Self-confidence and loving our bodies the way they are seems to be the idea that everyone struggles with. It is a tough topic that many are uncomfortable to talk about.
It's uncomfortable... just like the way some clothes fit. When looking to the fashion industry, we are always trying to absorb the "in" fashion trends which are forever evolving. But there is one thing that seems to remain constant in the fashion world - clothes continuing to shrink. Clothes are being made smaller and smaller over time. Size 'S' now is not what size 'S' used to be.
Yes, we all know that men and specifically women are being held to unrealistic beauty standards. The idea of defining what is and isn't attractive is evolving and is being taken to extremes with the use of surgeries, photoshop, and predominantly social media. But one of the real problems that spur from these extreme beauty standards that effects each and every person is clothing, or more specifically, the new sizing of clothing.
Over time, we have seen dramatic changes in the sizing of clothing. A women's size 'XS' can fit a little girl while a size 'L' is the average size in America. Haven't you realized that you can wear bigger sizes more comfortably, even if your body hasn't changed?
However, I am a big fan of the oversized t-shirt look.
As time goes on, the fitting of clothing is getting smaller and smaller. (Which is a problem considering our population and average weight are growing higher.) 67% of American women wear a size 14 or above, and most stores don't carry those numbers.
Yes, every brand is made and fits differently. We know what size we are in our favorite brands and have a general size we stick to. And it is deceiving when your normal size doesn't fit in a new brand. It's hard to identify a "standard" body type, which creates the need for different sizes. Sizes continue to grow in range only for clothes to be made smaller. Why is this?
We cannot deny that the average medium shirt is comparably smaller than a medium shirt from 20 years ago. Clothes are continuously being made smaller and smaller, causing us to have to buy bigger sizes or to squeeze into a smaller size. Buying clothing in itself is already a big task that takes a lot of confidence and patience to find the right clothes. But going shopping and having no clothes fit the right way? I know for a fact that we've all struggled through this. The ununified sizing scale can lead to lowered self-esteem.
The problem with sizing of clothing is an emotional debate. There are feelings and personal emotions involved. People are ditching their favorite brands for sizing and on top of that, for far more serious issues such as animal testing, production factors, media outbursts, and environmental issues.
Luckily, the fashion industry is becoming more inclusive and various to more sizes, bigger and smaller. While I don't agree that the "plus" size clothes need their entire own separate section with a large label instead of being included as any other section of clothing would be, it is a giant step in the right direction for equality in clothing for all. Nike is also becoming more inclusive to teenagers, introducing their "Big Kids" section of shoes.
Do we unknowingly contribute to this issue? The answer is yes. We want to buy those smaller sizes. Sometimes it's satisfying to know that you can fit in one size smaller and it's desirable to wear smaller sizes. However, this is also a contributing factor as to why clothes are being made smaller.
The fashion industry is an ever-evolving world. There are constantly new trends and new designers, bringing many changes and new ideas. The fashion world is such a powerful and influential place. Clothing is something that everyone needs and invests in, which is why it needs to be more accustomed to everyone. Simply carrying multiple sizes isn't enough anymore. Those sizes need to fit a variety of body types and to become more inclusive of the norm. While we all wish we could be a size 0, the truth is that we aren't. We need a variety of clothes in our size that will fit us the right way, rather than being made for models.
