http://www.justsaywhen.com/Vintage-101-Sizing.htmClothing Size Issues
Vintage Sizing...was Marilyn Monroe Really a size 12?
First let me say that YOU should Love & Embrace your body, no matter What size you are! If you're not happy with your present size and you can do something about it, by all means do but don't let a number on a scale or on an item of clothing make or break your day/week/month or your life in general. Unless of course you're a supermodel and those three pints of Haagen-Dazs you had last night are going to cost you the new Armani contract you're up for...Then by all means necessary Girlfriend, get your ass to the closest gym and stay there for a few days! But for those of us that aren't super models...Love Thy Self and Thy Thighs, Butt and Boobs!
So...was Marilyn REALLY a size 12? Be sure to read both parts of this answer ( A and B ).
(A) The answer is both YES and NO. For many ladies, young and not so young, vintage clothing sizes ( and how they compare to current/contemporary sizing) present a HUGE dilemma.
DILEMMA: Jane walks into a local vintage clothing store and after much searching, finds a fabulous little 1950's Cocktail dress that looks like it's just her size. She waltzes over to the fitting room. frock in hand. Once disrobed, she proceeds to try on said dress. What looked like a simple act of tossing the dress over her slim form, now became a mild struggle. She manages to get it on but it's a bit snug around the waist and bust area. Intrigued, she wiggles out of it and takes a look at the label. To her shock and mild HORROR it's marked a size 12 ! That can't be right, she mutters under her breath. It just fits her and she KNOWS that she's a size 4.
Her mind is buzzing with unanswered questions; (a) Who the hell made this dress? (b) Did some unfeeling fool change the dress/size label? (c) Has the whole world gone Mad?
She quickly dresses and storms up to a sales person, demanding an answer and some sort of confirmation that SHE hasn't lost the fragile grip on reality she's been clinging to since college.
Naturally, they haven't a clue and after a sideways roll of the eyes and a deep sigh...they respond by saying " Look lady, if it says size 12 then that's what it IS!
QUESTION: Who's right here? Jane who knows she normally wears a size 4 or the snotty kid who mans the store and only makes $5.25 an hour and couldn't/wouldn't Begin to care unless he/she was making at least $10 ?
ANSWER: Both of them are right. Jane hasn't lost her marbles and the dress is a size 12 but there's a huge misunderstanding here. What neither Jane nor the underpaid sales person realizes is that Vintage Clothing sizes are much much smaller than today's clothing sizes. Without getting into a really long explanation of the changes made in American clothing size charts during the last 50 years, let me say this...generally speaking, vintage clothing sizes run 4-6 sizes smaller than clothing sizes today. For example, I normally wear a size 4-6 in most everything ( dress, pants, skirts) but if I'm trying on a 50's dress, I need a size 12. Likewise, if it's a dress from the 70's, I can usually fit into a size 10. That's just the way the cookie crumbles. Get over the NUMBER Chica ! Sizes back then were much smaller, period.
If you don't believe me, take a look at a dress/clothing pattern from the 1950's. As a rule, they list the dress size with bust ( and sometimes waist size) on the front. A size size 12 dress will list the bust as 31-32" and the waist as 24". Now if you look at a current clothing chart or pattern you'll see that the same "Bust/Waist" measurements will say size 4/6. if you need even more proof, get your paws on an original Sears Catalog from the 1950's ( you can find them at large book stores) and feast your eyes on their clothing size charts. Then you'll see that Mama-Milan is speaking the truth. Anyway...are you starting to get the picture?
After 20+ years of working in women's retail clothing, I can't even BEGIN to tell you how many verbal arguments I've gotten into over "What the tag says vs. what actually fits". As you probably well know, differences in sizes today can vary from designer to designer or from store brand to store brand. Cut, fabric and overall basic construction can all play a major role in "what fits and what doesn't". One size 8 in a more tailored piece may not fit properly while a size 8 in a less structured garment will. The "Gap" is famous for their generous clothing size allowances. When I'm feeling BLOATED (and Ladies we've all been there), I go into a "Gap" store and try on a pair of pants ( for example) and when I can shimmy into a size 0...well...the world doesn't seem so cruel anymore! Now I know that I don't normally WEAR a size 0 but the momentary illusion is welcomed and the deception embraced. This is just one example of how crazy the whole "Size" thing can be (and this is with contemporary clothing/dress sizes). When you add "Vintage" to the fashion mix, it can get even trickier ( as our heroine Jane demonstrated).
So when it comes to vintage clothing, my advice to you is to think "Outside the box/dress". Don't get caught up in the numbers (sizing) game. Bring a tape measure if you plan on trying on vintage, that way you can measure the garment before trying it on and thereby avoid any unnecessary therapy sessions brought on by vintage clothing vs. contemporary clothing size conundrums.
(B) So my lovely reader, Marilyn ( at one point in her life/career) probably WAS a size 12 but what 99.9% of people who mention this fail to point out, is that she was a VINTAGE size 12. Today, with the same measurements, she would probably be a size 6 (in most garments). Would we love and adore her any less if her dress size was bigger or smaller? I think NOT. She was Fabulous no matter what her size was, vintage or otherwise. Just as YOU are fabulous, what ever YOUR size is!
This section on "Vintage Clothing Size Issues" will be continued and expanded as time goes on. We realize that there exist many other questions/concerns and subtopics ( as they relate to vintage clothing sizing) that have yet to be addressed. So hang in there Princess...we've still got tons to say!
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