to have it all there online.

All such wonderful ideas! My greatest wish in retail is for my husband and for a chain that is for shorter and small men. He is 5′6″ and we can never fit him properly. Today’s Wall Street Journal addressed this in the Style section. They start by saying that one out of three men in the US is under 5′8″ and go on to point out what we know…that you can’t even alter the nearest size and have a proper looking fit. Arm holes, pocket size, collars too broad, etc can’t be fixed by shortening pants or sleeves. This store would carry clothing made for shorter men of all body types. I hope somebody out there is listening!

Where on this blog can I find the “perfect pant length” rules. Personally, I always wear mine a little too long because I despise the too short.

+1 on different waist/hip ratios in pants! I have to get every pair of pants (including jeans) tailored, which is a $15-$30 “tax” on each pair!

I would ask — in a rule that encompasses many of the wise comments made above — for simple common sense to prevail in women’s sizing. Why do manufacturers not realize that if men have different length arms and legs, women do too? I am about to give up on buying long-sleeved sweaters, for example, because I need a petite size for torso circumference, but the sleeves on petites are very often too short for me. There’s no solution to that problem that a tailor can fix.

I would also like to see a uniform bra sizing system, and more importantly, I want mainstream retailers to start carrying a greater variety of sizes. If you walk into most stores that the average person has access to, they sometimes don’t even carry a 32 band size, which is surprising because it is not uncommon. If they do carry a 32, it usually only comes in an AA, A, or B cup and nothing bigger. I think the greatest culprit in incorrect bra size is simply the lack of options. I wore a 34B for a long time, when I should have been wearing a 32C, simply because I was unaware that a 32C existed (let alone the 32E that I am now). I KNEW the bra did not feel right, but I did not realize I had a choice. I still hear a lot of women on the forum who have a band size of 30 saying that they wear a 32 because they can’t find a 30 anywhere. This is unacceptable. A proper fitting bra is about a lot more than just appearance–it’s uncomfortable and bad for breast health to wear the wrong size.

I would like a system in which all clothes (or at least woven clothes) are sold “unfinished.” So you walk into the store, and see a picture of what that particular item will look like on a human body (to get an idea, even if it isn’t your specific body type), pick it up off the rack, and then have a team of tailors and seamstresses take down your measurements and fit the garment to your body. The only downside to this would be that returns and exchanges would likely come to an end, but if you have something that is tailor-made to you, the need to return would be dramatically reduced. Perhaps for knit garments, they could have your measurements sent off to a factory where they create it for you. Of course, all of this assumes a limitless budget on the part of the company and the customer, but I can dream.

I do have to be sympathetic though. Barring the possibility of custom-made clothes, which is expensive and less convenient, women of all shapes and sizes are always going to feel frustrated about SOMETHING. It is impossible to cater to every single individual body shape, size, and build. In this discussion alone, I have seen some people complain that “women have curves/aren’t a size 0″ etc, while other women struggle because they are not curvy enough to fill out most clothes or might be getting sized out as sizes gradually get larger.

is it wrong to wish that i could have Angie at a snap of my fingers ( think I dream of genie) to be with me every time i make a purchase? If that’s not possible, than i’d like sales assistants to actually care about what looks good on me – not just about their commission.

I thought of another thing: size 9.5 shoes. I cannot tell you how many times I ask, “do you have these in 9.5?” and the clerk responds, “no sorry. you wouldn’t believe how many people ask about that size.” I always want to scream: “If lots of people want it, why don’t you carry it?”

Agree on consistency in sizing of all clothing and also consistency in bra sizing. Also, why is panty/underwear sizing completely different from everything else? I wear a 7 in panties and a 14 in regular pants? What?

I love Meredith’s idea! That would be amazing — actual inch measurements instead of ambiguous size numbers.

All great suggestions. Lori, I love yours. Little Angie genies for all!

I’m with Joy on this one. I do okay with finding clothes that fit (after tailoring) because women’s clothing shops will create pieces that fit smaller women. This is just not the case with men’s clothing. My hubby is average height- 5′8″ but very, extremely, thin and small-boned. (Think Roberto Heras.) Absolutely NOTHING fits him off the rack. Nothing. Maybe there aren’t a ton of average-height, 118 pound men out there, but I bet there are enough to warrant at least an online store.

I wish there were a group of clothing tailors and makers in the community who made clothing specifically for each person. It seems like there are far more people unhappy with off the rack clothng than happy with it. I’m sure there are tailors out there to do this job but no one I know buys clothes this way. I wonder why that is.
I am taking classes in blouse making next month which includes adjusting patterns to fit my body. I’m so excited to learn these things and not have to wear tops that almost fit me.

The biggest item on my retail wish list is consistent sizing. I like the idea of sizing women’s clothes like men’s, using real measurements instead of the vague 2, 4, 6, 8 system that varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. It costs me a lot of wasted time in fitting rooms and a fortune in shipping charges sending items back to mail order catalogs.

Oh, Fashion Fairy, would you please make it so that I can buy the right shade of nude shoes (flats and platforms and sandals) any time I’d like? Have you noticed all the shops (nordstrom, etc.) usually show all their models wearing the perfect disappearing pair of nude pumps. And then those shoes are never for sale. Ugh.

While you’re at it, would you make sure that manufacturers understand that petite women do NOT want to wear old-lady clothes (again, Nordstrom, shame on you!)

Wave that wand again and make it so that when I buy an item of clothing, the sales people would show me at least three different ways to wear it.

Last, it would be awesome if stores were organized by body type. Or, at least stores could have icons on tags to show what would look good with what.

Well, of course I also wish for more variety of bra sizes in brick and mortar stores. I am tired of ordering bras on the Internet, because no brick and mortar stores carry my size. Also, uniform bra sizing with more measurements in addition to the band and cup size: I would like to see an indication of “deep” vs “shallow” cups, “wide” vs “narrow” central gore, and placement of straps on the shoulders – wide or narrow. I also wish for racerback bras in large sizes.

In clothes, I would like to see t-shirts cut for busty women – ones that are made longer in the front, so that they can accommodate the curve of the bust. And also, very important – party and formal dressing for busty women (Bravissimo and Bratique Helen sort of have the problem of everyday clothes sorted).

Agree with the orphan skirt thing. I am wearing one today that almost didn’t make it out of the house. Had to change several times just to get the look pulled together, so annoying. I wish an the industry would copy the looks/pieces from various issues of Lucky magazine. Some of the basics in that magazine– skinny khaki/black pants, a-line skirts in neutral and pretty colors, and tops in either great colors or with subtle, fabulous details, are all I really want, and what I seem to have the hardest time finding, at a reasonable price point. Andrea, one of the editors at Lucky, really gets it. Why doesn’t the retail industry?

As there are plus sizes, I would like to see minus sizes… sort of like petites but not. Petites are for women of normal sizes who are short. I would like to see clothes the same size as juniors, but for women who are over the age that juniors clothes are appropriate. I’m not there yet, but I will be someday. Perhaps tiny women like me are rare, but I’ve seen many others in the mall, frustrated when the smallest adult size (usually a 2,4 or even 6, depending on the store and brand) is too big on them. I’m not alone, and I would like to see us tiny ladies targeted just a little more.

Wow. You’ve really thought this through. I’m impressed. I like the way some of you included finding solutions for the men in your life.

Tassajara, you crack me up: “Less crappy music is clothes shops”. I’ll confess that I’m loving the 80’s music that most stores are playing right now. Nothing tops 80’s music in my book

Lori, I’ll try to be your shopping genie

It’s time for me to play devil’s advocate. I am opposed to a clothing system that standardizes clothing sizes. Trust me when I tell you that you DO NOT want all size 10’s to be exactly the same size. As a person who clothes ALL body types, sizes and age groups, I wholeheartedly welcome that a size 10 runs bigger or smaller at different retailers. The opportunity to flatter more body types is greater in this way.

Oh, and I agree with many other comments. Too many to list, but Shiny’s is the best. So true.

One more comment. Like others, I would love to see a greater variety of bra sizes. You would think 32Bs would be easy to find, but they are not. Most 32s are As. Add in the complication of my concave sternum, and good-fitting bras are very difficult to find. Really, a 30B is ideal for me, but most 30s I find are AAs.

You know, I really agree with Angie that standardized sizing would not be such a blessing when we don’t have standardized bodies. Even if something “fits” me, it is not necessarily flattering, so I still have to try everything on. I don’t see that it would make a huge difference if I could predict the literal dimensions of the garment better.

But I very heartily second the idea of boots in a range of calf sizes! And less crappy music in stores!

Maybe I’m dense or am unwittingly wearing terrible tops, but I don’t really get what the “tops for skirts” problem is.

Maybe what we need is a more realistic sizing system. Since bodies come in all shapes & sizes, having a size 6, 8, 10 world is unrealistic. I like Tanya’s idea of different waist to hip ratios (as this is always an issue for me as well). Maybe something similar could be used for tops, incorporating the shoulder, bust, waist, and sometimes hip, measurement, with an arm circumference tossed in for sleeves. And length on everything for those who are short & long waisted.

Maybe the whole ‘Made to Order’ system would be best. But then again, what about the instant gratification aspect of shopping?

Joy…I read that WSJ article today, and was going to mention it here.

Shiny, I love your fantasie idea. It’s too bad we live in a more is better society.

sizing: I bought a pair of shorts (years ago when I still wore shorts) at BR and wore a 10 in olive, in black I needed a 14. I chalked it up to the ails of mass production.

Some department stores (Nordstrom’s, Neiman’s, small boutiques) do offer tailoring in-store and complimentary with purchase.

My dream: our line (Bratique Helene). Before the world of retail, women had 1-2 new dresses made for them each season. Those garments were made for their bodies (knits weren’t so much used then) and fit like a glove.

My fashion fairy godmother can start by making great-fitting jeans that don’t cost $175.

Don’t get me wrong. Thanks to premium denim, I’m wearing jeans that flatter for the first time in my life. Believe me, I have tried loads of jeans in my lifetime and I am grateful to have found something that looks great. BUT, why do they have to cost $175?? (And no, the brand that fits me best rarely/never goes on sale. Sad face.)

Great ideas! My biggest issues are pant fit and length, and I learned not to bother with certain stores, but it took a long time. My most reliable store as far as pant fit goes is Club Monaco, but I don’t know what I’d do without it. I also echo Joy and Steffie on the lack of clothing variety for shorter/smaller men. We struggle with it a lot, and it’s extremely rare to find anything that fits off the rack. This year we found one shirt at BR and felt like a huge accomplishment.

As a former Nordstrom saleslady, I understand customers’ concerns. Like Angie said, you don’t want consistent sizes in all brands. An item that doesn’t Work for you may be heaven to someone else. I used to offer my help to some women and get rejected. I used to see the same women try on the same jeans daily. I’m pretty saavy on their fit. Very few women take heed to salespeople’s opinions because of the commission factor. At Nordstrom, the return policy is nonexistent.So why would I sell a garment if you can return at anytime? When it come to perfect fit, a tailor is a must. For a perfect, polished look, alterations is a must. In a perfect world, we all can buy off the rack.But we all have issues: plus, petite, tall, boyish figures, curvy, etc. The truth is we all have problems buying clothes. But with help of Angie, we all can be stylish fashionistas.

ChristineB, regarding instant gratification, is it really instant, when you have to surf 300 web pages, visit 10 different stores in the mall, try on a zillion clothes in three different sizes, just to find one perfect fitting pair of jeans/top/blazer/etc.? I don’t think so. I think made to order would save hours and hours of our time.

Oh, and how could I forget – boots available in different calf circumference

I think pants with waist sizing/ length sizing would be a step in the right direction. 2, 4 or size 6 pants really does not mean much anymore except you have to take about 10 pairs of pants to try on. Then I was told recently by a really helpful young woman at the Gap that insisted (and she was right) that I try on several pairs once I found my size because of the difference in the size depending where it fell in the cutting stack of the denim.

Being able to find a wide variety of boots with different size heels. It seems that you really have to search to find boots with say a 2 inch heel. Shoes with a medium heel rather than just flats and say heels.

More realistic times for the seasons in the stores depending on your location. I live in a cold area of the country that spends most of the year in cooler temperatures. We have bathing suits in January. I know people go to warm climates for vacation but really is it necessary to clearance all winter clothing after December? By the time you need a bathing suit in the Pacific Northwest they are starting to display jackets and light sweaters for fall. So, you have to shop for the next season really far in advance rather than being able to find the required item at the appropriate time.

P.S. Thank you Antje for the lovely write up about the YLF Clothing Swap, and thanks to everyone that participated. I have enjoyed wearing my new skirt and coat! Thank you!

Fab suggestions.

It seems that most of your retail gripes are about fit and I would tend to agree that’s a huge clothing challenge. That’s why I like Sal’s idea best. You have to make alteration a part of your life and if it were always free, it would really help.

Having custom made clothing is indeed a fantasy. Most people could not afford it. If you sew and like to sew, it’s a different story. Also, reflecting back to how clothes were custom made hundreds of years ago is a bad comparison. Our needs have changed since then. Women rode horses, farmed land and did chores in long dresses and corsets back then and did not complain. Heavens above! Having a few items custom made each season would bore me to tears (unless you were extremely wealthy, that’s all you could afford). I absolutely thrive on the instant and sometimes not so instant thrill of purchasing something in stores or online. That’s why I help other people do it.

I go nuts with the assumption that all women have the same length legs. And arms. Mens clothing has different lengths available. I honestly would prefer that pants were left unhemmed since I have to have every pair adjusted anyway.

I also get pretty ticked that there is an assumption that when I go from size 6 ot size 4, my legs get shorter. Size 4 pants with long legs are rare, indeed.

And Clothing Fairy…please make it easier to get a nice fitting bra for smaller busted ladies. I don’t need a lot of wires and gadgets…just something to keep my boobies from slipping into my armpits. And if I could just figure out those blasted sizing labels….they are so different from brand to brand.

One last thing, dear Clothing Fairy….panties that don’t ride up. I don’t like thongs. I have some boo-tay so I need some extra fabric back there. Even “boy shorts” are skimpy and ride up. If I could have some nice boo-tay covering panties, I could finally rest in peace. Thank you, Clothing Fairy.

There was a store here in Dallas that was based on the premise of sizing women’s career pants in inches of the waist, like men’s pants. Also the pants were only 90% complete – called ready to alter. What a great idea.

The store was backed by some investors and still did not make it past two years I think. Go figure . . .

I am curious why my comments are often moderated. If I am doing something wrong I’d like to know so I can avoid it, thanks!

Oh Athena! I’m not sure. This comment came through instantly. I’ll speak to Greg about it. I can assure you that it’s nothing personal. Somehow our software is picking up your URL as spam, or something like that any way.

Athena, comments go through moderation if the system thinks they *might* be spam. For example, this triggers if the comment contains certain words or lots of links. I didn’t write this particular piece of code so sometimes it is a mystery to me why the system delays a comment for moderation.

Lola said it all A tailor is a must. If every store had one on site at all times you would not only know before hand “if” it could be altered to fit…but have it done before you leave the store ..or pick up at a later date.

Nordstrom is the best at this so far ..That I have found anyway.

So many good suggestions have been said. Other than emphasizing more choices for petites, I really like the idea of a knit wear repair shop. In Beijing, there are services that you can recycle a piece of old cashmere sweater and have it redone to styles you chose. Or you can have sweaters or wool clothes with moth holes repaired in a few days. The cost is a fraction of a new one. For example, remaking a cashmere sweater completely costs about $20! Of course, the labor costs a lot less there so it could be unrealistic here.

Oh Marlene you have brought up another one for the wish list, panties that actually do the job they are intended for. We need a little coverage back there. Like you I have tried the boy shorts and that was a bad idea. It seemed good in theory. It’s starting to look just as Angie says, we should all wear more skirts. That would help avoid some of these fit issues.

Ideally, I’d like something shaped like those “shapers” but without all the firm control. I don’t really want control…just something that is shaped like a shaper. Those Spanx are way too sausage-like and have too much control. I kind of like the idea of men’s boxer-briefs. Snug like the tighty-whities but go down the leg to eliminate the panty line. But mine would be in a slick fabric like nylon so clothes don’t stick.

Can I add doing pant sizes like mens pant sizes? I’m a standard dress size 6, which translates out to a Gap 1, an Old Navy 3, a Banana Republic 0. In all of them, the pants are generally too long. They don’t make clothing for small people and petites are boxy and usually too short.

Can we start sizing things by their measurement instead of by arbitrary vanity sizing?

xo

Birdie

Is it too late to chime in? If not:

First, I’d love to get a store that just carries jeans. I believe that this exists – was it National Jeans Company or something? Shiny had mentioned it – but it sure doesn’t on the west coast. I dream of a store that I can go and just say “pleeze, I want some jeans that fit me perfectly” and then a kind and knowledgeable sales woman measures me, understands my body shape and issues, and suggests several brands and styles to try without trying to sell me on one specific kind. I’d be in heaven – and sure would reward them with my patronage and drop some bucks there.

Second, how about making the shopping experience more social. Many women enjoy going shopping with a friend, both for the fun and social aspect, but also because they want instant feedback while trying things on. Currently, stores don’t cater to this, and I think it’s a missed opportunity. Returns and exchanges might go down if women had friends with them more often for the yay/nay they seek, and they might spend more money because shopping becomes more of an “experience”. One way through which stores could accommodate and nurture this is by redesigning dressing rooms, e.g. making the individual rooms bigger (for taking a friend inside) or by offering comfortable seating around the dressing rooms. Some stores already do this, e.g. Ann Taylor, but I think that many other stores, including lower budget ones, would benefit from such changes. Sales staff could offer shopping companions water or coffee and generally include them more in the shopping experience, treating them as an important component rather than a bystander. And then of course there is the friend who isn’t in the store but whose feedback really counts. Some women –especially a growing number of teens and young women- take pictures of themselves in the dressing room, send the picture to a friend on their mobile phone, and won’t buy the garment without getting an instant “thumbs up” from their friend. Stores should embrace and enable this through use of technology, e.g. starting with a mirror with a built-in camera that can send pictures to a mobile phone, and then the recipients can do quick ratings.

Finally, stores might benefit from using actual customers as models. There could be posters of customers in various outfits that include the store’s clothes in the dressing room or even on the sales floor. Featured customers will be flattered to serve as “models” (not everyone would do this, of course, but enough women would), and shoppers will love to see “real women” in the clothes they are thinking of buying. It’s inspiring, and gives them more reason to buy the clothes since they immediately have ideas for how to wear them.

Nicole et al :
It’s sad how some americans are under the delusion that the whole world uses their inches and feet system (and ounces, pounds, miles, etc). A truly international sizing system should definitely be metric. As copied off the US CIA World Factbook “At this time, only three countries – Burma, Liberia, and the US – have not adopted the International System of Units (SI, or metric system) as their official system of weights and measures.”
Other than that, I agree more uniform sizing would be better (especially for online retail).

I have to chime in again. My biggest problem with retail is size. I was at Target this weekend and found some of the “Lucky” basics, two great tiered skirts with great tailoring in the Mossimo black line. MB is geared to the “women’s sizes” thing, 2-14. I am 38 and a size women’s size 0, 1-3 in juniors. It is nearly impossible for me to build my collection of bottoms in paticular because of this factor. Old Navy has carried my size for years but recently also dropped the size 1, a very popular size that is continuously sold out, in favor of 0-14 and their size 0 is slightly too small….. I am getting way too old to shop in juniors.

More wonderful suggestions. I hope our fairy godmothers are listening.

Marlene and San, you and I have the same requirements when it comes to knickers. These boy shorts work for me. I hope they work for you too:
http://youlookfab.com/2008/04/.....ollection/

Antje, I like your reference to the social aspect of shopping. This is a great topic for another blog post.

Cathy and Sarah, I hear you loud and clear. Finding women’s clothes to fit in America when you’re very dainty is hard. Often, size 0’s won’t fit either. It’s especially hard when you’re regular height because petites run short in all proportions. My advice is to shop at Euro stores where the sizes run smaller. They’ll size a Euro 36 as an American size 4 – which ends up being smaller than a size 0 here in the US today. Isn’t that interesting. Euro stores have kept American sizes as they were 15 -20 years ago.

Ladies! I cannot understand why so many of you are fixated on size standardization. Focus on the fit and not the size. Sizes will always differ because styles, fabric integrity and target markets are different. Embrace it! You will NOT be happy if sizes are standardized. I’d be willing to put my head on a block about it.

Marianne, what would we do without Club Monaco?

Angie, where do I find a Euro in America store? I think H&M is one, but we don’t have one nearby (the closest is about 3 hours away) and they don’t even have the option of online shopping.

You’re on the right track, Sarah. Of course, typically, Euro stores don’t have online shopping facilities. That’s an American retail concept. You might not have these stores in your area either but if you ever bump into the following be sure to take a look: Zara, Mango, H&M, French Connection, Miss Sixty, Esprit, Mexx and Armani Exchange.

Try Club Monaco too (a Canadian store with Euro sizing – my favourite Northern American shopping experience). Then there’s also Bebe, Guess, Express and Arden B (American chains with smaller fits). Sift through their glitz and stick to the classy stuff. Designer collections run smaller too, but I don’t think you’ll like their prices. Hope that gives you a good start.

Thanks Angie…I will definitely be getting myself some of those Soma knickers! Definitely worth a try!

[...] about sizing and fit came through loud and clear when we brainstormed about improving fashion retail. Here are some examples: “I wish for consistent sizing from store to store so that you’d never [...]

I just found this blog, and I realize this post is a little old, but I wanted to chime in anyway. Most of the things I would introduce have already been said, but let me just emphasize one point.

Please, for the love of sanity, turn the flippin’ music down or off. I hate trying to shop in stores of any type that have such loud, thumping music that I feel like I am in a nightclub looking for the bar instead of in a store looking for a bargain! I won’t buy anything in a store that is like this, regardless of how fabulous or well-priced their clothing is. They could be selling all of my dream clothes that magically fit and make me look like a catwalk model, everything could be $1, and I’d still refuse to buy because of this irritation.