Dissatisfaction with irregular sizing is a common topic on the forum. And, although it makes online shopping difficult, I'm so grateful that not every manufacturer cuts garments using one standardized model. If that happened, with my IT shape, I'd be forced to walk around in a plastic bag because my body shape has almost no indentation in the waist and my hip measurement is the smaller than my bust. The IT shape is never represented on any of the sizing charts I've seen.
European garments are often difficult for me to fit because they are cut for a much curvier shape. If the top fits, the bottom is huge. I do buy European designers, but I always need to try on the garment to find the right size and, quite often, need to make some fitting adjustments. On the other hand, I like J Crew because many of their items are cut for a rectangular shape which fits better on my IT body. I can usually purchase a J Crew pant online in my size and wear it without making any adjustments.
Compounding the problem is the fact some of us like our clothing to fit closely to our bodies, while others prefer a more slouchy, body skimming fit. So, even if three of us were body doubles with exactly the same body measurements and our weight in the exactly same places, I might like the fit of a size 8 jacket while another person could find the fit too snug, and the third might think it too loose.
Given all these variables, my vote is squarely for non-standardized sizing!
