Who has never tried a pair of jeans that was considered to be his size, but which, in the end, turned out to be far too big? Who has never had the impression that his size varied according to the signs?

If you do not see any difference on the balance, losing a pants size may just vary from store to store. But why ?

An obsolete system of size

No, sorry to disappoint you, but miracles still do not exist. This sudden change is not the result of a magic wand, but a well-controlled marketing move. Since the 30s, the way to consume clothes has changed. Now, we prefer to buy pieces in so-called "fast-fashion" signs, rather than spend more on tailor-made clothes. This evolution of mentalities has given rise to general clothing sizes, created to guide the client in his quest. The problem is that these size guides are based on two or three types of morphology, and takes no account of the specific measurements and differences between the bodies of each woman.

Credit: Pretty Woman / Touchstone Pictures and Silver Screen Partners IV

Similarly, many apparel manufacturers use these tables of obsolete dimensions on a daily basis, whereas they do not take into account ethnic diversity and morphological changes involving diversification of body proportions.

In most cases, manufacturers do not even adhere to universal size systems in favor of their own dimensional models, in order to gain a competitive edge. Consequence: we are witnessing the rise of "Vanity Sizing", in other words the system of proud size.

A marketing shot perfectly mastered

The "Vanity Sizing" is deliberately labeling clothes with sizes smaller than the exact sizes, in order to flatter consumers by persuading them that they are thinner than they actually are. Despite an increase in the messages of self-acceptance, it seems that the slimming ideal still unfortunately prevails over self-esteem. Result? The customer is more inclined to buy and trust the brand in question.

In a study by Nilüfer Aydinolua and Aradhna Krishna, participants were asked to imagine themselves trying to find clothes smaller than their usual size. The results showed that the proud pruning system not only enhances positive thoughts, but can also provide individuals, especially those with low self-esteem, an increase in self-confidence.

Credit: Clueless / Paramount Pictures

A study conducted in 2017 by Wan-Ju Iris Franz revealed that luxury brands are the biggest users of this system. Indeed, the sizes of luxury clothes are considered to be much smaller than the parts coming from less expensive brands. So it seems that when you buy designer pieces, you pay not only for the prestigious name and quality of the product, but also for a certain boost of self-confidence.

A system doomed to failure?

If this system works for now, it may not always be the case. Indeed, recent studies suggest that consumers who experience discrepancies between garment labels and actual sizes are more likely to show negative reactions to the product and brand (Ketron & Spears, 2017). So it seems he's slowly losing ground.

In short, the "Vanity Sizing" works when the deception is very little visible and realistic. At a time when consumers demand more transparency from brands, this type of deception is not much appreciated by a number of consumers. This system can even be counterproductive for brands, which lose the customer's confidence and limit the purchase online. Thanks to new technologies, there are now body scanners that gradually transform our ability to measure adequately and accurately the size and body measurements of each.

Unfortunately, the retail world is not very fond of this type of change. No form of coherence in size systems is therefore on the agenda. Anyway, the real message to remember is that size and weight do not matter.

Provided by: MC UK