Do Gap sizes run small....VERY small?

Mochi

Because I just had a jacket in 14 and 16 shipped to me. The 16 didn't come close to fitting. I can usually finagle a 14 or sometimes even a 12. Not depressed, just want to keep it in mind if that's true. Thanks!

11 years ago

Shopping

21 replies

Latest reply was from Jules

Diana

Veteran

It might be missized! I ordered some pants last summer in 8 and 10, and the so-called 10 was substantially smaller than the 8. The second pair of 10s I ordered fit like they were supposed to. Gap's quality control seems to be a bit off these days. I have placed 3 online orders with them in the last 6 mos. or so and two of them (the aforementioned missized pants, and another one where they sent me 6 instead of 8) had problems.

11 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

I see...but both the 14 and 16 were incredibly small.

No worries. You know, actually now that you mention it, I saw this jacket in a 10 during Shoptoberfest and tried it. It was too small, but probably around the same size as the 16! Isn't that weird? I don't love it that much to try and fix the problem with them.

11 years ago

K. Period.

Veteran

I agree that they aren't very consistent. I hate it most when they don't run consistent from season to season and they don't give you a heads up ("We've redesigned, based on customer feedback!" how hard is that?). With the Gap, I always buy multiples and if I'm trying on at a B&M store, I try on several all in the same size. You just can't count on their sizing.

11 years ago

Beth

Veteran

They're wildly inconsistent, IME. So frustrating.

11 years ago

dustt

Veteran

GAP is crazy - I am normally a size 10-12 - I have gap items in my closet from size 8 to 16...... makes no sense - I never order online from them anymore only buy from B&M and only then if someone (usually DD) drags me in and something catches my eye. - I find both Old Navy on one end and BR on the other to be much more consistent size wise -

11 years ago

Anonymous

GAP revised their sizing, I think. As a matter of fact, I think lots of retailers are revising the vanity sizing.

11 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

GAP can be totally inconsistent even within an item. Sometimes you need to try half a dozen to get a fit -- in the same size!

11 years ago

Mochi

Veteran

Hmm. Interesting. If there is such a thing as vanity sizing, would you then call this self-esteem-busting sizing? Like going in the opposite direction?

Anyway, in my size range, I usually can't find anything on the floor so am forced to order online. Which I did. It didn't work for me. Buh-bye, ordering from Gap online.

11 years ago

Amy

(website)

Veteran

I just call it maddening.

11 years ago

Liz A.

Veteran

To me they run big... How weird.

11 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Remember Angie's post recently about premium denim 'downsizing' recently? I find myself wondering whether ON/Gap/BR has done something similar between spring/summer and fall/winter this year. Case in point, I was at ON yesterday trying some stuff on, and the clearance summer dress in XL was literally falling off me it was so huge, but the full-price winter dress was snug in an XL. Now, granted, they were two different pieces in two different fabrics, but the difference in wearing ease was the equivalent of four dress sizes. I mean, ON and Gap can be inconsistent sometimes, but not usually that inconsistent.

11 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

Something changed recently with their sizing for sure. It's just all over the place IMHO. I'm an XS in some tops, but 2 sizes up from my usual Gap size in some bottoms. And that is just wrong.

11 years ago

Transcona Shannon

Veteran

Remember Mochi - it's the clothes, not you. When I went shopping for bootcut jeans a while back, I had to go up two sizes in Gap just to try them on and with blazers, I can wear a total of four different sizes. Total inconsistency. It's very frustrating.

11 years ago

Gigi

Veteran

I stopped even trying things from Gap because everything was *huge* and I was completely sized out. That was back in early summer. But I was in there not too long ago--a few weeks ago--and tried on some pants. They actually fit OK, which surprised me. But I chalked it up to the fact that they were skinnies and were supposed to be kind of small anyway. So if they're making things smaller, this is great news for me. :^)

11 years ago

Laurinda

Veteran

Inconsistent. I just had to reorder a sweater in the next size down, their 'slouchy' fit read as 'sloppy big' on me.

11 years ago

viva

Veteran

I think Laura might be right about GAP/BR because I have noticed changes in how BR has fit me lately. But the biggest issue -- and not a new thing -- is what everyone has commented on: inconsistency. I'm not sure you ever really know what size you are trying on. With those stores, if you can, it's best to go to the store itself so that you can try on multiple of the "same size" to find the one that works.
Definitely right, it's the clothes - not you.

11 years ago

Von

Veteran

I have found the same thing at BR as well. They used to be my go-to for work pants, and my last trip was a big fat bust. I couldn't fit comfortably in any size bottom 12 or above, which is strange considering I have 4 pairs of Martins and Jacksons in 12 + 14 currently in the closet that fit just fine. My attempt at finding new pants in BR left me feeling rather sized out of the brand...but perhaps they've changed the patterns to be more narrow through the hips and thighs. I dunno, but it's enough for me not to trust any online ordering from them at all.

11 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

I feel your pain, Mochi! We're about the same size, and I find that Gap jackets are not reliable for me, either. I'm trying to train my eye to "see" size better -- I can now tell without going into the fitting room if there's enough length in a garment, for instance, and this saves me time while B&M shopping. I am constantly taking in at least two sizes of everything.

You are looking terrific. Your wardrobe has become more focused and more you in the past year, you're looking fit and your recent hair cut has sent your style quotient sky high.

Sometimes I literally speak to the clothes in the dressing room. I mean out loud. In my Diva voice (melodious, but firm). "If you want my money. It's your job to make me look damn good."

11 years ago

Adelfa

Veteran

My DD worked at AT a couple of years ago and if something didn't fit a customer she just kept trying other garments on, in the same size if that was all that was available. Sometimes the fourth garment, same style, same size, was the one that fit. That went for shoes, too.

11 years ago

Joy

Veteran

What Suz said. Last winter I ordered a sweater in the same style and size as one I had just bought, but a different color. It was way too big. Taking it to the store I found 3 more..same sweater and color and size. I tried them all on and each fit very differently from the others. I've not bought anything from them since. It's too much work. It's not you, it's the clothes and what seems like no control in sizing.

11 years ago

Jules

Veteran

Their inconsistency/quality control drives me nuts. I hate the in-store shopping experience, where they never seem to have a full range of sizes in anything, but I also hate that ordering on line is basically a guessing game.

11 years ago

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