Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A Conversation Overheard in a J Crew Dressing Room...


OK this is not verbatim, but here's the gist:

Person 1: "What size are those?"

Person 2:  "They're a 6.  No.  Wait... they're a 4."

Person 1:  "You should get them."

Person 2:  "Why?"

Person 1:  "Because they're a 4."


J Crew's Denim, J Crew's Picture

I will admit I have had similar internal thoughts and we can obviously all see that J Crew and other retailers understand this psychology!  I am working on getting over the number tags sewn on to clothes... especially since I am shrinking so quickly (not really... just my clothing size) and I know that it doesn't mean anything.

I remember years and years ago I had a good friend who was trying on clothes at another retailer and the sales associate told her that the pants she was trying on were so fabulous and she should get them and wear them inside-out because they were a size 2!

From what I've seen and heard it seems like most people are frustrated with vanity sizing and would just like to have some consistency so that we can order confidently online, not try on three different sizes in-store, and maintain the same size season-to-season if our scale hasn't changed.  I'm thinking if a retailer could do that it might actually help their sales.  Wouldn't that make sense?  There is a discussion going on over at JCA on J Crew sizing today and I am interested to see what pans out with the company!

Happy Wednesday!

xoxo

8 comments:

  1. So, so true. I even find sizes vary depending on the different color of an item. JC is by far the most "vanity size" label I've ever had...not that I'm complaining. :)
    How is the new book?

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  2. the crazy sizing always helps me when i have a free shipping promo and i need to meet the minimum to qualify. I am always consistent with white house black market, talbots and Nordstroms. I don't get it with jcrew at all.

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  3. The vanity sizing is a pain, but without it, PERFECTLY NORMAL SIZED women would not be able to wear a lot of J. Crew clothes, especially now that they won't be making some things above a size 8.

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  4. Stephanie - it's a pretty breezy little read... not really giving me anything to think about but a nice diversion. I am excited I found it at the library - they even have a little beach read section! My kids have really gotten into the library this year and I just realized that I can find current books and old classic dvds etc there for myself! I'm saving money = more J Crew and Tory Burch. :)

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  5. Ha Ha. I've bought so many things b/c it was a smaller size. :)

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  6. Guess I have a strong sense of self. I never care what the tag says 6,8 or 10. As long as it fits and looks nice. I have never cared! And I am 42. Even when I was 20 I didn't care.

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  7. Thank you for this post. I always wondered what "vanity sizing" meant when I read about it in the JCA blog and now I got it ;-).

    Vanity sizing is OK if the brand also offers petite or XXS or 00 for the real 0...

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  8. *lol* I try not to resist things that are 0 or 2 just because they are 0 or 2.

    OOPS - Total Freudian slip. I meant to say I try to resist the temptation of items that are a smaller size than I wear if I know I'm very attracted to it because of the size on the tag.

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