What is the most important factor that you need to consider when buying clothes? Yes, that’s right, the size. Isn’t it frustrating when you find something that you like but it’s not available in your size? It can be disappointing to not get what you want just because it does not fit.
During the pandemic, the world migrated to the digital space. Everyone wants a piece of it and industries are expanding its reach through it. One of the most prolific industry in the virtual world is online shopping. Even before the lockdowns, online shopping is popular. It’s convenient and hassle-free.
The downside to online shopping especially for apparel is finding the right size. When we go to the mall and buy a pair of jeans, we can try them on and see if the fit is right. With online shopping, we can only estimate based on the sizes provided by the seller. Unfortunately, that’s where the problem starts.
Online sellers state sizes based on the tag. It’s harder to estimate if the sizes that you see are small, medium, and large only. Have you ever experienced buying jeans online? You’re looking forward to its arrival but you find yourself disappointed because it doesn’t fit? Annoying right?
Let’s talk about jeans. How do you determine the sizes? One of the most basic things that you need to know is the different size systems. The most common of the three is the W/L – Jean Size. For this system, it uses two numbers that are separated with an “X” or a slash. For example, 34×32 or 28/30. This sizing is used most of the time for pants, jeans, and dress pants.
The next size system is the US Standard Pants Size. It ranges from XS to XXXL. This system is common for jogger pants, work pants, and lounge pants. The last size system is the EU Pants Size. This is mainly used in France, Germany, Italy, and the UK and the usual number is 40 for women and 50 for men.
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How do I know my true pants size?
First things first, men have a different size chart than women. So, don’t expect that a size medium for men is the same medium for women. Now the question is how do I know my pants size? How do I know that my measurements are accurate when I want to buy online?
What you need to do first is measure your waist. Grab a tape measure and wrap it around your waist. You need to place it at the slimmest midpoint of your body. If your measurement is not exact you need to round up to the nest number. So, if you have 28.5 inches, round up and your final waist measurement is 29.
Next, measure the length. To get this, bring the tape measure high up to your inner thigh. From that point to your ankle, that will be the measurement of your length. But for suit pants, you need to measure until the ground so it sits on top of the shoes. The same rules apply, if end up measuring point something, round it up to the next number. So, if it’s 31.5 inches, you’ll get 32.
When you apply it to the W/L – Jean Size, the W is the waist and the L is the length. What you’ll get is W29/L32 or 29/32. You can also use “x” instead of slash.
How does women’s pants size work?
There is no such thing as a one size fits all. Depending on the style, the brand, and the cut, your pants size will vary. Jeans have the standard waist, hip, and inseam measurements. But it still differs depending on the cut and style.
Different brands have their standard size charts. It is based on the sizing standard of the manufacturers. Most of the time, the areas that they would differ is the waist and the hip size. For the inseam, women’s jeans may have a standard size of 28, 30, 32, and 34 inches still depending on the manufacturer. If a tag says 26/32, it means that the waist is 26” while the length is 32”.
In the US, they use the standard Size 0 chart. This corresponds to the range of the waist and hips. The usual difference for a size up is half an inch between the waist and hip size. A size 8 jeans could fit a 28” – 28.5” waistline and a 38.5” – 39” hipline. Always remembers that jeans tend to shrink when you wash them. Better get a size higher to make sure that it will still fit after you wash it.
Another confusing thing about sizing, it can be different depending on the country. There are instances that even if they are the same brand, depending on the country the sizing differs. There are many sizing charts on the internet that you can check out for more accurate conversion.
Is there a quick fix to this? Well, in general, if you want to convert US woman’s jeans to UK size, add four. If you’re going to convert US size to EU size, add 30. If you want to know your Japanese jean size, add 3 to the US size.
How about converting men’s size to women’s size? Well, you need to remember that men’s jeans are and women’s jeans have very different cuts. Women’s jeans are more sculpted and emphasize the curves. It also has a wider hipline and waistline compared to men. So, if you want to convert, subtract 21 from the men’s size and you’ll get the closest women’s size. Still, you need to consider that women’s jeans have a wider hipline and a slimmer waistline than men.
Now that I determined my pants size, does that mean that’s going to be my standard size for every type of pants? Here’s the thing, pants have so many different cuts and each cut has different measurements. Like a high waist and low waist pants, they have a different size depending on the waistline. Isn’t that a hassle? To make it easier, pants have categories like low, medium, and high waist. Get your standard size for each and it’ll be easier to determine what size you need.
What are the average men pant size?
What is the average size of an American man? According to the stats, an average American man is about 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 10 inches. They are neither skinny nor stocky and has a symmetrical body proportion. Most likely, they weigh around 130 – 160 pounds.
What is the best measurement that would fit them? For pants, the typical size of an average American man is 32 inches to 34 inches for the waistline. While 30 inches to 33 inches for the inseam. The inseam still depends if the person prefers a high or low waist.
Do you what to know what pants size sells out the most? It turns out that in the US, its size 34 for men. The highest percentage of guys with an average waistline tends to buy the size 34 at 55%. Followed by size 36 at 35 % then size 38 at a small percentage.
Is there any discrepancy? Yes, and it’s because of a few reasons. One of which is vanity sizing. Have you heard of this? Vanity sizing is one of the most confusing size systems ever invented. In this system, the actual size of the garment is way bigger than the one advertised. The goal here is to fatter the person buying into thinking that they’re getting a smaller size.
Another factor that adds to the discrepancy, men bigger than 36 inches lets their pants sit lower. Yes, it’s not the most attractive sight but most men don’t care. It’s okay for them to wear a size smaller and let their belly hang.
Lastly, some men are stubborn. They only buy what they’re used to buy. It’s not because of vanity it’s because it became a habit. If they buy a size 34 when they’re young and fit, they’ll still buy a size 34 even if they gained a few inches around the waist.
Does one size fit all?
For most people, one of the reasons that they love going to the mall is because of shopping. They enjoy trying out different styles and looking for the right size. If you have the time and the energy to do this then that’s not a problem. However, some of us are too tired to walk around and try things out until we find a match.
Have you ever come across an ad saying that this shirt is a one size fits all? The phrase “one size fits all” is used to describe garments that are meant to fit every size. Does this happen? In reality, there is no such thing as a one size fits all. We all come in different shapes and sizes so it’s impossible to have a standard size that will flatter all. Do you think a shirt that fits a petite person would be flattering to someone on the larger part of the scale?
Most one size fits all garments are intended to fit an average body shape. They should just change it to “one size fits most”. But for marketing purposes, a little exaggeration attracts more attention. Did you know that this approach has a negative impact on some? From their perspective, this approach treats people the same. But the truth of the matter is everyone’s different.
What is a size 8 in jeans?
Sizes can be confusing. There are so many to consider and reading the tag is difficult if you don’t understand what the numbers mean. So, how do you know what a size 8 in jeans? First, you need to know how to read pants size. Here is a simple fool-proof guide that will help you read your pants size.
Step #1: Find the label on the waistband. You’ll see it in its usual spot at the center of the waistband. If you can’t find it there, try checking near the front button. Also, you can try checking for a label sewn into the waistband.
Step #2: Scan the details printed on the label. Look for two numbers separated by “x” or a slash. If there are many tags, go through it until you find this.
Step #3: Take a look at the first number. That indicates the waist size. If it says 34, then that’s 34 inches around the waist.
Step #4: Go and check out the second number. That indicates the length of the inseam.
Step #5: If you don’t see any numbers, just SML, consult a sizing chart. Better to look at the sizing chart of the store where you’re buying because it may differ between brands.
Step #6: Look for the fit type to know the cut. What you’ll see is classic, relaxed, or skinny. These descriptions will tell you how the fit will be. If the tag says skinny, it means that it’s tight around the legs. If it says relaxed, then it’s more loose compared to skinny. You’ll also see other descriptions like boot cut, wide, straight, and more.
Now that you know how to read tags, let’s go back to the question, what is a size 8? Earlier, do you remember the Standard Size Zero that’s used in the US? That’s where the size 8 came from. If you read the tags in your jeans, most of the time what you’ll see is the W/L size system or the SML. So how will you know?
One quick solution is checking the charts. Every conversion is there. From Size 0, SML, to W/L, it’s the most accurate conversion that you can get. But, if you don’t want to search for this, you can always compute. Size 0 is 24″ – 24.5″ around the waist and 34.5″ – 35″ around the hips. If you’re looking for 8 just add four and you’ll get 28” – 28.5” around the waist and 38.5” – 39” around the hips.
