YouLookFab Forum » Topic: About sizes and figures issues

YouLookFab Forum » Topic: About sizes and figures issues https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 02 May 2026 20:19:17 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 <![CDATA[Search]]> q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php Irene on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues/page/2#post-1463761 Fri, 27 Mar 2015 09:11:55 +0000 Irene 1463761@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ While I agree that they pin the clothes on mannequins and models so that they look more tailored, it is also true that my straighter (not necessarily skinnier) friends have it easier when it's time to shop for clothes. My 5.7", 110Ibs friend buys her clothes online and hardly ever exchanges or returns anything. She orders a Small and that's that, and she never looks like her clothes don't fit. She has a smaller bust and hips, so it's just more probable that her clothes will fit overall because there are less variables. She can also get away with buying -gasp- bikini sets where the two parts go together.  My not-so slim/straight friends, or even myself (a slim but curvy woman) have it a lot, lot, lot harder. It's funny though, because I have heard the 'but everything looks good on you!' way too many times. It doesn't, but I'm just patient and good at finding stuff that fits my shape.  LaceyDawn on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues/page/2#post-1463746 Fri, 27 Mar 2015 08:20:34 +0000 LaceyDawn 1463746@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ What I'd like to see is measurements more like men's clothes (32/33 or 41/34 or whatever sizes) as opposed to random letters & sizes that are never the same across retailers. I wonder what J Crew & Zara's items would look like if they were created using the same numbering system as a Lane Bryant size S or Target L or insert brand here. An added measurement for rise in pants as well. Low, medium & high are frusterating!  Then a curvy, petite, balanced waisted momma like myself could shop with relative confidence.  Marina on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues/page/2#post-1463689 Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:27:42 +0000 Marina 1463689@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Lisap, don't feel bad about your shape - specially not because of this post. I understand how frustrating (and bad for self-esteem) is the feeling of "not fitting", but my point was exactly that the clothes have the wrong fit, not us. I think there are beauty in all shapes and despite what is considered beauty or what is not (that is a rather complex question that could render a entire new post) there are women in all shapes and sizes, so clothes should have more diverse fits and sizes to reflect that. catgirl on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues/page/2#post-1463685 Fri, 27 Mar 2015 02:07:27 +0000 catgirl 1463685@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Echoing Janet - the "petites" section generally skews classic and preppy over RATE UWP!  It's hard to find all styles across all size ranges. Anonymous on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues/page/2#post-1463571 Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:59:57 +0000 Anonymous 1463571@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ An interesting point. Do designers, manufacturers and retailers, tend to design around and promote clothes that are more likely to fit a standard size model? These are the people who are being used to advertise the clothes, yet except for plus size and older models, they tend to fit a specific demographic physically that is not the norm. I think it is true that it is more likely that one can visually see the clothes better on straight, thinner figures. You don't see the curves and if it's a print it's easier to see the print rather than how curves affect the print. Model figures are more likely to not visually get in the way of the garments that are being advertised and sold. However, how does that then relate to the reality that there's a wide variety of figures that these clothes have to fit? One thing I do like are companies that have a variety of silhouettes for various types of figures, straight, curvy, plus size, petite and tall. I've also found that certain retailers are more likely to "get my fit" in terms of physical characteristics.  Sometimes I think it's a matter of what's in fashion at that time. I have thinner legs and not much in the way of hips. I love skinny jeans, some of which fit more like straight leg pants for me. I remember a period of time when retailers appeared to assume that all women had more of an hourglass shape. I had trouble finding pants that didn't look like gauchos, and more than once found myself getting jeans from the boy's department. Another reason why I appreciate retailers who offer choices. I think I would have found lots to wear in the 1920's with the straight silhouettes and I think the 1950's, with the cinched waists - not so much. Anonymous on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues/page/2#post-1463566 Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:34:16 +0000 Anonymous 1463566@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I vowed I wasn't going to get myself sucked into this conversation, but here I am.  Body shape, weight, fit of clothes etc is a huge trigger point for me and sends my self-esteem into the garbage way too easily.  I'm horrible at comparing myself to others and wishing for this or that body part, and I wish I would not do it.   Anyways......what I don't see in this discussion is the issues that come with finding clothes for a fit, athletic body with some muscle development.  Zara and J Crew models look like they've never seen a gym in their life.  Same with Club Monaco.  Skinny, flat chested knock kneed hipsters in gorgeous clothes. Someone please kill me now.  In all seriousness, even at my skinniest of a few years ago when I was wearing 0's and 2's, I had trouble, and still do, with blouses, blazer sleeves, and even some long-sleeved knit tops fitting my arms properly.  I work out with weights, am quite strong , and have toned and well-developed shoulders, biceps and triceps. I also run, walk and spin, and do countless squats and lunges - so I have developed quads, and hamstrings.  I wear (relatively) small sizes, but often have trouble getting the more fashion forward lines and cuts to fit.  That to me is as frustrating as having trouble with natural body shape issues.  And I'm no steroid crazed juiced-up bodybuilder, just a normal looking woman who happens to work out a lot.  Why are manufacturers  still cranking out clothes for a body type that hasn't existed in ages? DonnaF on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1463561 Thu, 26 Mar 2015 21:15:49 +0000 DonnaF 1463561@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm nodding in sympathy with Janet.  But truly in the U.S., I think one can buy from a variety of stores and brands (assuming one has the budget!!!) with almost as many fit models.  It depends on how far and wide one is willing to search and how one feels about the store or brand's aesthetic.  In addition to fat thighs/legs, I have fat arms, so tops that might otherwise fit don't.  But really, that's mostly Junior clothing.  I pass on garments that don't fit perfectly or close to perfectly.  There's a limit to how much alterations can help.  Janet on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1463023 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:56:42 +0000 Janet 1463023@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh, I'm catching up on this and chuckling with sympathy. I find it frustrating when some designers and stores that fit my desired aesthetic clearly don't wish to appeal to women with my body type. It's all well and good that some retailers like LL Bean and Talbots make fits that work for women like me who have significant thighs and hips, but I don't find their styles appealing at all for my particular style. This phenomenon has definitely contributed at times to me feeling like my body is wrong for the kind of fashion I wish to wear! Rock chicks are slim with skinny legs after all, and I just don't fit that profile. So I feel like my style is always a bit of a compromise. viva on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1463011 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:41:06 +0000 viva 1463011@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh boy. It's so easy to divide the world into skinny vs not-skinny but we know it's really not like that. I am definitely on the small side, but I have no waist and muscular thighs, so I am not skinny. Dresses are impossible -- no waist which means I need a larger size, no breasts which means I need a smaller size. I will wear shifts until I die. And on and on. Certainly there are women with figures like fit models, and for them clothing tends to fit off the rack really well. And as someone said, you can find retailers that work for you. JCrew tends to work for me much of the time. But any designer (like Nanette Lepore, for example) who celebrates the hourglass shape works for me none of the time. When I realized that all the store mannequins were pinned in the back, I felt much much better when I shopped. This told me not to trust anything that I saw, and to just try things on, hope for the best, and not get overwrought when things didn't work out. I don't get anything tailored because I am lazy, but if you can find a good seamstress (like Sveta has) it could be a miraculous thing. Anonymous on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1463008 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:39:37 +0000 Anonymous 1463008@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Aziraphale, where to begin. First, I have sucessfully had fabric added to lower hems. I understand darts, side seams and waistbands, but I need the rear only of lined tropical wool trousers taken in to look acceptable on my flat butt. When I've had it done, it was expensive and looked strange and still baggy. For any top bought off the rack, I really need the whole thing raised by 2-4 inches but still need to allow for a sway back and broad shoulders. This is an easy fix with most simple sleeveless tops, but anything with sleeves gets complicated and pretty much needs to be remade. My narrow bust doesn't help either. One "impossible" alteration I wanted was to have a dress fit on top. I thought it would be easy because the dress was sleeveless. I was shown that in this case, if the top were pulled up, the band would not fit my rib cage, which is rather large for my size, and the dress could not be zipped up (side zip). Marina on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462997 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:30:07 +0000 Marina 1462997@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ abc, answering your curiosity about Brazilian retailer We have some local manufactures/stores specifically for plus size clothes (anything above 48 is plus size) and some department and chain stores whose "normal sizes" are a lot bigger than usual, where M means L and L means XL. Problem here is not exactly the range of sizes but the lack of variations like different inseams or petite/normal/tall sizes. Our sizes are 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50 and 52. They are roughly similar to normal 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 in waist/hips measurements, but a 36/38 will have a waist-crotch height similar to a petite 2/4 and short inseam while a 46/48 will be like a tall 12/14 with long inseam. If you are short with extra weight you will need to buy a clothe designed for a woman a lot taller and bigger than you. If you are tall but skinny you will need to buy a baggy size or your clothes will be too short. Bras are always B cups, only band size varying (nowadays there are 2 brands with basic bras with "special sizes" - they have 32-38 bands with A to D cups). Beside all this, it's very very common for a piece to be made only for a small range of sizes and totally disproportional pieces like a skinny with a 12 size that is 12 only around hips, with legs same size as a 6, or a m size shirt with sleeves so narrow they will only fit woman with very thin arms, narrowing our options even more Oh, and Lars, I liked your links a lot. Plastic surgery isn't something quite affordable here except for mid-high or higher class women (and those are less than 20% of us), nevertheless it's getting more and more popular. Some (rich) women do several surgeries and other aggressive beauty treatments very often and we have a expression for exaggerated body care that translated would be "body worship". That's is something to think about. note: I know in english body worship has another meaning, but there is no english equivalent  to our expression "body worship"  as far as I know. Anyway those are totally unrelated things. trekkiegirl on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462995 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:29:06 +0000 trekkiegirl 1462995@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Fascinating topic. I've seen from personal experience shopping in highly ethnic-saturated neighborhoods that certain brands and even entire stores definitely do cater to the hourglass figure more than one that is thinner. The quality of fabric and construction may not be as good, but I'm ok with that. There are higher end brands with better quality that fit curvier shapes as well, you just have to search. Marina on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462989 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 17:13:43 +0000 Marina 1462989@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Those were really interesting comments. I feel a little selfish saying this, but it's good to know skinny women also have issues with nowadays sizes and fitting. And cheap production/fast fashion role in this matter is really good point and tv/magazines do make things look rather different from real life. In this specific case I don't know why bother "embellishing" one case and not the others, but that is a possibility (maybe they deliberately want to sell the idea that skinny fits better despite it this is true or not). Most of my clothes are tailored to fit. Problem is sometimes our sizes (by "ours" I mean Brazilian sizes) are so mismatched that is impossible to adapt it's size without undoing and remaking the entire piece (that or without ending up with a totally messed up clothe). Krissy on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462800 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 08:14:58 +0000 Krissy 1462800@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I haven't had a chance to read all the replies, but I've read a few of them. It's an interesting topic and one that I've thought on a few times as well. I agree with Astrid about fast fashion being cut more for a slim figure. Even Zara (which I kind of place between nice clothing and fast fashion) is cut to fit a particular boy like figure. I am not overweight, but I have a pear shape.  I normally wear a US 8-10 on the bottom and will often wear a top that is 1-2 sizes smaller. A few weeks ago, I was in Zara and I couldn't even close a pair of size L trousers. To add insult to injury, they didn't even make them in an XL. I spoke to a friend about it and we agreed that Zara sizes seem to be cut smaller than other brands, but it was interesting how personal it felt. It was hard not to feel like Zara was saying "nope, our clothes are for skinny thighs only". This happened in the UK. There seem to be more brands in the US that cater to curvier figures. Some brands, like LL Bean and Talbot, even have a "curvy" range which are roomier in the thighs and nip in at the waist. Perfect! I've browsed through the styles and they are as current and on trend as other clothing lines. Unfortunately, I live in the UK and I'll have to restrict my purchases to my infrequent visits to the US.  Basically, I think that in general, styles are often cut to look better on tall, slim figures with thin thighs. But, some of the fun is making those styles work on all body types!  rachylou on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462796 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 07:41:41 +0000 rachylou 1462796@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Oh one other thought: I feel we need to consider our own aesthetic biases. I was watching some music thing and I couldn't tell the difference between Taylor Swift and Jewel and Carrie Underwood. I wasn't sure who was who, and I found them all frightening because they were all doing a look I call Alien Face. Clearly a lot of people like this look, but I react with utter horror. And maybe I'm wrong since Alien Face is obviously popular... rachylou on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462795 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 07:20:19 +0000 rachylou 1462795@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Well, I'm what my doctor thinks is a healthy weight. What's interesting to me is that when I'm this thin, it's harder for me to get a date. Also, my measurements miss the golden mean by a mile; my waist should be narrower (this has health implications btw, so that should is really a should). Theoretically this should mean I have the stick figure that makes clothes look smashing. But the truth is, I'm not delicate enough. And magazines and TV are one thing; however, in the stores not that much is cut for such a straight figure. I can't fill out most pants I see. Lot of deflated saddlebags at the hips for me... Aziraphale on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462784 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 04:39:47 +0000 Aziraphale 1462784@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Really, Joy? That's unfortunate. What kinds of alterations do you need? I've only had one or two alterations go awry, and I've had all kinds. I have had skirts taken in along the side seam, darts added to the waist of a skirt, darts added to dress shirts, jean waistbands taken in, shoulders taken up on a waistcoat (that one involved having the upper back part re-cut!), shoulder pads removed from coats, jacket sleeves taken up from the shoulder, and all kinds of hemming. One time recently, I had a skirt waistband replaced entirely. I've never had any tailor tell me something was impossible. They can even add fabric if they need to, like one time when I wanted the back vent in a skirt to be extended and there wasn't enough facing to do so.  Anonymous on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462762 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 02:54:43 +0000 Anonymous 1462762@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have had horrible luck with tailoring things, especially baggy trousers, and wasted lots of money. The kind of adjustments that I need for a good fit in trousers or jackets are not easy and I've never had one go well, even with experienced, highly recommended tailors. I've had some tell me that it cannot be done, so buying bigger does not help. Sal on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462749 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 02:23:28 +0000 Sal 1462749@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think most people have problems finding clothes that fit well, outside knit fabrics.  In NZ I can vary sizes between two different ones; I know in the US I varied between 3 different sizes.   I do agree that for a decent fit tailoring is an excellent idea, buy the larger size and get it fitted where is too large.  I will do this for my next tailored trousers which are the item I struggle with the most.  My other concern is length for dresses and skirts.  I am 174cm tall (about 5 7 or 8 I think) and find often lengths are too short on me....I just keep looking. Keturah on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462722 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:34:47 +0000 Keturah 1462722@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Also--button up shirts don't always fit well. I get those to fit in my shoulders (I have wide shoulders) and get the waist taken in. Sometimes I have the arms taken in too. Keturah on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462720 Wed, 25 Mar 2015 00:33:46 +0000 Keturah 1462720@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I think it's absokutely all about fitting and tailoring. I'm 5'11, US size 14 and an hourglass. I have to get things tailored to fit well. I prefer softer, blousy fits. But even then sometimes it needs a nip and tuck. Pants are most difficult. Brand wise Old Navy seems to be cut for rectangular or Apple shapes. Anthropologie runs smaller but they do have some things that fit me well. I also love h&m because of sheer number of items to choose from. And Targèt seems to always fit me well. What's hard for me just isn't fit but finding shops with beautiful clothes that stock sizes larger than a 10/12. It's better than it used to be. But sometimes I strike out. I say tailoring is the answer. I found a European tailor in my town. She is German-Ukranian and does a fab job. I would probably get a tailor over a seamstress. I have found tailors do a better job and the clothes fit better after they're altered. But maybe I've had bad seamstresses? My feeling is if they can tailor a man's suit, woman's formal, and replace a coat lining in a nice expensive dress coat, they get my business no matter the cost. LAR101 on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462665 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 22:41:26 +0000 LAR101 1462665@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ abc,   Brasil is turning to plastic surgery to solve it's fit problems! From the internet (for what it's worth)... While the blogger 'Braless In Brasil' can'f find a decent bra and probably clothes, too, the country is turning to plastic surgery as a solution. Feast on these articles... For 'braless in brasil' you may have to go back to some of the early postings to see her complaints about shopping for clothes in brasil.. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bralessinbrasil.com/">http://www.bralessinbrasil.com/</a>  Here she is commenting... " I  have to say this bugs me a lot.  Maybe it's only in Brazil but if you look at the way many fitted dresses are designed, it's very much with the Disney Princess in mind.  Most of them leave quite a bit more room in the ribcage than they do at the natural waist.  The assumption being that women have wide ribcages, smallish breasts and narrow waists.  Certainly, there are women who fit that ideal but speaking as someone who has a small ribcage, large breasts, and a largish waist, it's nearly impossible to find a good dress!  Even when I match up perfectly to the measurements listed, the dresses are cut way too large in the back and too small upfront." - See more at: <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bralessinbrasil.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-02:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-02:00&max-results=50#sthash.HduhSZVO.dpuf">http://www.bralessinbrasil.com.....12-01-01T0</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/10/07/353270270/an-uplifting-story-brazils-obsession-with-plastic-surgery">http://www.npr.org/blogs/paral.....on-with-pl</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/07/world/americas/mannequins-give-shape-to-venezuelan-fantasy.html">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11.....ntasy.html</a> jacquie on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462655 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 22:27:33 +0000 jacquie 1462655@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Clothes work better on a figure that allows the piece to hang. Thus a thin woman with wide shoulders is ideal. She can be tall or short so long as the scale matches her size. A Donald duck-shaped woman with a protruding abdomen and butt is going to have a harder time finding anything that drapes as nicely. She is also guaranteed to need a tailor. Kirstjen on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462645 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 22:03:07 +0000 Kirstjen 1462645@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm surprised that there isn't more discussion about tailoring in the forum. Tailoring can help an outdated article of clothing become more current, make something look less frumpy, and just generally improve the overall fit. My guess is that if you were watching something on tv, the clothing was tailored so that it fit that person perfectly.  It probably didn't fall off the hanger fitting perfectly.  About a year ago, I read an interview with a fashion designer (maybe Tom Ford?) who said that he even gets his undershirts tailored.   My suggestion is to find a good tailor & take almost everything to be altered and you will look a lot better, no matter what your size & shape are.   Proper fit can make even a Target dress look better. Same goes for boots that don't fit correctly - a good cobbler can expand or tighten the shaft of the boot.  They can also repair handbags, replace the strap, etc. abc on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462624 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 21:35:18 +0000 abc 1462624@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm more curious how the retailers cover (or don't) the needs in Brasil.  Here in Mexico anything over a US12-14 ventures fast into double knit elastic waist territory (not fashionable at all).  In my few visits to Brasil it seemed there was a wide variety of sizes of women, so I am curious how their needs are covered by retailers.  I didn't see too many plus size stores; I wonder if social pressure feeds into it, as I noticed much more awareness of health and body (some may call it vanity) in Brasil, more than I notice here in Mexico.  Anyway, I am just curious how things are in different countries.  Welcome to YLF! Anonymous on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462613 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 21:09:17 +0000 Anonymous 1462613@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I have a straight fairly narrow IT body and have an awful time getting several types of clothes to fit, especially tops, jackets and coats made for women with curves. If it fits in the shoulders, the arm holes are too low and it bags in front. If the bust fits, it is tight through the shoulders. Then there are trousers that all seem to be cut for women with hips. I look like I'm wearing a full diaper. And those items are just an example. It isn't any easier for the slim IT or rectangle. minigrrl on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462601 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 20:37:34 +0000 minigrrl 1462601@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I am curvy.  I have a small waist and small hips (if you are looking at me head on) but a large bum and fairly large boobs.   I buy almost everything a size too large and then attempt (I do have a fairly high percentage of failures, I'm not a good seamstress!) to adjust things to fit me.   If I don't do this and buy for my waist size, buttons gape at the front of shirts and hips don't fit.  If I don't do this and buy for my bust or hip size, everything is baggy at the waist.  So I do a lot of taking in for the waist. I've just accepted that this is the way it is. I do have a few things hanging in my closet right now that I can't figure out how to adjust - like do they need darts under the bust, a dart in the back, or just need the sides taking in? I do a lot of pinning with things inside out and then trying on.  I also do a LOT of seam ripping!!! When I'm not as large as I am right now (I'm a yo-yoer) I buy pretty much everything stretchy, so it molds to me. E on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462591 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 20:26:53 +0000 E 1462591@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ I'm naturally thin & have a minorly curvy figure (no one would call it voluptuous, but my waist:hip ratio is 0.7 & bust:waist is 0.74), and it's impossible to find woven tops that have enough space for my bust and are also nipped in enough to show off my waist. So even though I'm thin, and have a smaller bust, I loathe most button downs, because if they fit right at the bust, they turn my torso into a box & completely obscure my waist. Luckily, I also have broader shoulders for my size, so I can opt for waist surrendering & just wear breezy, intentionally full cut tops. But it is frustrating that the only one to play up my curves, when I want to, is to either wear a knit top or tuck in/belt a woven one. I also have big problems with skinnies & most jeans: if they fit my bum, they almost always gape at the waist. Wider leg trousers are much easier for me to fit. And of course, I'm frequently sized out with various manufacturers, with even an xs too big, which brings its own frustrations. But all of those frustrations don't negate my thin privilege, of course. I think tailoring for curves takes more expertise & time, hence why most tops today have straighter lines. When I try on vintage clothes, I'm always amazed at how well they fit; they all have darts and princess seaming and other such accommodations . Which must've been oppressive for straight-framed women without much waist definition at the time, but I can't help wishing manufacturers provided both options today! Some brands are cut curvier than others though, so over time I've learned which ones I'll have more luck with (bebe, BCBG, and many of the brands sold by Anthropologie tend to both run small & be cut on more hourglass lines if you need suggestions!). Astrid on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462588 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 20:22:21 +0000 Astrid 1462588@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Yes, I agree - not true. You can be skinny and hard to fit. If we're talking really wanting PROPER fit. You might get away with ill fitting clothes more easily, but that's a different thing. Aziraphale on "About sizes and figures issues" https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/about-sizes-and-figures-issues#post-1462587 Tue, 24 Mar 2015 20:18:02 +0000 Aziraphale 1462587@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ Sorry, catseye -- that is simply NOT TRUE. ;-)  (Skinny women can vary a lot!).