People who wear clothes that are just too small...

[Serena]

The worst thing is, the clothes are made that way. The Large is more like a Small these days. And all the cute clothes are for the very skinny, small girls, who like to show a lot of skin.
They don't make them for "normal" girls. And those "norma" girls go in, grab a L and take it home and they think that's how it's supposed to fit. They wouldn't dream of needing an XL or even a Plus size at a regular size 10.

It's the manufacturers, the designers, and the buyers that really tick me off.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Serena--ITA!

I also hate this trend of 'every pair of jeans MUST be low-rise! Or else!". The last two pairs of jeans I bought (pre-maternity) were men's jeans because I can't stand the low rise. Not even the ones that barely dip below the bellybutton because I have some pooch there and I don't want it hanging out even a little teeny bit. Yuck.

TOV

 

[mrsv98]

OMG, my DF's wife is like this and it totally grosses out the entire family!!!

She is is her late 40s and probably 50lbs overweight. She wears belly shirts with her gut hanging out and pants and jackets that are too tight. I can't think that she is comfortable and we are sure uncomfortable looking at her! (maybe the tight clothes are what make her such a tremendously mean person, her undies are in a permanent wedgie! )

 

[Christine]

The funny part about all this is, that as Americans, we are a fatter society than every, but the clothes are skimpier than ever!

Back in the late-70s and early 80s when I was a teenager, I was my same 5'7" yet I barely weighed 100 lbs. I was a rail. Back then, it was curse to be that thin. I remember that all I could buy at the time was Levi's and Levi's cords. I used to buy them and then take them home and "take in" the legs on my mom's sewing machine because my legs were so thin. Oh, to have the clothes that they have now back then--I would have fit right in. Now, I wish I could find those plain old Levi's. That might actually work for me!!

 

[Lachesis00]

Originally posted by Melora

The tighter the stuff, the fatter it makes you look.... Jeff and I always have a quiet comment of "I guess they didnt check the mirror before they went out!". How can you possibly look (or feel) good when your bulges (no matter how small) are showing?

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am also in my 40's and am really having trouble finding my "style" for the first time in my life. I am usually about an 8 or 10 so I would say average size, and like to dress conservitively. It seems like everything in the store is either for my Mother or a teenager. I don't want to look old but no way do I feel comfortable with the "70" returned clothes. I think the rule is: "If you wore it the first time, you shouldn't even think about it the second time" So all I seem to ever wear is Kaki or black pants and a tee shirt. It is pretty boring. What does everyone else do?

 

[minniecarousel]

I've lost enough weight to get rid of my "fattest" clothes. I have a hard time NOT wearing baggy clothes! I'll wear these clothes until they're just too baggy, then go down a few sizes again. I'm amazed at the tiny clothes that some non-tiny people wear!

(I really like the clothes in some of the catalogues: Coldwater Creek, LLBean & Land's End.)

 

[aunt lissa]

Wouldn't you all love to see the not-so-lovely things I see at the beach!!

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by Disneycrazymom
IIt is pretty boring. What does everyone else do?

As I said earlier, I just bought 7 T-Shirts from Old Navy. I will match them up with my 2 year old Dockers that are black and khaki. Notice that Docker's aren't even *normal* this year?????

I did find some normal Khaki's by Lee. But I am SICK of those too. I doubt I will even buy a new pair of shorts this year because they all look so ridiculous.

And I'm not quite ready for Land's End--I swear the women in those catalogs look the are all women golfers. Not my style. The stuff is just too matronly. I just want some of today's styles with a bit more coverage. The flared-legged jeans (just about an inch higher in the waist). The cute T-shirt that goes down past my waistband. And how about some sleeves????? I'm 40 years old and it is 71 degrees in my office during the summer. I think I need a sleeve. Not a long sleeve, just a short one. Sorry, but I don't want my armpits hanging out at the office and I'm tired of wearing a sweater over my tank top.

My 38 year old friend was in Ann Taylor Loft the other day. She muttered out loud, but to herself, "what, have the stopped making sleeves." The saleslady kind of chuckled nervously and walked away.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Yes, a nice short sleeve shirt that is long enough to either tuck in or NOT show my tummy if I leave it out. My arms are not as firm as they used to be! Christine, you and I are looking for the same thing I think. Clothes used to be so much fun for me, now I hardly bother to shop for fun only when I HAVE to, and then I get discouraged.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

I was at Kohl's not too long ago. I saw some cute t-shirts on a display near the front of the store. They had characters on them. I picked one up to see if it would fit my 9 year old dd. It looked like it was the right size and then I realized it was one of those tiny tees -- for adult women. I bought a size medium for my daughter -- it was probably the same size as a kids size 12. My daughter hates her tops to be tight.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Personally I have a hard time finding shirts these days. I am built rather top heavy and designers have obviously decided that I shouldn't get to buy new shirts. I look at some of the xl and think "what were they thinking?"

 

[RitaZ.]

Originally posted by Melora
I so much prefer to have my clothes loose and comfortable... even when I was tiny in high school I never wore tight fitting stuff.

The tighter the stuff, the fatter it makes you look.... How can you possibly look (or feel) good when your bulges (no matter how small) are showing?

I agree. Recently, I have seen many women about my age, (39) and older, wearing "belly-baring" super tight fitting clothes. To me, it doesn't look good at all and I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing such tight clothing, but that's just me. Wearing tight clothes may accentuate attractive body parts, but it also does the same for unattractive ones.

 

[tidoublegger]

Ugh, one of my pet peeves too! I wear a size 10, am 37 and having had many children, couldn't possibly wear those low rise pants! It is very hard to find pants that don't fit this category without wearing matronly clothes! I've found LL Bean to be my choice for tops, and Lee and Eddie Bauer have had some pretty good pants/shorts. I just found a pair of jeans at Old Navy that were "at the waist" instead of low rise, super low rise, super duper really low rise, etc!

 

[Melora]

Originally posted by Serena
The worst thing is, the clothes are made that way. The Large is more like a Small these days. And all the cute clothes are for the very skinny, small girls, who like to show a lot of skin.
They don't make them for "normal" girls. And those "normal" girls go in, grab a L and take it home and they think that's how it's supposed to fit. They wouldn't dream of needing an XL or even a Plus size at a regular size 10.

This SO true.... my oldest DD is 16 almost 17 and is about 130 pounds. Every so often she can get a T shirt in a medium, but at Old Navy I insist she even buy the XL because everything runs so small. If she requires an XL to look decent what on earth are any of these makers thinking? Oh I know.. They're NOT!

M youngest DD is 15 and not as thin as her sister, but she cannot wear ANYTHING in the misses/younger persons dept because it is all so small! She likes her clothes to be loose fitting too! (Thank heavens!) When we were going to Hawaii she wanted some loose fitting elastic waist pants to pull on after the beach and the only ones we could find were in the womans (heavy person) dept that were a size 1X! Absolutely nothing anywhere else in Kohls that would fit. And she is not fat!

I know the shirts you were talking about Beth NJ, they are adult size tops and I could buy them for my 8 year old neice! Ridiculous!

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by tidoublegger
I just found a pair of jeans at Old Navy that were "at the waist" instead of low rise, super low rise, super duper really low rise, etc!

Ha!!! I HAVE those jeans!!!!! My only problem is they are bit short in the "crotch" and sometimes bother me. But, they are quite classic yet somewhat "hip."

 

[Tess]

This bothers me a lot, and I have to put up with it on a daily basis. I teach 9th grade, and the young girls are trying to fit into the HS environment, so they try to let it all hang out. I report this stuff to the office as quick as possible, so they have to go down there and arrange for a change of clothing to be brought from home.

You and me both! My daughter is an 8th grader. I have the hardest time convincing her that her clothes are TOO SMALL! She wants desperately to be a "stick" like so many of her friends, well--she isn't.

How do you tell your 5'2", 120#, 13 y/o kid that she doesn't wear a size 7--she needs a 9. More to the point, how do you tell her that her rolls over her low rise jeans are unattractive or that her jeans fail to flatter. She notices this on her peers, but not herself! My husband and I cringe each time she dresses because she's got love handles. I've tried the, "I'm not paying for it route". . .she earns money and will buy it herself--too small, of course. These aren't revealing or "sexy" clothes mind you, just too small. She won't even consider trying a larger size because she wears a 7! She needs to lose weight even though she's very active (ballet, soccer, cheerleading, softball, gymnastics). Then again, if she'd just buy the correct size, she'd look worlds better!

Part of the problem with clothing today is the "stretch" factor. If these girls actually had to wear real denim with no give, I'll bet they'd be buying the correct size.

Frankly, I have a very hard time buying clothes for myself. I do wear a 7, 4, or 6 depending on the maker. I'm 5'4" and 110, BUT I have a real body--pear shaped. I HATE the "stretch" factor on anything. I want real material! I don't want every lump and bump I've earned over the last 45 years hanging out. I don't mind the low rise--prefer it in fact (as long as it's not ridiculous), I just want regular denim, cotton, etc. Is that too much to ask. I don't want to look like my 13 y/o, but I want something that doesn't look like my 63 y/o Mom, too.

Anyway, I entertain all good advice how to convince a 13 y/o to take a good hard look in the mirror WITHOUT damaging the fragile emotional psyche of an early teen girl?

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by TheOtherVillainess
If they started making more 'cute' clothes in larger sizes, people(esp women!) might be tempted to wear the right size. But as long as designers continue to crank out styles that only look good on skinny chicks, this ain't gonna happen. Us larger gals (well some of us anyway)a re going to try to squeeze our oversized butts into the cute clothes even if they don't fit because the clothes are cute. Have you ever SEEN some of the plus sized clothes? They are HIDEOUS! No wonder nobody wants to wear them!

TOV

Really? I LOVE the clothes at Lane Bryant. Unfortunately, they are too big for me

I am in the middle. It's awful. I can't wear the pretty clothes at LB, but I'm certainly not going to wear the skinny chick clothes that most of the mall stores sell (you know the ones that if you weigh more than 100 lbs, they're not going to look right on you).

I have a weird form. I'm average height, 5'5, weight fluctuates between 115 - 125 depending on how well I monitor my diet in a given week. But I have a condition (IBS) that causes my stomach to bloat more days than not, so that even though I'm not big, I often look like I'm 4 -5 months pregnant because of the bloat. So small clothes don't fit me, and I certainly can't wear low rider jeans because my stomach will never be flat.

I hate it when I see women dressed this way. It looks trashy and tacky and they'd be much better off wearing classier looking clothing that fit.

I rarely see guys who do it. If I do, they just look slobby. The women look trashy though. I see it alot.

 

[Cruise04]

My fav are the ones that dress this way (their pants are too tight around their waste and their shirts are too tight for their, well, rest of their body) and then they have the gaul to look up and down at me (a heavier individual) and I dress like I feel I should - without it all hanging out where it shouldn't be.

I always want to say - What are you looking at??? Jealous or something? - but I'm always too afraid too (don't like to make public confrontation I guess).

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Tess
You and me both! My daughter is an 8th grader. I have the hardest time convincing her that her clothes are TOO SMALL! She wants desperately to be a "stick" like so many of her friends, well--she isn't.

How do you tell your 5'2", 120#, 13 y/o kid that she doesn't wear a size 7--she needs a 9. More to the point, how do you tell her that her rolls over her low rise jeans are unattractive or that her jeans fail to flatter. She notices this on her peers, but not herself! My husband and I cringe each time she dresses because she's got love handles. I've tried the, "I'm not paying for it route". . .she earns money and will buy it herself--too small, of course. These aren't revealing or "sexy" clothes mind you, just too small. She won't even consider trying a larger size because she wears a 7! She needs to lose weight even though she's very active (ballet, soccer, cheerleading, softball, gymnastics). Then again, if she'd just buy the correct size, she'd look worlds better!

Part of the problem with clothing today is the "stretch" factor. If these girls actually had to wear real denim with no give, I'll bet they'd be buying the correct size.

Frankly, I have a very hard time buying clothes for myself. I do wear a 7, 4, or 6 depending on the maker. I'm 5'4" and 110, BUT I have a real body--pear shaped. I HATE the "stretch" factor on anything. I want real material! I don't want every lump and bump I've earned over the last 45 years hanging out. I don't mind the low rise--prefer it in fact (as long as it's not ridiculous), I just want regular denim, cotton, etc. Is that too much to ask. I don't want to look like my 13 y/o, but I want something that doesn't look like my 63 y/o Mom, too.

Anyway, I entertain all good advice how to convince a 13 y/o to take a good hard look in the mirror WITHOUT damaging the fragile emotional psyche of an early teen girl?

That's a tough one. When I was a teen i was not allowed out of the house if my belly was showing, or a shirt was too low cut. As an adult, I appreciate it now, but then I hated it. I'm glad my mom made me dress classy though. I have seen what a lot of the girls who dressed with skin hanging out have become.

Aside from instituting a "no skin" rule I don't really know. I think the good news is most girls grow out of this phase after high school.