is it normal for a medium button-down shirt from Banana Republic to be the same size as a small button-down shirt from Old Navy?

or did i just buy a woman's shirt?

10/5/2011 11:54:14 AM

vanity sizing

happens to women constantly

10/5/2011 11:55:33 AM

vanity sizing

10/5/2011 11:55:53 AM

sometimes yes.

^that and these are mass produced and sizes vary widely within and between plants/manufacturers.

\/ doesn't matter. there are still multiple plants for the company and sizes vary. that's what you get for buying chinese made clothes that have no QAQC

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 11:57 AM. Reason : .]

10/5/2011 11:56:02 AM

check which side the buttons are on

then you'll have your answer for if it's women's or men's

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 11:56 AM. Reason : ^old navy and banana are in the same company]

10/5/2011 11:56:04 AM

^ right, who doesn't know this?

and re: vanity sizing: measure your waist sometime... it'll be like 3" bigger than what your pants say.



[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 11:56 AM. Reason : .]

10/5/2011 11:56:10 AM

There is no sizing consensus among brands, and its one of my biggest beefs with the entire fashion industry.

One company's medium being another company's small is one thing, because sizes are subjective. But what really bothers me is when one company's 32 is another company's 34. Waist size should be an exact unit of measurement with no ambiguity. This frustration has led to me getting everything but my gym shorts and sweatpants tailored, at great personal expense.

10/5/2011 11:57:25 AM

It depends on the cut. One might be a trim cut and one a standard American.

Since it's Banana Republic and Old Navy that's probably the case.

^ BR and ON are the same brand, but that's meaningless. Polo pants are all cut to different lengths depending on where they're manufactured.

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 11:59 AM. Reason : .]

10/5/2011 11:57:54 AM

BR is a "classic stretch" but the old navy isnt anything special.

buttons are on the right so im good there (forgot that one, duh).

ive heard of vanity sizing but this seems like a rather large leap! i guess any ol cow can fit in a small at old navy ey? gotta work for that BR!

10/5/2011 12:11:39 PM

Old Navy is ridiculous with vanity sizing. Half the time XS stuff is too big on me, which makes no sense.

10/5/2011 12:37:49 PM

In that case, were they manufactured in the same country? If not, then it could be two factories using a different set of templates.

Style and year can have an effect as well. What cuts or fits people are looking for change slightly from style to style and year to year. Do they both feel exactly the same on you, or do they fit differently (bunch in different areas, looser at different points in the arms and chest).

Vanity sizing isn't as prevalent among men's sizes. Guys generally don't care that much about the size as long as it fits ok.

10/5/2011 12:39:57 PM

K-mart is even worse than Old Navy. Never before have I see such egregious abuses of vanity sizes. Their small shirts, at worst, should really be like XXL. Old Navy is bad, but not that bad.

Quote :

"This frustration has led to me getting everything but my gym shorts and sweatpants tailored, at great personal expense."

srsly? Are you too posh for changing rooms to be a valid solution?

10/5/2011 1:25:41 PM

Even men's pants have vanity sizing. I'm wearing men's pants right now, and there's no way I'm just a 30. I'm also not an actual size 6 like in the women's section, more like what used to be an 8 or 10.

Welcome to what it is like to be a woman .

10/5/2011 1:31:03 PM

My pants range in size from 0 to 6. And they all fit. Vanity sizing is The 6s are all hand-me-downs from my aunt. Old clothing, but very well tailored. I love the way the 6s look and fit.

And my bf has the same prob. His pants have the same vanity sizing issues.

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 1:35 PM. Reason : f]

10/5/2011 1:35:08 PM

yeah old navy is ridiculous.

I'm a small/medium there (in shirts) and I'm a freakin amazon. but the thing that bugs me the most is they don't make the shirts longer, just wider - so I really can't buy their tops. and their "long" jeans aren't long enough, but some "long" dress pants are.

that store makes no sense so I usually avoid it.

10/5/2011 1:35:51 PM

Quote :

"but the thing that bugs me the most is they don't make the shirts longer, just wider - so I really can't buy their tops."

Oh for crying out loud yes. It's like a shirt to them is a tarp I'm buying to cover my oversized blubber.

Of course, I really don't give a flip to buy a different size if it fits me well. The cut of the clothes matters more, and that I can find something that just works.

10/5/2011 1:44:08 PM

Quote :

"Old Navy is ridiculous with vanity sizing. Half the time XS stuff is too big on me, which makes no sense."

I totally agree. It's vanity sizing plus the fact that the oversized 80s fashion is back. I'm a small or x-small without vanity sizing, so finding shirts that fit me correctly is impossible right now.

10/5/2011 1:58:35 PM

Quote :

"check which side the buttons are on"

I had this shirt that I got from salvation army that I loved. But I hated that it was so hard to button up because the buttons were on the wrong side, then I found out why that is. I still wear it

10/5/2011 2:14:04 PM

Quote :

"One company's medium being another company's small is one thing, because sizes are subjective. But what really bothers me is when one company's 32 is another company's 34. Waist size should be an exact unit of measurement with no ambiguity. "

Amen to that. Waist size (and neck size, and shirt sleeve length, and inseam, etc.) should be absolutes. Yet I have pants from 34 to 38 that fit me just fine, and 30 inseam that are just as long as 32 inseam. Kind of maddening.

[Edited on October 5, 2011 at 2:24 PM. Reason : y]

10/5/2011 2:23:59 PM