Why is Frum clothing SO small?

amother

Crimson

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 8:04 am

amother wrote:

Congrats on your weight loss! That's amazing! But the truth is that a size 10-12 is a large or XL in a regular store too.

I think that depends. When I was a 10-12, I wore a medium in every thing top and bottom. And I'm talking standard stores likes department stores, Ann Taylor, talbots etc p

amother

Yellow

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 10:55 am

amother wrote:

I think that depends. When I was a 10-12, I wore a medium in every thing top and bottom. And I'm talking standard stores likes department stores, Ann Taylor, talbots etc p

Ok I guess sizing is weird then. Because I'm a 4-6 and I sometimes wear a medium (I guess more in pants than skirts). Ann Taylor and talbots are known to cut generously though.

Blue jay

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 11:03 am

Please somebody out there start a frum womens clothing store for sizes 12 and up!

OP. I feel your frustration. There are never any size 12/14's anywhere! Im telling you ALL JEWISH WOMEN are size 12-14!...and a size 8 and a half in shoes.

( ofcourse, this is just an opinion you can google search if you like... Smile

Congrats on your weightloss OP! That is amazing!

FranticFrummie

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 11:08 am

QueenBee3 wrote:

Are you me? We could call the store "The FF and QB Shop"! LOL

Iymnok

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 11:14 am

FranticFrummie wrote:

Are you me? We could call the store "The FF and QB Shop"! LOL

Me too! (Almost)
Shoes 8, clothing trying to get to 8-10. But 12-14 is still better right now.
Try a shop that's shoes 7-9, clothing 6-16. Honest sizing.
While you're at it, make it high quality and affordable! Very Happy

myym

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 11:24 am

I totally agree with OP. I went on a main shopping avenue to find a dressy dress and I am a size 6. I literally had to try a size 10!!! After 5 frum stores I was so frustrated and insulted. (I don't usually get rustled by this sort of thing. I am happy with who I am.) I went to a different neighborhood where there is another frum store actually, but she makes her dresses true to size. She is the designer and owner. I told her that this is why I go to her, and thanked her for making true to size, beautiful dresses that make you feel good and look good!

WastingTime

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 12:38 pm

I find its not only the sizing but material. Even if there's enough room technically, it can be a stretch material where eventhough I'm a 14 I wouldn't fit into a 20 either.
In Israel I feel like the styles are for skinny teens, high cut pleated skirts, short tops...very unflattering if you're a bit fuller

Chayalle

Thu, Dec 08 2016, 4:16 pm

Like OP, I'm a 10-12 and medium in most department store clothing items. Sometimes even a small (Gap sweaters, for example - they run big).

And in the frum stores, I can try on 10 skirts and none of them fit. The shape is totally off, my behind sticks out, etc...

I've been looking for a decent black slinky for years now and haven't found one that fits.

And for straight black skirts, there's one that fits and I buy it again and again - a Paniz (? something like that) in 14 that I then take in because it's too wide, but I need the shape - the 12 is too tight.

This past summer I bought a great skirt called the Junee bling. It's sort of A-line, stretchy, and really comfortable. Wouldn't work for anyone tall, though.

In the shorter sizes, everything runs big. My teen DD's haven't graduated the children's department yet - size 00 is too big - and they refuse to wear clothes that are available to 10 year olds.

amother

Seashell

Fri, Dec 09 2016, 12:01 am

amother wrote:

When I got married I wore a 10/12
13 years later and 50lbs heavier I wear a 10/12!!!

The sizing has totally changed. my clothes from back then def don't fit.

Clothing sizes have changed drastically over the years... I was very slender in my teens and 20s, wore a 7/8, maybe a 6 sometimes. I havn't been that size in years, but I have vainly saved some of those clothes in hopes. Out of curiosity, I recently compared them to my dd's size 2s. Well, what do you know... Some of the 7/8s are actually smaller than the size 2s.

I suspected as much, because there was no such thing as a size 2 back in the late 80s....

Frum stores are another story altogether, because unfortunately many of them are of such low quality, cheap material, poor craftsmanship etc.

amother

Purple

Fri, Dec 09 2016, 8:31 am

I find that in Jewish stores, I often have to buy tops in a size large or XL because they're cut for people who are completely flat-chested. I don't know if it's because that's what's considered attractive in the Jewish world, or what. I'm petite with a short torso and narrow waist, but I'm bigger on top, and it makes my life difficult. I usually have to buy tops that are huge on me in other places, just so that they will fit on top. Dealing with the exorbitant prices of Jewish stores together with the need to tailor all my clothing is not fun, but what else can I do?

What I have decided is that the size is just a reference number, but it in no way reflects a reality of my body. Makes me feel much better when I shop.

(Just as an aside, I never go on the scale for the same reason. Since I know I'm in a healthy weight range, the exact number doesn't make a difference. If I look at myself in the mirror and like what I see, I'm good; if I think I've gained some weight, I'll work on losing it, but not with an obsession about a number. I weigh a good 10-15 pounds more than most people would estimate when looking at me--which is totally fine with me, since I'm healthy.)

amother

Bisque

Fri, Dec 09 2016, 8:57 am

amother wrote:

What you can do is shop in regular stores. Shop around and find a brand that works for you.

MrsDash

Fri, Dec 09 2016, 9:45 am

I don't care about the number on the tag, what really grinds my gears is the size discrepancy. Sometimes the sizes are so off, and not just a few inches, it's a significant difference to the point where I'm pretty sure they just threw a bunch of numbers in the air and wherever they landed is where they stayed.

amother

Pumpkin

Fri, Dec 09 2016, 10:07 am

amother wrote:

No it's not. A medium is an 8-10 and a large is a 12-14.

And, if I fit into medium or a 10 in every other store - think jcrew, macys, loft,target, everywhere, and only the frum store I'm in an XL and it's extremely tight, which one is different? To be fair, there were a lot of skirts that I fit into and were even large. Like, I tried on mediums that fit and larges that were too big. But I've found frum stores to be notoriously small.

But maybe it's also as someone else said, just bad tailoring. Also, I've found Israeli sizes to be very small.

I worked in the fashion industry for many, many years and really it depends on where you shop and how each line is cut. When I started out size 6 women were clearly size smalls. In pretty much anything they tried on. Today, rarely so. 2 was XS and hard to come by. Those women needed to do their shopping mostly in the juniors section of department stores. Not so anymore. Everything has shrunk. A size 6 can rarely squeeze into size smalls anymore in high end fashion labels.

The # on the label honestly is meaningless. If you look good and feel good, what does it matter if your label says Xs, S, or M, L, XL..... The problem of course is not that frum clothing runs small but that it stops at M/L sizes. Anyone slightly overweight will have trouble. If you're more than slightly overweight, good luck to you.

Designers cut what sells. I guess for whatever reason they are not convinced there is a market to cut another size or two up. I can't imagine why though since I see plenty women who will benefit and be customers.