Clothing sizes are, at best, unpredictable. I remember seeing that article in the Globe a couple of years ago. I thought then that it was a little overstated, like a lot of the Globe feature stories.
I shop for business wear mostly at a couple of different Ann Taylor stores here in Boston. A little pricey, but high quality. I love being able to buy separates to accommodate my busty but otherwise thin (“unbalanced” as my favorite salesperson puts it) body. And they always have a good selection of quality petite size clothing that doesn’t go for the “cute” look. There seem to be more young Asian women around in the last few years, and I think that has helped all of us petites
(which in fashion-speak means short, not necessarily small.) I haven’t noticed the sizes changing any in the three or four years that I’ve been shopping there, but I sure have noticed that sizing varies from one brand or label to another. This is true even between Levies and Wrangler jeans.
I’ve always preferred the basic Levis or Wrangler look in jeans to the designer variety. I think casual should be, well, casual.
Like as in informal. Unpretentious. My body (except for the boobs) is really more boyish than girly. I’m 5’ 2” with lean legs and not much of a butt. I’ve bought boys jeans (usually size 12 or 14) ever since… well, as long as I can remember. They are just about a perfect fit, form fitting but not overly tight, though usually needing to be hemmed. Sometimes I can go to a thrift store and come out three or four pair for a twenty dollar bill. No hundred dollar jeans or fifty dollar tee shirts
for this girl. Helps me afford the Ann Taylor suits.
Besides being short, I am also long waisted. My legs are so short, they only barely reach the floor.
That's a joke. So sometimes even petites need to be hemmed. I’m OK with that. I’ve gotten pretty good at minor alterations, and hemming a pair of pants usually only takes a few minutes, even with my clunky old hand-me-down sewing machine.
When I go home to Kansas in October I’ll check the closet in my old bedroom, and see how some size 3 skirts from the early nineties compare to size 3 now. Maybe even try on my old cheerleader’s outfit.
Lindy