Thistle, that made me giggle a little this morning thank you!

Cindy, if it makes you feel any better, I tried on pants the other day — maybe 8-10 pairs. Not jeans, pants. There was not a single pair that didn’t make me feel like crying. All tight in the thighs, and/or laughably long in the rise.

I know that neither you nor I have some sort of freakish bodies, but somehow many clothing makers don’t seem to be cutting for many of us. It’s exhausting and dispiriting.

This post sums up the importance of YLF, Angie's advice and our community beautifully. The specific frustrations, issues and need for garments aside, that you were able to dig deeper, pull from wisdom and find a way to be rational in an otherwise very emotional situation that we as women have been so trained for by our society and advertising...it's just so great. Here we are, to help you and each other. Thank you, Angie, thank you YLF. And kudos cindysmith! Good luck in your current wardrobe search, it's never easy to fight the feelings of frustration. I'm sure you'll be posting some awesome WIW's soon. Hugs.

Cindy, thank you for this post. I so relate, and it made me smile!

The other day I was in a dressing room the other day and hearing another woman complain about her body to her friend. I couldn't even see her but wanted to shout to her that she was perfect as she was and that the clothes were at issue, not herself!

And then I realized I was saying the same stuff in my head as I tried on clothes.

Your post is a great reminder that the clothes should fit our bodies, not the other way around. And also... I'm envious of your muscles.

"Pants were easy enough" -- oh, how I envy that statement!!

It is baffling how many clothes are just cut so poorly, and frustrating that the size on the label means absolutely nothing. I know they must fit someone, but still.

I also wonder if/when manufacturing will move away from ready-to-wear sizing (which really hasn't been around all that long in the grand scheme of things) and back towards bespoke garments as the technology changes. Why can't I just have a computer take my measurements and 3D print me a custom-fit shirt?

Janet, there are pants out there that I'm pretty sure wouldn't even fit our forearms. Which is insane, because even size 2 women have actual thighs and not sticks for legs.

Laurie, yes, there's an outfit lab coming. I have to start putting together actual ensembles from the individual garments I bought. Which is another amazing thing about YLF. I can get help here, from women who so freely pass on the wisdom they've gained here and in real life experiences.

JuniperGreen, I probably would have shouted at her that she was perfect and the clothes were stupid. I've experienced the power of some stranger paying me a compliment before, and I try to pass it on. Thank you for the moral support!

LaPed, "pants were easy enough" was something of a relative statement. So many pants were just too short, and not in an ankle length pant kind of way. What a way to spoil an otherwise perfect pair of pants, right? And I would love to have the money to have bespoke clothing! There are shops on etsy that will custom make a garment based on your individual measurements, and most of them charge nothing (or very very little) to do so. Beyond that, yes, I'm waiting for 3D printer technology to catch up to our needs

Thanks for the inspiring read. I'm so impressed that you talked yourself through this episode and came home with some pieces that you were looking for. It's an achievement, and I appreciate your sharing it with us. Something to learn from! You're right, YLF is such a valuable source of support and wisdom.

Cindy, I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. I love your attitude and positive spirit. Thanks for sharing.

The size on the label is meaningless. Achieving good fit is your goal. A small alteration can make the difference.

I'd love to see some of the items you bought on lovely you. When you have a moment

So great that you can use humor!
Not just sizing but fit descriptions often baffle me. Some “ straight “ or slim pants are curvier or looser than “Curvy”.
Rises and waistlines are all over the map. This is a GOOD thing in that there are variations in fits, but I have to try on a bazillion brands, fits and sizes.

You have re- inspired me too, both for culling my wardrobe and for assessing new purchases. I have a tendency to settle, in pant fits, or try to tailor them, which can be good sometimes when it’s just a nip in the waist, but sometimes it’s just the wrong fit that still won’t be right.

I have literally ripped the sleeves of silk shirts. I wear men’s buttoned shirts sometimes because they’re roomy in the right places (but hard to get the flattering “borrowed from my boyfriend” look, so probably not a good solution in general).

I’m glad you overrode the negative voices. Well done. I hope your new work wardrobe lets you feel fab.

So proud of you for positive self talk and knowing to buy what fits. I have a wide range of sizes in my closet. The difference in how items are cut, and the difference between cuts in the same brand, are huge. I start at my most common size and work from there.

Sounds like you will need to have fitted items taken in at the waist, as the biggest difference with plus size is the waist and hips run bigger even when the bust size is the same. And the armholes are cut bigger.

Congratulations on finding interview clothing.

Echoing Joy and Windchimes here on having wrists so tiny I have to have watches altered, and having to buy XL shirts so the upper arms are not sausage casing tight but the rest of the shirt is huge. A super frustrating thing. I am glad you were able to power past and regain your style mojo.

Firecracker, thank you for the moral support! I guess I felt it was important to share my experience because it was important to thank you guys for your part in it, and because it might help someone else struggling with a similar problem. So thank you for being part of this wonderful community!

Angie, you should be proud of yourself and all these wonderful fabbers. It was y'all that helped me remember that I'm not defective or crazy, the clothes are LOL. And you better believe an outfit lab is coming to make sure I style my new stuff in a situationally appropriate manner, because this is where the experts are Let me get everything ironed and I'll start trying on and mixing and matching and photographing for a post to get feedback on combinations and alterations that might be needed.

Unfrumped, humor & sarcasm are my armor And one needs armor when trying on clothes; the clothes make no sense, dressing room mirrors are weird, dressing room lighting is often ugly florescent...

Greyscale, I actually have seen many men's shirts that I've considered buying. And man clothes probably accommodate big arms because man=strong whereas ladies are supposed to have toothpicks for arms (apparently, since even ladies with small arms have had this problem). We could probably buy man shirts and have a couple of darts added to make them fit like lady shirts and I just now thought of that thanks to you! YLF really is the bestest place

Barbara Diane, you just made me extra glad I don't wear dresses. I hadn't even thought about how that would look if I tried on a plus size dress. The mental image of how that would look on my waist and hips? has me both horrified and hysterically entertained

Nebraskim, I feel for you and all the ladies who have that problem with small forearms that drown in sleeves. That has to be as frustrating as my problem. It's really crazy that nobody seems to be able to find clothes that fit!

Y'all are all amazing XOXOXOXO