like they show hips. waist. and leg measurements... as well as showing different cuts like the guys while also providing the difference in thighs and calfs
America seems to be one of the worst when it comes to this. :( I wish women’s clothes came in inches more, and then talked about the cuts of the trousers like boot cut or bellbottoms. I feel that would be so much easier.
So the reason I can't ever find pants, skirts and dresses that fit my hips AND waist is because she just didn't believe that my body type could exist 😑😑😑
My husband was sitting next to me, listening, while I watched this. I had to pause the video multiple times to assure him that, yes, it really is like this. Clothes shopping is a nightmare. Blew his mind.
@@fallenaj2475Do it. I've been shopping in the men's section for over a decade. It's easier and sometimes cheaper even if you have to get them tailored in at the waist. AND. They always have pockets.
I once ordered the same pair of jeans in two different colors. One fit, the other didn't. I was so shook, I measured the waistband and found a 2cm difference. For just a different color! Since then I know I'll have no trust in size lables ever again.
@@Val.Kyrie.Yes, but that should be accounted-for by the company and additional fabric should be used where necessary. It shouldn't be made the consumer's problem
Lower end brands have cutting dies cut more layers of a fabric at once, and if you've ever cut more than a couple pieces of paper at once that might help picture why it could lead to differences in measurements for even items cut from the same size cutter
Same with shoes. Bought some shoes. Perfect fit. Comfortable. Went back to buy a second for when they wore out. About two years later pulled them out. Just enough too small to be uncomfortable.
In college, my statistics professor went on a 30 minute rant about how Ruth O’Brien was an idiot 🤣 he called having a limited data-set for a study “pulling a Ruth”. It’s nice full-circle moment for me to see MatPat mention her (lack of) conclusive data that was the foundation of commercial sizing.
@@paolarei4418 depend on which type of life you talking about but if you talk about the life of society then yes you are right, but life of nature then no you are wrong it’s the most purest form of life.
There's nothing worse than trying jeans that fit your waist and legs but don't fit your thighs. It's so frustrating. Also the fact that a lot of clothing has to be "broken in" to actually fit comfortably.
You just gave me flashbacks to when I was in school and wore jeans every day. Somehow, I totally forgot that. Thank the fabric gods I ditched them upon graduation.
ughhh this. I literally have to buy 2 to sometimes even 3 sizes up for jeans to fit and get my mom to adjust them (she's a seamstress and tbh idk what I'd do without her)
I'm honestly really glad that this is talked about because I recovered from an eating disorder and had to buy an entire new wardrobe. It was a nightmare and also seeing that some brands had my size being way larger than I thought I was would make me relapse and start starving myself again. I'm better now but that was a journey
Don't touch ur waistline, I have clothes that were size 38 from my school days that I can still shimy into and now I'm apparently 44 and counting. 🙄 just like some made 12 = 6, others made 12 = 18. Goodluck and be healthy more than stylish cuz that can change from seeing it online to trying it out in the store the same Day.
Yes! Now we need to talk about the fashion industry not understanding what Plus Siz really means and why when an outfit is translated for larger proportions it is made less flattering or just redesigned badly compared to the smaller sizing
Same for small sizes, it’s just the standard design in smaller and we drown in the clothes or look like stick figures. I still remember when one summer EVERYTHING was babydoll. With barely any chesticles and skinny arms and legs a babydoll looks like walking cotton candy. :(
Amen to that! Plus sized fashion is a mess and fitting a bust means the hips and waist are too loose and so on and I can’t imagine it for folks who shop in petite sections
additionally plus sizing is just really a mess, i searched when i'm on the plus size section of a website that goes till 4xl the one thing i may not want too see are measurements equal to the smallest xxl from a different website (who's sizing in itself is already a mess because unlike what your measurements tell you you know you fit in their xl)... i also watched some yt videos on sizing because a friend thought that might be helpful, and this girl litterally said "choose your sizes in comparison to your competition" which can lead to massive differences in clothes over different styles AND I'M EUROPEAN SO FROM THIS VIDEO ALONE I KNOW IT'S WORSE IN AMERICA
Honestly... Finding a comfortable bra, finding a fitting bra... Even expecting a bra my size that is even barely passable is pointless. I've almost never had to worry about jeans or pants because most have the waist measurement and that just makes it easier. And shoes, I look between the size 6-8 sections because my feet can fit different sizes between those (sometimes even a size 5 will fit perfectly) I think it's pretty ridiculous just "generally knowing" what size you are in clothes, shoes. Im glad I can sew and adjust some that are lightly too big (it sucks I have to though...)
Part of this is women not actually knowing their actual bra size. . .because marking tries to insist we should all fall into something like 36B, 34C. ect. ect. and many of us assume our breast size doesn't change much. My first bras were roughly sized to 36b in highschool, I settled on 34c (a supposed sister size) when I started working. . .a few years back I went and got sized by a proffessional in an actual boutique and uh. . . lets just say the selection for my body type was very very restricted. She put me in a 30H, I've since adjust that to a 32H as I've found the 30 size band to just be too tight and uncomfortable. And I had to dial on that when I went looking for replacements a few months ago, and even then it comes down to style and brand and waaay too many returns.
That's why you find a brand you like, get measured for it and don't ever switch, not even style. I really like my bras. I did buy the wrong size for 12 years because my under bust doesn't exist in some shops. My bra size doesn't exist in most.
When I saw this I literally just got back from jeans shopping and it is a NIGHTMARE, not only is it a problem from store to store or brands BUT LITERALLY DIFFERENT STYLES WITHIN THE SAME BRAND!!!!
Not just that, sometimes it’s different from COLOR TO COLOR. Same size same style, completely different fit. I think it has something to do with fabric and materials but it’s so frustrating
As a taller woman, finding jeans that "fit" is constantly struggling with whether I want a super baggy waist and proportionate length, or a fitted waist measurement and pant legs that make me look like I'm wearing children's clothing
I'm the opposite, I'm under 5 feet and plus size so anything that fits my waist is too long unless I buy carpi length. I have nerve and arthritis problems with my hands and can't sew so it's like playing Russian Roulette when I order clothes. I live in a rural area with not many clothing stores within a a 50 to hundred mile radius.
If I had a nickel for how many times I have had a costume ordered with the wrong size for me just for my height? I’d have four nickles. Which isn’t a lot but I hate that it happened that many times
I used to work at a thrift shop and one of the jobs is sorting the clothes by size. I and other workers get confused between the alpha sizes and the numeric ones. I tried to make a list of which number is which size. Thanks to this video, no wonder looking for charts and making them are a pain.
@@Scwarzkopdont worry about that other guy it's most definitely bait to get a response out of you "it's not a problem" " it doesn't matter" as if that guys a loser keep your head high 💪
This is actually another reason why I just buy pants in the men's section. Actual pockets and being able to tell what size I actually am. Granted, they still don't fit perfectly, but at least they fit better than any of the women's pants I've had
If they're too pig from the waist but a Cholos belt. I only know them like that but it's a belt that has no holes and you can tighten it to your fit. That way if you don't know how to sow (to fix your pants) just use a belt
Fun fact: they have size 0 for PLUS SIZES 💀💀 “Plus 0X” is the lowest size in the plus department. The vanity appeal doesn’t stop after you go to the plus section
We should stop using the letter sizes, they are awful. I want to stop looking for XXS or some stores even have XXXS now (without actually introducing smaller sizes)
@@Fedexed12 I think they’re larger. I used to be able to fit an XL in bottoms if I was desperate for a certain pair, while I’m usually a M or L, but I saw shorts I liked in the plus section and 0X was the smallest size and way too big for me
Vanity sizing is even starting to affect men's clothing. I used to buy medium T-shirts, but lately all of them seem to be too big. I also used to be medium with jackets, but Ir ecently had to return a S for an XS. It's frustrating as hell, so I can't even imagine how much more frustrating women's sizing is.
I feel like they just labeled everything a size smaller and left small alone. Cause small is still too small and medium fits like a tablecloth sometimes.
@@ruebenllongoria836 True. I also feel like baggy clothes have kind of been trending lately. That style is not for me. I wish they would lable clothes when they aren't a normal fit.
@afterfractures5884 They've hit pants, too. I have some with a waistband 4" (10 cm) larger than the listed size. Other ones are correct. I have to try a number of different sizes to find find something that fits. I've started to take a sewing tape measure to find the actual size.
They’re just running the same game on men that they ran on women for years. I worked for a high-end boutique in New York City decades ago where I used to always be able to wear clothing they sold in single digit sizes even though I was always a double digit girl. They did it to make buying the expensive clothes that much more appealing. Cut to present day: I purchased luxury brand clothes in my size, secondhand fromThe Real Real and had to send everything back because none of it fit. They’re done conning women, they’ve just moved on to dudes.
Shopping for jeans and other pants is always such a pain - I've actually sometimes just gone and shopped in the men's section because at least those sizes make sense (and also have bigger pockets)
And it wasn't just that they threw out non-Caucasian data either, they also threw out data from Italian and Jewish women too. First learned about this on an NPR episode of Radiolab and I'm so glad you addressed every point that they did and even more succinctly
As a big and tall woman I've been buying mens' pants and sizing them to my hips for about 20 years now. It really is ridiculous and I highly recommend everyone invest in a sewing machine and a few basic classes.
Having a mom who knows how to sew and tailored all my pants throughout school, I say do it. It will save you a headache and give you more control over what you want to wear.
I’m a woman with a small waist but big hips and a big arse. I also have weirdly long legs for my height, I usually need a 34 inseam in mens pants. I’m only 5’7” or so. Finding clothes that fit me has been a nightmare since I was a teen. And mum has the same body type as me and had struggled just as much. There’s 30 years between us. I’ve only recently been able to find womens jeans that fit properly in the last couple of years because of the bbl trend. As bad as the surgery is I have to be a little thankful lol.
There have been a few times when I’ve gone to buy clothes, realized that NONE of the women’s sizes at that store actually fit me, and just found something in the men’s section instead. It has also been even more frustrating now that my body isn’t the same shape as it used to be after giving birth. Wish they would just use straight measurements for sizes . It makes things less of a headache.
The problem is that diversity in bodies is so widespread that a straight measurement cant just exist. Of course if you are wearing flowier garments focused around draping or balloon fit its fine because the only thing that matters is waist and length, but for most items it would cost brands a lot more to make every item if clothing fit everyone but maintain the same proportions and look, solely because not every item will be able to create the desired effect on every body. So while its a big issue, sometimes a specific garments shape and cut cant work on a linear scale.
@@Avant_Garden i get the issue is hard but standards like EN-13402 exsist and are in widespread use. if one can set standards on actual measurements, fit would be the only problem instead of having no clue at all.
Ugh hi have the same issue with shoes. women’s shoes are so narrow even the wide is too small. Only certain styles fit in men’s wide. I need a size bigger to fit.
I’m 75 now but when I was in my teens in the 1960s, the accurate sizes we used in sewing class were pretty close to the sizes in the stores. For example if you needed to buy a size 14 pattern to sew a dress, chances were you also bought size 14 at the department store when you went to purchase a dress. (Size 14 was a pretty normal size back then.)
im sure this has been asked for before but id love to see an episode on bras, boob tape, and the like. my own mother was unable to produce a sufficient answer on why we wear them, and whether we even should.
Gosh, bras are so horrendous to shop for. . .even when you know your proper size. Personally I hate NOT wearing one, but finding the right one. . .is difficult. Small chest, large bust and goodness akes the picking are slim.
I think the point of wearing bras is to make your nips not protrude too much and also make your banalahoogas not bounce around and rub together too much (if you have big bazoingers)
@@ThugHunterfromIsrael despite this thought, the item does little to actually perform this task in most cases... It's also restrictive and bad for my blood flow, so while an answer to why we wear it could not be provided, I was warned that I'm not supposed to wear them to sleep
@-alovelygaycat- my bigger question is why do kid's toothpaste get all the fun flavors? All the adult ones are like, mint, mint with mint, mint with charcoal etc.
might i reccomend the Lukas Arnold’s series “How I think women’s clothing began” , The playlist on youtube is called “Jenkins/Clothing” They’re just shorts so they’re only 1 minute long, and they’re pretty much this comment
You also have to factor in that in many cases, production rarely stops. My grandmother ran a sewing factory, and corporate policy was to never shut down production. If a line ran out of a particular size label, the workers were instructed to use a size up or down and keep production moving. Grandma always said when shopping was to pick two of any given item in your size, and tobtry them both on, in case you got a missed labeled size.
And this is why I don't go shopping a whole lot and wear my clothes until they're dead. Considering my small body size, I've worn some of my shirts and pants since I was little. Also, I'm pretty sure most my clothes are mens clothes
Yesterday my sister had tried on a skirt and pants from the same online store, and even the same brand. The skirt was too big and the pants too small. Both were the same numerical size. Can't wait to show her this video xD
As someone who had an eating disorder and was forever chasing the smaller sizes and being praised praised the "skinny one", this was a much needed topic 10, 15 years ago let alone now. I still struggle with being a size 14 in some shops but a 16 in others and its really mentally tiring. I'm glad I make my own clothes now to be honest. It is a NIGHTMARE trying on clothes just to find out they don't fit.
Shopping in the woman's section feels like trying to take a test that you didn't attend any of the lessons for and only have some prior knowledge of the subject.
As a tiny person, vanity sizing is the WORST. Because when you make label the bigger sizes as smaller… guess what happens to the actually small sizes? They no longer exist 😂
I love that you're covering this. I've been trying to explain why it takes a few days and several stores across several cities to find *maybe* two pairs of pants.
Not only all of this but based on experience I think some brands pretend to have more sizes then they really do. I remember trying different sizes of the same clothing item and even tho the label was different the fit and size was the exact same! So basically their XL was the same fit as their L size which makes it feel like they don't want to have bigger costumers but they don't want to face the consequences of actually excluding those sizes. When the sizing system is this confusing its easier to slip in some personal motives without having it be noticed.
It is a GREAT day to thrift and sew, personally Edit: so many of y’all shopping from the men’s section but I’m shopping from the boy’s section for my 26” waist and still never finding a winner 😭 I’m extremely jealous
as someone who crochets and knits, i agree (i’m trans masc but enjoy the occasional femme outfit, and being able to make my own stuff is awesome). also, i must say, i am jealous that you’re able to shop from the boy’s section. i shop from the men’s section, i’ve gotta look for the smallest sizes there (28” or 30” waist, can’t quite remember right now) but i’m not small enough for the boy’s section, but i always see stuff there that i wish would fit me, lol.
it's hand-me-downs for me! way better than shopping. me, my grandma, and my mom all have the same size range so if I get something from them I actually know it's gonna fit. most of my clothes are hand-me-downs and I wouldn't have it any other way
I Can range from sizes S-XL in different brands and it’s so nice to see someone addressing the problems with women’s sizing especially because those sizes either led me to being praised or ridiculed by my mom. ❤
What’s even worse is international sizing, in Korea an American XS is an M to them, they have whole stores dedicated to these “plus sizes” and the names are SO DEMEANING, like Moo Moo (cow) Fat Cat, Piggy or something of the sort, body shaming anyone who had to shop there
This is such a frustrating problem. My closet covers jeans sized 10-18 and it is so annoying that some days the 14 fits looser than the 18 and I smash my head against the mirror.
The one thing I’ve learned is that it’s so much easier to use the real measurements for clothes and NEVER follow the “sizing chart” of everything. Everything is different even in the same brand
I've fluctuated my weight all my life, and OH the horror stories. When you're a preteen girl, having to grab a pair of pants in a larger size kills your self esteem.
"...having to grab a pair of pants in a larger size kills your self esteem." Yeah that's the _vanity sizing_ issue MatPat spoke about around 3:30. The men's sizes have waist and inseam sizes in inches, like 34" 34". If a guy has to buy 40" 34" for a fit, they'll have to accept buying that bigger waist.
It does, and that's how they get you. I'm short and I'm chonky because of health problems, so shopping is a special hell for me. I end up having to go to specialty stores to get anything that will fit and also look nice, they have their own vanity sizing system. Which sucks, but I put up with it because the clothes they make actually fit my body shape.
Online shopping is actually terrible. Between scams, discoloring, bad material, bad sizing, and just not being able to see it in general. In shirts, tops, etc. I range from XXS-M In jeans, leggings, etc. I range from 00-6
I would love a theory about bra sizes and styles. Underwire vs wireless, support thats actually needed vs provided, etc. As a busty gal buying bras that aren’t typically off the rack (badum-tsss) its a struggle with the only exciting color being a new shade of beige. Sports bras are another thing. The one I use is from a brand called shefit and it’s like bulletproof vest but at least I can jump in it without giving myself a black eye 😂
Its sad that (for a plus size women like myself) small clothes are made in flatter styles, prints, cuts ect, but if you can find anything plus size ( 2x and up) alot is just baggy, unflattering, or granny esk prints.
They think they can just throw a trash bag on us and it's fine. I end up having to shop in specialty stores because I'm short, and I'm chonky, and also probably an hourglass under off of this, because my waist is smol, my hips and bust are huge. It makes shopping a nightmare.
As a woman, I am so happy you went over this! I do a lot of my shopping online because the stores I shop at aren't very close to me or are small. Anyway whenever I have to shop, it is practically a guessing game. When buying lets say a dress or skirt, I have to decide if I feel lucky with the size large, (12-14) or size X-Large. (16-18) The stakes are HIGH. If I buy a large the clothes either fit, or are way too small. If I buy an X-Large then the clothes either fit, or are way too big. I've had to return so many things I've bought because of this. Some of the stuff I bought were even almost out of stock, or I just never found on the website again, so yeah. It sucks. Thanks for doing a video on this. lets all hope the system gets changed.
The air force did a similar mass measurement project, to try to design the "one size fits all" cockpit for planes. Turns out that exactly nobody has the average size of everything (legs, arms, torso, ...) and the average cockpit didn't work for anyone.
I once went into h&m and tried on 3 pairs of jeans. one was a pair of mom jeans (meant to fit a big larger) and the other two were the same exact pair of skinny jeans except one was light wash and the other was dark wash. if the 3 pairs of jeans all were a size 6 and only 1 pair fit. now surprisingly the supposed to be loose fitting mom jeans fit too tight, the light wash pair of the skinny jeans fit too loose, and the dark wash skinny jeans were the only true fit.
Lol, it is frustrating when it seems even the same style of jean has variance. I worked in a clothing department store for a number years and it was so noticeable in pants. Brand size meant nothing, you want by the style number which was supposed to be the same pants just different colors. . .
2:29 So far, no mention of the fact that even in the SAME BRAND, SAME STORE, two items of IDENTICAL clothing of the same labeled size can STILL be different actual sizes!
I swear, this is such a big problem for me. I rarely find nice jeans, that fit me that is. It’s whole fricking system. There is never a size that fits me in a design I like.
And this is part of the reason I shop online almost exclusively. Our online stores have additional sizing in centimeters, mostly it's bust/waist/hips. It's a gamechanger! Idk why other stores even have standardized sizing if it is so wrong anyway and so hard to navigate.
@@LilianaKali I'm Russian so it might be not very helpful, I'm sorry ☹️ I shop mostly at Wildberries, Ozon and Aliexpess, I believe first two don't have international shipping. Mindblowing how this platforms were modeled after Amazon but have better features. For example, on Wildberries or Ozon you definitely can search for a dress and filter out those that don't have pockets (I bought a midi skirt with pockets in the color I prefered that way 😊)
This and the pocket episode I linked immediately to a few of my trans friends trying to break into girl things. Because it is *insane* how messed up it is for women's clothing, and is part of the reason I just buy men's clothes when I can get away with it (which are slightly more honest). Thanks, Matpat. You have given scientific data to some of my biggest fashion frustrations with this channel, and it is... relieving.
Yeah it's really hard to find pants or shorts that have pockets. And when they do, they're usually small pockets. I've been lucky enough to find a few shorts with deep enough pockets at Goodwill stores. And that's a whole different problem because I don't like having short shorts. I don't like purses so I wear a jacket with pockets whenever I go out.
Reason #672 moving to Europe (specifically the Netherlands) was the best decision I ever made, sizing here is way more standard. I have been buying online and have been the same size, it's wonderful.
Yeah I wondered why he didn't bring up that the EU had standard sizes. I get the channel targets an American audience. But here there wasn't a conversion to cm or any acknowledgement whatsoever.
Even as a guy it's impossible to find jeans that fit. There's similarly like 5 different "fits" that all fit differently even if they're supposed to be the same size. I guess most guys just don't care enough, but trying to find something comfortable that looks decent on me took me 3 weeks in 5 stores and 4 orders/returns. I ended up just giving up and had to just go with whatever kind of worked because it was such a massive headache.
I work at a clothing store that doesn't even don't even offer online shopping and we still get returns daily. Customers are reluctant to try on clothes in our fitting rooms because our AC is broken (and has been since summer started) and nobody wants to try and pull on clothes that stick to their sweaty bodies. So what happens is that they take them home to try on, and then come back a day or two later to make a return.
Wait I was kinda hoping to learn about women’s sizes compared to each other. Like an episode where the theorist ladies get to try on multiple brands from multiple stores and give a ranking/ explanation on what makes sense or something.
can you please also possibly do videos on why clothes at one point in the late 2000s became so expensive and another video on why men's clothes are rough and women's clothes are soft?
I can answer the latter as I am a woman in a nontraditional career. Rough textures allude to the blue collar life. Plain and simple. That's why Carhartt went from a farmer's brand to being hip with the city dwellers. Clothing texture is just as much a part of the aesthetic as brand is. Women's clothes are soft because children and child rearing. Lots of psychological stuff there.
So in part it might be the general association of "Women being soft" & "Men being rough" & each wearing textures that associate with it? Does make sense how a soft texture wouldn't suit rough work-life that may just wear them out faster compared to rough textured clothing (that may be more durable in those situations). Also know my mom and a few other women (maybe some men exist as well? who) are highly sensitive to the seams in their clothes, so soft clothing is highly needed by them.
Even for kids!. My mother hated taking me shopping. Because finding things that fit was disappointing, confusing, and to a young growing kid, tiring and too much for either of our patience.
While I have no proof, my grandmother also said that old factories, and potentially current ones, would occasionally also mislabel clothing just to meet a quota. So to add insult to injury you couldn’t necessarily trust your size whatever dress either if they were working them to hard.
Growing up poor, I thought my mom being able to sew was awesome because we could sometimes salvage favorite clothes, and we occasionally got new Halloween costumes, it turns out it had other benefits that were far more practical.
I just wish it would be considered false advertising. Our false advertising laws have fallen so hard. Also feel ya on shopping in the juniors section. It's very much also a "women should be small" and also "small women are just children who can't make decisions and should be told what to do" so it's incredibly screwed up all the way through.
An interesting thing about basing women's clothing size on just one measurement; up until WWI padding out clothing to give yourself the "right" silhouette for what was fashionable was generally how it was done, this was usually the waist measurement though. As fashion moved away from more structured foundation garments like boned corsets and embraced new materials like elastic for underwear, not to mention all the cultural and economic changes that were happening then on top of the fashion trends, padding your clothing to get the right shape wasn't the done thing any more. Nicole Rudolph has some great videos on the history of clothing size for more information.
This is really a problem, I’m glad he’s talking about it, it’s especially difficult for us teenagers who hit a growths pert every several months, I’m a size 16/18 in pants and it doesn’t even cover every type of pants it’s annoying, but not as annoying as prom dress shopping, you should talk about THAT next 🤣
Dress sizes are EXCRUCIATINGLY painful. I remember prom dress shopping, it was so hard especially being plus sized and on a budget. I was lucky to find something, but the effort in order to get there was so taxing on my mental health
Thank you for this episode, I actually couldn't understand why women's clothing was so frustrating for them (me being the least fashion literate person you could meet) and this actually shed light on some of their difficulties.
I love when my husband asks questions about my pants. Like, "Why don't you have your own pockets?" and, "Why don't yalls pants sizes have waist and length inches like men's do?" and, "What size are you? What do you mean it depends on what store you're in????" 😂😂
It's sad that I've had to start shopping in the men's section for jeans. Though it ain't perfect it is nice to know that the same size with almost always fit
I am still that woman from the 40's/50's sitting at my machine tailoring the clothes I buy. I often have to think, do I love this enough to be bothered to sew it right? If not, I'm not buying it.
Yeah, and don't get me going on shirts, too. Nowadays the companies like Amazon will honestly send the wrong size in the first place in clothing instead of the right size you need
I’m not a woman but for most of my adult life I have struggled to find shirts that fit because of my large shoulders, and thus the only clothes that fit me are much larger than my actual size so I can relate to a lot of you woman out there
joke is though that i got an XL jacket(L or XL for tight fits) & its sleeves are too small, hell the armpit region has ripped because of that sizing issue. & if you know mens shirt, jackets,pants....hell all of it, give better choice for mens clothes(80%women 20%mens....that aint fair.)
this really proves the point that men having "standardized" sizes is not the flex matpat is presenting it to be. men's bodies are just as varied and non-standardized as anyone else's, so why shouldn't there be variation in sizing to accommodate that?
@@frankendress7795 yeah there really should be more difference in sizes without having to go to the big and tall store which is really only for tall hefty men
Pants realy are MatPat's worst enemies: pockets, sizes, and much more to mention! (Well there are not many things to mention but I need to comment something 👁️👄👁️)
I’ve noticed some size inconsistency with men’s clothing too, as well as footwear. I have “large” hoodies that are smaller than some of my “medium” sized ones, and size 8, 9.5, and 10 shoes that are all the exact same size. Because of this, I still find myself being much more drawn to shopping in stores to avoid the hassle of returning wrong sizes. You can always take the measurements of clothes that fit you, and buy whichever size is closest to it, but doing that for every individual retailer or brand would get old fast. I also find it interesting that (in Australia at least) men’s clothing is usually sized S, M, L, XL, etc. The average man seems to be a L or XL, making it seem like they’re basing the sizing on the idea that men wish to feel larger (or at least not small). Women’s are always arbitrary numbers (6, 8, 10, 12, etc.) making it less confronting that being called XXL, as well as making the actual size of the clothes less clear to visualise. This is made even more confusing by the drastic variation in sizes from store to store and brand to brand.
I’ve always found it infuriating that when you order a larger size dress/blouse/jumper etc, the sleeves make no allowance for larger arms~ it’s like they just make the body part wider but leave the sleeves the same width as all the smaller sizes. So your arms end up looking like sausages stuffed in casings! And another grouse I have is that in Britain the most common figure shape is Pear shape, but does anyone make clothes to fit Pear shaped women? No they don’t! And all the up~market clothes are designed solely for very slim women with boyish figures, no hips!
I'm a pear shape and constantly find it a nightmare to buy clothes. If trousers/pants fit my waist then I can't get them up my thighs in the first place. If they fit my legs then I have to use belts in order for them to stay on my waist. Then it's a similar problem with tops due to being a smaller bust size (again pear shape). If a top fits my bust size it's too small for my arms and waist. If it fits my arms and waist then the bust area is so loose it's embarrassing. Oh someone help put us all out of our misery with unrealistic sizes!!! 🙏. If only they were standardized sizes across the globe and catered to different body shapes. For example Hourglass M, Rectangle M, Triangle M, Apple M and Pear M, you get the picture.
As a very petite woman I really struggle with the “size deflation” stuff. I’m 5’1” so I’m really tiny so jeans are a disaster. But now I’m struggling to find shirts that fit! Take Six Flags as my prime example. I have shirts bought years ago ranging through about 2020 that I got in a small (I prefer extra small but they don’t have that). It fits fine, about how a unisex small is expected to fit on my petite frame. Now their “small” is massive on me, more in the realm of an old medium or large. It’s at the point if I want their newer merch I have to resort to a kids large or even medium in the case of one shirt I got. It’s incredibly demeaning being an adult buying kids clothes for herself! This has got to stop, and if companies want to pass off a much larger size as a small they need to offer extra small as an option because otherwise it really deters me from buying anything and just depresses me. Glad this is being talked about!
On the other hand, you can fit Asian brands that I can only dream about. Asian brands have the designs I want that American brands just don't offer, but the scale is way too small for me. I came across one Asian brand on Amazon where the 3x was a 34" bust!
Unironically thanks for bringing up the racism behind the womens sizrs and how the standard has been skewing to young teen girls. Like most women been knew but its nice to have such a hugw channel bring up an issue.
I once bought a pair of jeans that was the basic brand of the retailer. I absolutely loved them, they fit perfectly and only ran me about $14. A couple months later I went back hoping to get another pair. Much to my surprise they still had them, same cut, waist, length, all of it identical. They fit, but not like a glove the way the first pair did. What was the difference you ask? The answer surprised me. It wasn't the brand, the inseam, the cut, the printed waist size, or the ride of the jeans. Nor was it the wash. Everything on he tags were identical save for one tiny detail: country of manufacture. The exact same style of jeans that should have been identical had been produced for the same company by two different factories in two different countries and that was the detail that left them fitting differently. It still blows my mind.
Why should anyone stare at a man buying womens clothing? Theres literally a dozen reasons why he might be making the purchases, from buying for a show, to buying for himself or for daughters or sisters or for an art project.
I mean they have the right to stare at him weirdly. Who in the hell would buy adult women clothing as a guy. Unless said reason is cross-dressing then sure. But other than that, it evenutally does look weird.
My deepest thanks from the bottom of my heart Mattpat. I now know why my clothing sizes have no real connection to objective reality and who to curse for all eternity for it 😡
This is why I get most of my pants from Amazon. They usually list out the numerical size and also the actual measurements for the waist and inseam. It’s also a lot easier to find “tall” pants because normal pants are about 3 inches too short
So I'm 23 and completely healthy. But I'm only 85lbs, and I've been called about everything you can think of hearing that number. The problem lies on both sides of the spectrum, and I'm so glad that it's being addressed. But we need solution! Clothing is so, so, so expensive and then to never find anything that fits correctly just takes the process worse ten-fold.
As a grown woman I'm just begging companies to just put the actual measurements on the clothing items information section
like they show hips. waist. and leg measurements... as well as showing different cuts like the guys while also providing the difference in thighs and calfs
In much of Asia and Europe that is what they do.
America seems to be one of the worst when it comes to this. :( I wish women’s clothes came in inches more, and then talked about the cuts of the trousers like boot cut or bellbottoms. I feel that would be so much easier.
@@shinnam *scratches head*
Never seen it. Can you provide examples?
As a china person that is what they do.
So the reason I can't ever find pants, skirts and dresses that fit my hips AND waist is because she just didn't believe that my body type could exist 😑😑😑
FOR REAL I don't even have an extreme hip to waist ratio 😭 but somehow my body type doesn't exist
I just buy men's pants it's close enough
@@SeaBunnny Careful, that's how it always starts out. Next thing you know you're CC'ing your editor on "How I Became Genderqueer: A Coming Out Story"
@@mollusckscramp4124😐
WHY IS T H I S THE REASON I H A V E TO LOOK FOR JEANS IN THE MENS SECTION?
My husband was sitting next to me, listening, while I watched this. I had to pause the video multiple times to assure him that, yes, it really is like this. Clothes shopping is a nightmare.
Blew his mind.
The same thing happened with my husband. I was shocked at how easy it is for men, kinda makes me wanna just shop on the men's side from now on.
@@fallenaj2475Do it. I've been shopping in the men's section for over a decade. It's easier and sometimes cheaper even if you have to get them tailored in at the waist. AND. They always have pockets.
@@fallenaj2475 a lot of girls that I’m friends with just buy men’s shoes pants or shirts if they like it
Not sure what’s going on but I’m a guy that has problems shopping
and then men wonder why women take so long shopping.
I once ordered the same pair of jeans in two different colors. One fit, the other didn't. I was so shook, I measured the waistband and found a 2cm difference. For just a different color! Since then I know I'll have no trust in size lables ever again.
Dye changes the material. Colours can change the size and affect the fabrics.
@@Val.Kyrie.Yes, but that should be accounted-for by the company and additional fabric should be used where necessary. It shouldn't be made the consumer's problem
I got 4 pairs of the exact same jeans for work and all 4 were different in length and waist size!
Lower end brands have cutting dies cut more layers of a fabric at once, and if you've ever cut more than a couple pieces of paper at once that might help picture why it could lead to differences in measurements for even items cut from the same size cutter
Same with shoes. Bought some shoes. Perfect fit. Comfortable. Went back to buy a second for when they wore out. About two years later pulled them out. Just enough too small to be uncomfortable.
In college, my statistics professor went on a 30 minute rant about how Ruth O’Brien was an idiot 🤣 he called having a limited data-set for a study “pulling a Ruth”.
It’s nice full-circle moment for me to see MatPat mention her (lack of) conclusive data that was the foundation of commercial sizing.
I like how matpat is openly talking about scams and informing us
Ofc
If you look closely everything is a scam, even money in the first place.
@@justebobeven life
@@paolarei4418 depend on which type of life you talking about but if you talk about the life of society then yes you are right, but life of nature then no you are wrong it’s the most purest form of life.
Same here.
There's nothing worse than trying jeans that fit your waist and legs but don't fit your thighs. It's so frustrating. Also the fact that a lot of clothing has to be "broken in" to actually fit comfortably.
You just gave me flashbacks to when I was in school and wore jeans every day. Somehow, I totally forgot that.
Thank the fabric gods I ditched them upon graduation.
It is so hard to find reasonably priced jeans in my area that are not skinny jeans it drives me insane!
I’m a guy and surprisingly when I go get some jeans they are too tight around my waist or too tight around my legs.
@@horse14t
I tend to find better luck at second-hand stores and thrift stores. Have you ever tried that?
ughhh this. I literally have to buy 2 to sometimes even 3 sizes up for jeans to fit and get my mom to adjust them (she's a seamstress and tbh idk what I'd do without her)
it's kind of funny hearing MatPat slowly discover all the horrors of women's fashion, episode by episode
More choices more problems
I'm honestly really glad that this is talked about because I recovered from an eating disorder and had to buy an entire new wardrobe. It was a nightmare and also seeing that some brands had my size being way larger than I thought I was would make me relapse and start starving myself again. I'm better now but that was a journey
Sending you love💜
i’m so proud of you.💕 genuinely.
Don't touch ur waistline, I have clothes that were size 38 from my school days that I can still shimy into and now I'm apparently 44 and counting. 🙄 just like some made 12 = 6, others made 12 = 18. Goodluck and be healthy more than stylish cuz that can change from seeing it online to trying it out in the store the same Day.
Yes! Now we need to talk about the fashion industry not understanding what Plus Siz really means and why when an outfit is translated for larger proportions it is made less flattering or just redesigned badly compared to the smaller sizing
Same for small sizes, it’s just the standard design in smaller and we drown in the clothes or look like stick figures.
I still remember when one summer EVERYTHING was babydoll.
With barely any chesticles and skinny arms and legs a babydoll looks like walking cotton candy. :(
Amen to that! Plus sized fashion is a mess and fitting a bust means the hips and waist are too loose and so on and I can’t imagine it for folks who shop in petite sections
additionally plus sizing is just really a mess, i searched when i'm on the plus size section of a website that goes till 4xl the one thing i may not want too see are measurements equal to the smallest xxl from a different website (who's sizing in itself is already a mess because unlike what your measurements tell you you know you fit in their xl)...
i also watched some yt videos on sizing because a friend thought that might be helpful, and this girl litterally said "choose your sizes in comparison to your competition" which can lead to massive differences in clothes over different styles
AND I'M EUROPEAN SO FROM THIS VIDEO ALONE I KNOW IT'S WORSE IN AMERICA
And don’t get me started on petite sizes (on behalf of my 4’11” daughter!) 😡
And they always make the arms and legs longer.
I love how shocked MatPat is about this issue we've been dealing with for years. Nobody tell him how hard bra shopping is.
Oof, agreed
Honestly...
Finding a comfortable bra, finding a fitting bra... Even expecting a bra my size that is even barely passable is pointless.
I've almost never had to worry about jeans or pants because most have the waist measurement and that just makes it easier. And shoes, I look between the size 6-8 sections because my feet can fit different sizes between those (sometimes even a size 5 will fit perfectly) I think it's pretty ridiculous just "generally knowing" what size you are in clothes, shoes. Im glad I can sew and adjust some that are lightly too big (it sucks I have to though...)
They NEVER have my size on Amazon, the only place I can find it is at the mall 😭
Part of this is women not actually knowing their actual bra size. . .because marking tries to insist we should all fall into something like 36B, 34C. ect. ect. and many of us assume our breast size doesn't change much.
My first bras were roughly sized to 36b in highschool, I settled on 34c (a supposed sister size) when I started working. . .a few years back I went and got sized by a proffessional in an actual boutique and uh. . . lets just say the selection for my body type was very very restricted. She put me in a 30H, I've since adjust that to a 32H as I've found the 30 size band to just be too tight and uncomfortable. And I had to dial on that when I went looking for replacements a few months ago, and even then it comes down to style and brand and waaay too many returns.
That's why you find a brand you like, get measured for it and don't ever switch, not even style. I really like my bras. I did buy the wrong size for 12 years because my under bust doesn't exist in some shops. My bra size doesn't exist in most.
I have been complaining about women’s sizing for years. Mat Pat has answered my wishes once again.
When I saw this I literally just got back from jeans shopping and it is a NIGHTMARE, not only is it a problem from store to store or brands BUT LITERALLY DIFFERENT STYLES WITHIN THE SAME BRAND!!!!
dude at this point i'll just do some slight editing to men pants (just for the waist) because i'm starting to hate shopping
Not just that, sometimes it’s different from COLOR TO COLOR. Same size same style, completely different fit. I think it has something to do with fabric and materials but it’s so frustrating
I had it vary from color. Black pants fit fine, blue wouldn't go over my hips, and khaki were too big. All same brand, size, and style.
@@Serra-81well, you’re goth now, that’s how it works
That happened to me last month!
As a taller woman, finding jeans that "fit" is constantly struggling with whether I want a super baggy waist and proportionate length, or a fitted waist measurement and pant legs that make me look like I'm wearing children's clothing
Lol, as someone short. . .the opposite problem happens too.
Yes, this is my life.
I feel heard. I once ordered an extra tall only for it to not hit my ankles.
I'm the opposite, I'm under 5 feet and plus size so anything that fits my waist is too long unless I buy carpi length. I have nerve and arthritis problems with my hands and can't sew so it's like playing Russian Roulette when I order clothes. I live in a rural area with not many clothing stores within a a 50 to hundred mile radius.
If I had a nickel for how many times I have had a costume ordered with the wrong size for me just for my height? I’d have four nickles. Which isn’t a lot but I hate that it happened that many times
I used to work at a thrift shop and one of the jobs is sorting the clothes by size. I and other workers get confused between the alpha sizes and the numeric ones. I tried to make a list of which number is which size. Thanks to this video, no wonder looking for charts and making them are a pain.
thank god this is being talked about, it’s such a problem
It’s not a problem
it's finally completed:ruclips.net/video/ULDI-8gIYPM/видео.html
@@soonahero it definitely is, i once got an "m" size (i'm M) and it was too big for me
@@Scwarzkop it doesn’t matter
@@Scwarzkopdont worry about that other guy
it's most definitely bait to get a response out of you
"it's not a problem"
" it doesn't matter"
as if
that guys a loser
keep your head high 💪
This is actually another reason why I just buy pants in the men's section. Actual pockets and being able to tell what size I actually am. Granted, they still don't fit perfectly, but at least they fit better than any of the women's pants I've had
I'm seriously thinking about trying that. So much more convenient by what this video is talking about.
I do this too. It’s also so much cheaper to buy men’s pants
I really want to try this but I naturally have a big caboose so I have no idea if it would even work lol
If they're too pig from the waist but a Cholos belt. I only know them like that but it's a belt that has no holes and you can tighten it to your fit. That way if you don't know how to sow (to fix your pants) just use a belt
@@rosinfilledpecncil6926you don't know of the existence of men with such a thing? I'm sure you'll find some that fit you.
Fun fact: they have size 0 for PLUS SIZES 💀💀 “Plus 0X” is the lowest size in the plus department. The vanity appeal doesn’t stop after you go to the plus section
That is the saddest thing I have heard all day lol
And the fun thing is that 0XL is literally just extra large.
What the actual f*ck?! 😳
We should stop using the letter sizes, they are awful.
I want to stop looking for XXS or some stores even have XXXS now (without actually introducing smaller sizes)
@@Fedexed12 I think they’re larger. I used to be able to fit an XL in bottoms if I was desperate for a certain pair, while I’m usually a M or L, but I saw shorts I liked in the plus section and 0X was the smallest size and way too big for me
Vanity sizing is even starting to affect men's clothing. I used to buy medium T-shirts, but lately all of them seem to be too big. I also used to be medium with jackets, but Ir ecently had to return a S for an XS. It's frustrating as hell, so I can't even imagine how much more frustrating women's sizing is.
I feel like they just labeled everything a size smaller and left small alone. Cause small is still too small and medium fits like a tablecloth sometimes.
@@ruebenllongoria836 True. I also feel like baggy clothes have kind of been trending lately. That style is not for me. I wish they would lable clothes when they aren't a normal fit.
@@afterfractures5884a few brands do that, labeling it “athletic” or “relaxed” fit, for instance. It really helps.
@afterfractures5884 They've hit pants, too. I have some with a waistband 4" (10 cm) larger than the listed size. Other ones are correct.
I have to try a number of different sizes to find find something that fits.
I've started to take a sewing tape measure to find the actual size.
They’re just running the same game on men that they ran on women for years. I worked for a high-end boutique in New York City decades ago where I used to always be able to wear clothing they sold in single digit sizes even though I was always a double digit girl. They did it to make buying the expensive clothes that much more appealing. Cut to present day: I purchased luxury brand clothes in my size, secondhand fromThe Real Real and had to send everything back because none of it fit. They’re done conning women, they’ve just moved on to dudes.
Shopping for jeans and other pants is always such a pain - I've actually sometimes just gone and shopped in the men's section because at least those sizes make sense (and also have bigger pockets)
Yup. I do this too.
I would, but then they would be way to long for me.
And it wasn't just that they threw out non-Caucasian data either, they also threw out data from Italian and Jewish women too. First learned about this on an NPR episode of Radiolab and I'm so glad you addressed every point that they did and even more succinctly
As a big and tall woman I've been buying mens' pants and sizing them to my hips for about 20 years now. It really is ridiculous and I highly recommend everyone invest in a sewing machine and a few basic classes.
Having a mom who knows how to sew and tailored all my pants throughout school, I say do it. It will save you a headache and give you more control over what you want to wear.
😊
I’m a woman with a small waist but big hips and a big arse. I also have weirdly long legs for my height, I usually need a 34 inseam in mens pants. I’m only 5’7” or so. Finding clothes that fit me has been a nightmare since I was a teen. And mum has the same body type as me and had struggled just as much. There’s 30 years between us.
I’ve only recently been able to find womens jeans that fit properly in the last couple of years because of the bbl trend. As bad as the surgery is I have to be a little thankful lol.
they hold up better and they come with pockets
@@dressiknightsi could have pockets
There have been a few times when I’ve gone to buy clothes, realized that NONE of the women’s sizes at that store actually fit me, and just found something in the men’s section instead. It has also been even more frustrating now that my body isn’t the same shape as it used to be after giving birth. Wish they would just use straight measurements for sizes . It makes things less of a headache.
The problem is that diversity in bodies is so widespread that a straight measurement cant just exist. Of course if you are wearing flowier garments focused around draping or balloon fit its fine because the only thing that matters is waist and length, but for most items it would cost brands a lot more to make every item if clothing fit everyone but maintain the same proportions and look, solely because not every item will be able to create the desired effect on every body. So while its a big issue, sometimes a specific garments shape and cut cant work on a linear scale.
@@Avant_Garden Men's bodies are different shapes and sizes too but they use measurements?
Same. My Mom and I just get men's clothes to since we know they fit without having to look up it the size could fit.
@@Avant_Garden i get the issue is hard but standards like EN-13402 exsist and are in widespread use. if one can set standards on actual measurements, fit would be the only problem instead of having no clue at all.
Ugh hi have the same issue with shoes. women’s shoes are so narrow even the wide is too small. Only certain styles fit in men’s wide. I need a size bigger to fit.
I’m 75 now but when I was in my teens in the 1960s, the accurate sizes we used in sewing class were pretty close to the sizes in the stores. For example if you needed to buy a size 14 pattern to sew a dress, chances were you also bought size 14 at the department store when you went to purchase a dress. (Size 14 was a pretty normal size back then.)
im sure this has been asked for before but id love to see an episode on bras, boob tape, and the like. my own mother was unable to produce a sufficient answer on why we wear them, and whether we even should.
Gosh, bras are so horrendous to shop for. . .even when you know your proper size. Personally I hate NOT wearing one, but finding the right one. . .is difficult. Small chest, large bust and goodness akes the picking are slim.
Maybe Matt shouldn’t voice that video…he already got enough slack for the infamous Game theory video…
I think the point of wearing bras is to make your nips not protrude too much and also make your banalahoogas not bounce around and rub together too much (if you have big bazoingers)
@@ThugHunterfromIsrael despite this thought, the item does little to actually perform this task in most cases... It's also restrictive and bad for my blood flow, so while an answer to why we wear it could not be provided, I was warned that I'm not supposed to wear them to sleep
@secretagentk1108 just find a bra that doesn't have these flaws and does it's job, or make one, or alter one to be like that.
If we're getting a "Does Soap Actually Clean Your Body? /Which Soap Brand is Best? ", can we get a "What Toothpaste Actually Work!"
Don't all of them work basically? I mean all of them work the same right?
I’ve always wondered if kid’s toothpaste works as well as adults.
The one 9/10 dentists recommend obviously. You know the one I'm talking about.
@-alovelygaycat- my bigger question is why do kid's toothpaste get all the fun flavors?
All the adult ones are like, mint, mint with mint, mint with charcoal etc.
"Why must our toothpaste have sugar?" would also be interesting to hear
Women’s clothing was created so companies could laugh at our expense- there is no other way it’s possible
I mean, pretty much, yeah.
might i reccomend the Lukas Arnold’s series “How I think women’s clothing began” , The playlist on youtube is called “Jenkins/Clothing”
They’re just shorts so they’re only 1 minute long, and they’re pretty much this comment
Or so y’all could wear clothes
But nobody cares about women
@@AngledOG_ "men's" clothes....we could wear them instead of trying on 20000000000 different shorts cause of the bogus sizing thing...
Not MatPat finding out what women have known for years again. I love this channel and how amazed he is with what is basically our female lives.
Matlab has a woman e.e
You also have to factor in that in many cases, production rarely stops. My grandmother ran a sewing factory, and corporate policy was to never shut down production. If a line ran out of a particular size label, the workers were instructed to use a size up or down and keep production moving. Grandma always said when shopping was to pick two of any given item in your size, and tobtry them both on, in case you got a missed labeled size.
And this is why I don't go shopping a whole lot and wear my clothes until they're dead.
Considering my small body size, I've worn some of my shirts and pants since I was little.
Also, I'm pretty sure most my clothes are mens clothes
As someone who lost weight most of the things I wore at 13 are too big for me( except the t-shirts I still wear stuff I had since I was 14)
Yesterday my sister had tried on a skirt and pants from the same online store, and even the same brand. The skirt was too big and the pants too small. Both were the same numerical size. Can't wait to show her this video xD
I've always noticed that everything fits different individually that's why I don't like to shop online I need a fitting room
My grandmother worked as a seamstress in the 1930s. If an order couldn't be filled by size, they would simply change the size label.
As someone who had an eating disorder and was forever chasing the smaller sizes and being praised praised the "skinny one", this was a much needed topic 10, 15 years ago let alone now. I still struggle with being a size 14 in some shops but a 16 in others and its really mentally tiring. I'm glad I make my own clothes now to be honest. It is a NIGHTMARE trying on clothes just to find out they don't fit.
Shopping in the woman's section feels like trying to take a test that you didn't attend any of the lessons for and only have some prior knowledge of the subject.
😂😂😂
I completely agree with you there
more like the final
As a tiny person, vanity sizing is the WORST. Because when you make label the bigger sizes as smaller… guess what happens to the actually small sizes? They no longer exist 😂
I love that you're covering this. I've been trying to explain why it takes a few days and several stores across several cities to find *maybe* two pairs of pants.
Not only all of this but based on experience I think some brands pretend to have more sizes then they really do. I remember trying different sizes of the same clothing item and even tho the label was different the fit and size was the exact same! So basically their XL was the same fit as their L size which makes it feel like they don't want to have bigger costumers but they don't want to face the consequences of actually excluding those sizes. When the sizing system is this confusing its easier to slip in some personal motives without having it be noticed.
It is a GREAT day to thrift and sew, personally
Edit: so many of y’all shopping from the men’s section but I’m shopping from the boy’s section for my 26” waist and still never finding a winner 😭 I’m extremely jealous
I wear my pants on my hips to dodge the whole 'ever changing waistline' problem. All you have to shrink is the ends of the legs.
as someone who crochets and knits, i agree (i’m trans masc but enjoy the occasional femme outfit, and being able to make my own stuff is awesome). also, i must say, i am jealous that you’re able to shop from the boy’s section. i shop from the men’s section, i’ve gotta look for the smallest sizes there (28” or 30” waist, can’t quite remember right now) but i’m not small enough for the boy’s section, but i always see stuff there that i wish would fit me, lol.
it's hand-me-downs for me! way better than shopping. me, my grandma, and my mom all have the same size range so if I get something from them I actually know it's gonna fit. most of my clothes are hand-me-downs and I wouldn't have it any other way
I Can range from sizes S-XL in different brands and it’s so nice to see someone addressing the problems with women’s sizing especially because those sizes either led me to being praised or ridiculed by my mom. ❤
What’s even worse is international sizing, in Korea an American XS is an M to them, they have whole stores dedicated to these “plus sizes” and the names are SO DEMEANING, like Moo Moo (cow) Fat Cat, Piggy or something of the sort, body shaming anyone who had to shop there
This is such a frustrating problem. My closet covers jeans sized 10-18 and it is so annoying that some days the 14 fits looser than the 18 and I smash my head against the mirror.
The one thing I’ve learned is that it’s so much easier to use the real measurements for clothes and NEVER follow the “sizing chart” of everything. Everything is different even in the same brand
If you can find a pair of jeans that fit they fit _phenomenally_ for years, but that first part is the hardest part 😅
And then they deteriorate within 5 years because they’re not made with as durable material. All my pants are starting to get holes…
And in my case cause I am a petite so finding a pair of jeans that are short enough is hard, you buy several pairs.
@@ymca_unscrambled seriously why can’t they just last 😭
@@katiehanson2290 _yikes_ yeah I imagine that sucks even more
@@katiehanson2290 I highly recommend learning how to hem, 10/10
I've fluctuated my weight all my life, and OH the horror stories.
When you're a preteen girl, having to grab a pair of pants in a larger size kills your self esteem.
"...having to grab a pair of pants in a larger size kills your self esteem."
Yeah that's the _vanity sizing_ issue MatPat spoke about around 3:30.
The men's sizes have waist and inseam sizes in inches, like 34" 34".
If a guy has to buy 40" 34" for a fit, they'll have to accept buying that bigger waist.
It does, and that's how they get you. I'm short and I'm chonky because of health problems, so shopping is a special hell for me. I end up having to go to specialty stores to get anything that will fit and also look nice, they have their own vanity sizing system. Which sucks, but I put up with it because the clothes they make actually fit my body shape.
Online shopping is actually terrible. Between scams, discoloring, bad material, bad sizing, and just not being able to see it in general.
In shirts, tops, etc. I range from XXS-M
In jeans, leggings, etc. I range from 00-6
This. I range from S to XL and it is literally so confusing.
Actually, the worst scam EVER is that ripped jeans are double the price of regular ones
I agree, and why someone would even buy the ripped pants just confuses me.
Right?! I can hardly wait to see this hideous trend in the rear view mirror!!
In my small town you can really only find ripped jeans :(
They have to be whole pants before more payroll hours are used to distress them - more labor, very simple
Or bleached clothes
And how about those frayed sneakers ?
Size inconsistency between brands (and even someone in the same brand) is a weird thing that I’m glad you’re covering.
I would love a theory about bra sizes and styles. Underwire vs wireless, support thats actually needed vs provided, etc. As a busty gal buying bras that aren’t typically off the rack (badum-tsss) its a struggle with the only exciting color being a new shade of beige. Sports bras are another thing. The one I use is from a brand called shefit and it’s like bulletproof vest but at least I can jump in it without giving myself a black eye 😂
Its sad that (for a plus size women like myself) small clothes are made in flatter styles, prints, cuts ect, but if you can find anything plus size ( 2x and up) alot is just baggy, unflattering, or granny esk prints.
They think they can just throw a trash bag on us and it's fine. I end up having to shop in specialty stores because I'm short, and I'm chonky, and also probably an hourglass under off of this, because my waist is smol, my hips and bust are huge. It makes shopping a nightmare.
Well you're gonna be old one day...
As a woman, I am so happy you went over this! I do a lot of my shopping online because the stores I shop at aren't very close to me or are small. Anyway whenever I have to shop, it is practically a guessing game. When buying lets say a dress or skirt, I have to decide if I feel lucky with the size large, (12-14) or size X-Large. (16-18) The stakes are HIGH. If I buy a large the clothes either fit, or are way too small. If I buy an X-Large then the clothes either fit, or are way too big. I've had to return so many things I've bought because of this. Some of the stuff I bought were even almost out of stock, or I just never found on the website again, so yeah. It sucks.
Thanks for doing a video on this. lets all hope the system gets changed.
The air force did a similar mass measurement project, to try to design the "one size fits all" cockpit for planes. Turns out that exactly nobody has the average size of everything (legs, arms, torso, ...) and the average cockpit didn't work for anyone.
Finally!! We can talk about the issue with pants!
It's finally completed:ruclips.net/video/T0yVFiI26JI/видео.html
This is one reason I LOVE Lucky Brand jeans. Their sizing uses the waist & inseam just like men's. *chef's kiss*
I once went into h&m and tried on 3 pairs of jeans. one was a pair of mom jeans (meant to fit a big larger) and the other two were the same exact pair of skinny jeans except one was light wash and the other was dark wash. if the 3 pairs of jeans all were a size 6 and only 1 pair fit. now surprisingly the supposed to be loose fitting mom jeans fit too tight, the light wash pair of the skinny jeans fit too loose, and the dark wash skinny jeans were the only true fit.
Lol, it is frustrating when it seems even the same style of jean has variance. I worked in a clothing department store for a number years and it was so noticeable in pants. Brand size meant nothing, you want by the style number which was supposed to be the same pants just different colors. . .
2:29 So far, no mention of the fact that even in the SAME BRAND, SAME STORE, two items of IDENTICAL clothing of the same labeled size can STILL be different actual sizes!
I've had that with men's classic Levi 501's. Buying the exact same model just a few years apart had wildly different lengths.
I swear, this is such a big problem for me. I rarely find nice jeans, that fit me that is. It’s whole fricking system. There is never a size that fits me in a design I like.
And this is part of the reason I shop online almost exclusively. Our online stores have additional sizing in centimeters, mostly it's bust/waist/hips. It's a gamechanger! Idk why other stores even have standardized sizing if it is so wrong anyway and so hard to navigate.
May I get a list of which online stores you're shopping? I'm trying to find dresses with pockets and pants.
@@LilianaKali I'm Russian so it might be not very helpful, I'm sorry ☹️
I shop mostly at Wildberries, Ozon and Aliexpess, I believe first two don't have international shipping.
Mindblowing how this platforms were modeled after Amazon but have better features. For example, on Wildberries or Ozon you definitely can search for a dress and filter out those that don't have pockets (I bought a midi skirt with pockets in the color I prefered that way 😊)
This and the pocket episode I linked immediately to a few of my trans friends trying to break into girl things. Because it is *insane* how messed up it is for women's clothing, and is part of the reason I just buy men's clothes when I can get away with it (which are slightly more honest). Thanks, Matpat. You have given scientific data to some of my biggest fashion frustrations with this channel, and it is... relieving.
Yeah it's really hard to find pants or shorts that have pockets. And when they do, they're usually small pockets.
I've been lucky enough to find a few shorts with deep enough pockets at Goodwill stores. And that's a whole different problem because I don't like having short shorts.
I don't like purses so I wear a jacket with pockets whenever I go out.
Reason #672 moving to Europe (specifically the Netherlands) was the best decision I ever made, sizing here is way more standard. I have been buying online and have been the same size, it's wonderful.
Yeah I wondered why he didn't bring up that the EU had standard sizes. I get the channel targets an American audience. But here there wasn't a conversion to cm or any acknowledgement whatsoever.
Even as a guy it's impossible to find jeans that fit. There's similarly like 5 different "fits" that all fit differently even if they're supposed to be the same size. I guess most guys just don't care enough, but trying to find something comfortable that looks decent on me took me 3 weeks in 5 stores and 4 orders/returns. I ended up just giving up and had to just go with whatever kind of worked because it was such a massive headache.
I work at a clothing store that doesn't even don't even offer online shopping and we still get returns daily. Customers are reluctant to try on clothes in our fitting rooms because our AC is broken (and has been since summer started) and nobody wants to try and pull on clothes that stick to their sweaty bodies. So what happens is that they take them home to try on, and then come back a day or two later to make a return.
"When I told the women of team theorist I wanted to talk about sizing- well first of all, they laughed in my face." that's rough
Wait I was kinda hoping to learn about women’s sizes compared to each other. Like an episode where the theorist ladies get to try on multiple brands from multiple stores and give a ranking/ explanation on what makes sense or something.
can you please also possibly do videos on why clothes at one point in the late 2000s became so expensive and another video on why men's clothes are rough and women's clothes are soft?
I'd be curious about the differences in textures too!
I can answer the latter as I am a woman in a nontraditional career. Rough textures allude to the blue collar life. Plain and simple. That's why Carhartt went from a farmer's brand to being hip with the city dwellers. Clothing texture is just as much a part of the aesthetic as brand is.
Women's clothes are soft because children and child rearing. Lots of psychological stuff there.
@@Chihirolee3 is there a reason why all clothes aren't soft?
So in part it might be the general association of "Women being soft" & "Men being rough" & each wearing textures that associate with it? Does make sense how a soft texture wouldn't suit rough work-life that may just wear them out faster compared to rough textured clothing (that may be more durable in those situations). Also know my mom and a few other women (maybe some men exist as well? who) are highly sensitive to the seams in their clothes, so soft clothing is highly needed by them.
@@mica4977 guess that explains it, so basically clothing types follow ancient stereotypes
Even for kids!. My mother hated taking me shopping. Because finding things that fit was disappointing, confusing, and to a young growing kid, tiring and too much for either of our patience.
Literally the most validating thing I have ever done for my body is learn what the “industry standards” for proportions are
While I have no proof, my grandmother also said that old factories, and potentially current ones, would occasionally also mislabel clothing just to meet a quota. So to add insult to injury you couldn’t necessarily trust your size whatever dress either if they were working them to hard.
If matpat taught me anything it's that everything links back to war, racism, and sexism ❤
Fnaf lore?
@@adabel2526how is that fnaf lore?
@@lexi1031yeah
I would like this comment but its at 69 likes
sexism ?
Growing up poor, I thought my mom being able to sew was awesome because we could sometimes salvage favorite clothes, and we occasionally got new Halloween costumes, it turns out it had other benefits that were far more practical.
I just wish it would be considered false advertising. Our false advertising laws have fallen so hard. Also feel ya on shopping in the juniors section. It's very much also a "women should be small" and also "small women are just children who can't make decisions and should be told what to do" so it's incredibly screwed up all the way through.
An interesting thing about basing women's clothing size on just one measurement; up until WWI padding out clothing to give yourself the "right" silhouette for what was fashionable was generally how it was done, this was usually the waist measurement though.
As fashion moved away from more structured foundation garments like boned corsets and embraced new materials like elastic for underwear, not to mention all the cultural and economic changes that were happening then on top of the fashion trends, padding your clothing to get the right shape wasn't the done thing any more.
Nicole Rudolph has some great videos on the history of clothing size for more information.
This is really a problem, I’m glad he’s talking about it, it’s especially difficult for us teenagers who hit a growths pert every several months, I’m a size 16/18 in pants and it doesn’t even cover every type of pants it’s annoying, but not as annoying as prom dress shopping, you should talk about THAT next 🤣
Dress sizes are EXCRUCIATINGLY painful. I remember prom dress shopping, it was so hard especially being plus sized and on a budget. I was lucky to find something, but the effort in order to get there was so taxing on my mental health
2:39 i love how he used the part of the logo as a smile
Thank you for this episode, I actually couldn't understand why women's clothing was so frustrating for them (me being the least fashion literate person you could meet) and this actually shed light on some of their difficulties.
I love when my husband asks questions about my pants. Like, "Why don't you have your own pockets?" and, "Why don't yalls pants sizes have waist and length inches like men's do?" and, "What size are you? What do you mean it depends on what store you're in????" 😂😂
The pocket part is infuriating.
Husband: I don’t need a bag, see I put my phone, keys and wallet in my pocket.
Me: so yeah about pockets….🤬
The weird sizing of jeans is part of why I switched to dress pants as my primary trousers.
This really explains why I’ve never felt like American clothing fits me well, whereas shopping in Korea, it all felt way better
thak KS K 0051 for that
Matpat better be starting a Travel Theory channel because he is traveling more than usual nowadays💀
fr
What slot of the logo would that even take? The spiky ring around the logo? The trophy in the middle?
@@kosudesu He actually has brough up the idea of creating 4 whole new slots. We'll see what happens in the future.
omg would love to have a Travel or culture theory, about why different countries do specific stuff and culture rituals.
It's sad that I've had to start shopping in the men's section for jeans. Though it ain't perfect it is nice to know that the same size with almost always fit
I am still that woman from the 40's/50's sitting at my machine tailoring the clothes I buy. I often have to think, do I love this enough to be bothered to sew it right? If not, I'm not buying it.
Yeah, and don't get me going on shirts, too. Nowadays the companies like Amazon will honestly send the wrong size in the first place in clothing instead of the right size you need
I’m not a woman but for most of my adult life I have struggled to find shirts that fit because of my large shoulders, and thus the only clothes that fit me are much larger than my actual size so I can relate to a lot of you woman out there
joke is though that i got an XL jacket(L or XL for tight fits) & its sleeves are too small, hell the armpit region has ripped because of that sizing issue.
& if you know mens shirt, jackets,pants....hell all of it,
give better choice for mens clothes(80%women 20%mens....that aint fair.)
this really proves the point that men having "standardized" sizes is not the flex matpat is presenting it to be. men's bodies are just as varied and non-standardized as anyone else's, so why shouldn't there be variation in sizing to accommodate that?
@@frankendress7795
yeah there really should be more difference in sizes without having to go to the big and tall store which is really only for tall hefty men
This is the exact reason I wear/buy men's pants. I know my dimensions and it's a super quick trip in and out.
Pants realy are MatPat's worst enemies: pockets, sizes, and much more to mention!
(Well there are not many things to mention but I need to comment something 👁️👄👁️)
soon there going to be revelling the fnaf lore
You can add germs in his jeans from the types of soap video 😉
I’ve noticed some size inconsistency with men’s clothing too, as well as footwear. I have “large” hoodies that are smaller than some of my “medium” sized ones, and size 8, 9.5, and 10 shoes that are all the exact same size. Because of this, I still find myself being much more drawn to shopping in stores to avoid the hassle of returning wrong sizes.
You can always take the measurements of clothes that fit you, and buy whichever size is closest to it, but doing that for every individual retailer or brand would get old fast.
I also find it interesting that (in Australia at least) men’s clothing is usually sized S, M, L, XL, etc. The average man seems to be a L or XL, making it seem like they’re basing the sizing on the idea that men wish to feel larger (or at least not small). Women’s are always arbitrary numbers (6, 8, 10, 12, etc.) making it less confronting that being called XXL, as well as making the actual size of the clothes less clear to visualise. This is made even more confusing by the drastic variation in sizes from store to store and brand to brand.
I’ve always found it infuriating that when you order a larger size dress/blouse/jumper etc, the sleeves make no allowance for larger arms~ it’s like they just make the body part wider but leave the sleeves the same width as all the smaller sizes. So your arms end up looking like sausages stuffed in casings! And another grouse I have is that in Britain the most common figure shape is Pear shape, but does anyone make clothes to fit Pear shaped women? No they don’t! And all the up~market clothes are designed solely for very slim women with boyish figures, no hips!
JEANS HAVE LORE HOOOOOOOOOOOW man mat pat can find lore out of thin air and it’s insane how he finds lore everywhere
Agreed
couldnt have said it better
That's how LOOOORE in real life works...
Horrifying...
It's not LORE it's LOOOOOOREEEE
The fifth channel jeans theory
As a plus size woman, I absolutely feel this!!! It's so annoying. 😭😭😭 And so definitely makes you feel that much more insecure.
Lol I'm overweight. But around my behind its so hard to find jeans 👖 🥲😔
I'm a pear shape and constantly find it a nightmare to buy clothes. If trousers/pants fit my waist then I can't get them up my thighs in the first place. If they fit my legs then I have to use belts in order for them to stay on my waist.
Then it's a similar problem with tops due to being a smaller bust size (again pear shape). If a top fits my bust size it's too small for my arms and waist. If it fits my arms and waist then the bust area is so loose it's embarrassing.
Oh someone help put us all out of our misery with unrealistic sizes!!! 🙏.
If only they were standardized sizes across the globe and catered to different body shapes. For example Hourglass M, Rectangle M, Triangle M, Apple M and Pear M, you get the picture.
@@GemR38 I'm close to a bear shape but very similar problem. I always have to wear a belt so my jeans won't slip
As a very petite woman I really struggle with the “size deflation” stuff. I’m 5’1” so I’m really tiny so jeans are a disaster. But now I’m struggling to find shirts that fit! Take Six Flags as my prime example. I have shirts bought years ago ranging through about 2020 that I got in a small (I prefer extra small but they don’t have that). It fits fine, about how a unisex small is expected to fit on my petite frame. Now their “small” is massive on me, more in the realm of an old medium or large. It’s at the point if I want their newer merch I have to resort to a kids large or even medium in the case of one shirt I got. It’s incredibly demeaning being an adult buying kids clothes for herself! This has got to stop, and if companies want to pass off a much larger size as a small they need to offer extra small as an option because otherwise it really deters me from buying anything and just depresses me. Glad this is being talked about!
On the other hand, you can fit Asian brands that I can only dream about. Asian brands have the designs I want that American brands just don't offer, but the scale is way too small for me. I came across one Asian brand on Amazon where the 3x was a 34" bust!
as someone with a 29 inch waist, thanks for the conversion for different stores 😭😭
9:25 never expected to see Power in a style theory video
Why is she there in the part of this video? Did MatPat watched Chainsaw Man?
Bro i just noticed that, i think matpat did watch chainsaw man
Maybe
I honestly respect matpat and everyone of his team for consistently putting out content, I do hope they get proper rest tho😅 anyways love you guys❤❤
Unironically thanks for bringing up the racism behind the womens sizrs and how the standard has been skewing to young teen girls. Like most women been knew but its nice to have such a hugw channel bring up an issue.
I believe the word your looking for is sexism. Because you’re right, that’s exactly what it is. It’s sexist
Matpat takes anything and adds math to it. Cookies, Mario, paw patrol, and pants😂😂😂
It's finally completed:ruclips.net/video/2HKMLmc7HFw/видео.html
And Luigi's assets :P
I once bought a pair of jeans that was the basic brand of the retailer. I absolutely loved them, they fit perfectly and only ran me about $14. A couple months later I went back hoping to get another pair. Much to my surprise they still had them, same cut, waist, length, all of it identical.
They fit, but not like a glove the way the first pair did. What was the difference you ask? The answer surprised me. It wasn't the brand, the inseam, the cut, the printed waist size, or the ride of the jeans. Nor was it the wash. Everything on he tags were identical save for one tiny detail: country of manufacture. The exact same style of jeans that should have been identical had been produced for the same company by two different factories in two different countries and that was the detail that left them fitting differently.
It still blows my mind.
I am so glad you’re showcasing this problem it is absolutely frustrating Men have it so easy but you never know what size anything is
I can imagine MatPat walking into a Target and buying several pairs of womens jeans at the counter while the cashier is staring at him.
Why should anyone stare at a man buying womens clothing? Theres literally a dozen reasons why he might be making the purchases, from buying for a show, to buying for himself or for daughters or sisters or for an art project.
Another reason to use the self-checkout.
I mean they have the right to stare at him weirdly. Who in the hell would buy adult women clothing as a guy.
Unless said reason is cross-dressing then sure. But other than that, it evenutally does look weird.
My deepest thanks from the bottom of my heart Mattpat. I now know why my clothing sizes have no real connection to objective reality and who to curse for all eternity for it 😡
This is why I get most of my pants from Amazon. They usually list out the numerical size and also the actual measurements for the waist and inseam. It’s also a lot easier to find “tall” pants because normal pants are about 3 inches too short
So this is why my sisters take so long when they go shopping for clothes.
So I'm 23 and completely healthy. But I'm only 85lbs, and I've been called about everything you can think of hearing that number. The problem lies on both sides of the spectrum, and I'm so glad that it's being addressed. But we need solution! Clothing is so, so, so expensive and then to never find anything that fits correctly just takes the process worse ten-fold.