Dear Sharon: I enjoyed your column in my local newspaper about women’s clothing sizes being smaller than they used to be. I do wear a size 4 and have found NO clothes for me in any department store because, as you stated, size 4 now fits like a six or eight used to fit. So, I have a question for you, what can be done to find clothes in a "real" size 4?!?!—No Win To Be Thin (Langhorne, PA)

Dear No Win: Watch out! You had better duck fast. I see hoards of women coming at you screaming, “Ha, is she nuts! What a problem, nothing fits her because she’s thin. I wish my life was so rough.” Then, of course, there are the ones rushing to your rescue with a bowl of spaghetti Alfredo. But, slow down for a second, you can be perfectly HEALTHY and thin, and not find a thing to fit you!

Well, I guess that depends on where you are shopping. The angel of fashion sure knows I certainly grumble a “yeah, in my dreams” every time I only see size 2 leather pants dramatically reduced on a sale rack.

In case someone missed the column that you are referring to, it was about Vanity Sizing. That’s when some companies feel it is psychologically better for the consumer to wear a smaller size, so they downsize their sizes.

Typically, in this “be thin” society, a designer garment will be cut larger than a chain store garment, career-type clothes are usually cut fuller than ones in the contemporary department.... when you spend mucho money on clothing, the designer wants you to feel good in the noggin too!

There a plenty of companies that start at size 0. I know this sounds a little insane, so let’s do some math: If today’s size 4 is yesterday’s size 6 or 8, then a modern zero is really a vintage two. Paradoxically, inexpensive or junior clothing is cut way smaller, so a “normal” size 6 could be wearing a junior nine. Whew… you almost need to be an analytical genius just to go shopping!

Unfortunately, selecting the right fit is a job onto itself. Yet, it’s hard to believe that you can’t find a good fit in any department of every department store. When you are browsing in a store where nothing looks right, go to a different store or a different department in that store. Clothing design companies design garments to fit the body of its fit model-- that’s the model who represents the figure ideal for the brand or designer.

Every person is proportionately unique and some brands simply just do not fit all of us equally. If the store you are shopping in stocks clothing for a larger frame, cruise by another store in the mall and you probably will have better luck. You may just be too waif-like for a store that caters to a more ample frame. When you find a designer that has clothing that makes you look like the style diva that you are, stick with that brand! There is some effort involved, but the results are ultimately worth it.

A parting word for all: Just buy what fits you and stop worrying about numbers, maybe then designers will start to implement uniformity in sizes.

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