I sure can’t. According to this Jezebel poll, pretty much none of us can. So what’s up with that? My thoughts on breaking up with all those “someday” sizes, are over at Never Say Diet today.
PS. The lovely iVillage tech folk are working hard on getting that Chime In issue resolved. It doesn’t seem to be on my computer, but hey, maybe that’s just my browser? She said hopefully? Continue to keep me posted on your efforts to comment over there… and if you can’t, please do keep the comments coming here, or over on the Never Say Diet Facebook page. Ooh, so fancy!
Yes, this multiple-size thing is my life. Because I’ve been pregnant for many months in the last few years (it sounds like I have spawned a big ol’ herd, which is misleading, but those months really do accumulate and take a toll on the wardrobe and the body), my closet is all kinds of crazy. I don’t believe in holding onto aspirational clothing if there is a huge gap between where we are and where we think we should be, but sometimes, in the short run, it works to have options. Particularly in the post-pregnancy body-restabilization phase. (Which might never end.)
Oh yes, I didn’t even think about the pregnancy aspect! That makes everything super crazy. And I agree, sometimes you do need a couple of options on the sizing front because it’s hard to tell where you’re going to be. Not to mention, I have several things that DO fit but are completely disparate sizes because sizes mean such different things for different brands/styles/etc. I should have clarified that all of the sizes I reference in today’s post are pretty much J. Crew and Target-exclusive. (Because for some reason, all of my pants come from those two places!)
I thought the point of the Jezebel post was that typically there are a lot of sizes in one’s closet that all fit – that the sizing system just makes no sense at all. I know I have 3, maybe 4 different sizes of clothes – that all fit, they’re just bizarrely numbered. Maybe I misread?
Hi Emma!
Absolutely — Dodai was talking about all the reasons why we have so many different sizes, and especially emphasized the point that there is NO clothing size standardization. I definitely have some bizarrely numbered items that fit even though other clothes labeled the same size totally don’t. And it’s a great reminder that we shouldn’t get hung up on the number on the label! Because it’s bullsh*t.
I just zeroed in on another point she made (I believe it was the first in her little list of bullet points) — that so many of us hang on to clothes that don’t fit (whatever the number is) because it’s hard to let go of that idea of yourself as a different size. It struck a chord because it’s something I’ve been wrestling with a lot lately.
I’ve done the great closet purge several times in the past several years. Why do I not bother anymore? I end up needing those clothes again. I can’t afford to build my wardrobe from the ground up AGAIN. I’ve wasted an unknown amount of money due to changing weight.
I want to just say that we shouldn’t give away those awesome clothes that are a bit too big, either. After losing weight, it’s one thing to give away the fat pants that you always hated. But after I lost 20 lbs several years ago, I gave away all of my cute larger clothes as well. Now I’m re-gaining (stupid late 20s metabolism slowdown). The worst part about gaining weight, for me, is having to buy new clothes and mourning those really cute size 14s that I abandoned at Goodwill. Those would totally fit right now and they would look hot. Nobody wants to think that they’ll regain the weight, but I’d rather hang on to a few awesome things than have to replace an entire wardrobe.
Luey — Thank you for bringing that up! I was actually discussing this very issue with my mom last week, and wish I’d remembered to work it into the post. YES. I too am missing larger sizes that I wore in my early 20s, then donated when I lost the weight… but would now totally come in handy! And plan to remember this lesson as I lose this weight. Women’s bodies cycle through different sizes for many great reasons throughout our lives — why be unrealistic and deprive myself of future cuteness?!
I am a firm believer in only wearing clothes that fit my body RIGHT NOW. It took me a long time to get here, though – I used to punish myself and my body by wearing clothes that were either way too big or way too small. I actually blogged about it here:
http://www.healthforthewholeself.com/2010/07/what-not-to-wear/