Here's the Real Reason You're a Different Size in Every Store

Anyone who has ever gone shopping knows the struggle when it comes to finding something in your size. And sadly, knowing your actual size in the first place has become an even bigger struggle due to size inconsistency across major brands.

You know the feeling. You enthusiastically go to the mall, find the PERFECT dress in your size (let's say 8), and you want to try it on just to see how it looks. But as you forcefully squirm your way into it, you realize you can barely breathe because it's fitted so tightly...even though you didn't even zip it up yet.

So you think to yourself, "Alright...that's weird. I could've sworn I was a size 8, I even fit into a size 6 on a good day. Maybe it's just that burrito from earlier. Or the fabric? Hm. Maybe I should face it...I'm just growing." There you are, standing in the dressing room, accepting your fate. You are officially a size 12. Until you try something different on at another store and realize you fit into a size 6. What? Really? 

You're not alone in this. You may think your body is constantly fluctuating in size, but trust us on this one, it's not you. Sadly, there are almost no regulations when it comes to sizing in the clothing industry. This not only causes shopping to become more inconvenient for you, but it also significantly affects how we feel about our bodies.

In the video below, Mallorie Dunn of clothing brand SmartGlamour (specializes in sizes from XXS to 6XL) tells us the truth about size inconsistency in the clothing industry. You may think it's just because of the cut or the fabric, when in reality...it's a lot deeper than that.

Dunn brings up some pretty interesting things, like how stores can legally sell two of the same shirts labeled as "medium" even though they aren't actually the same size. She also proceeds to educate us on where our clothes come from. Most of the big brands you see in shopping malls buy their clothes from different warehouses. Different warehouses = different sizing charts. Yikes. 

So now we know the truth about why we're a different size in every store, most of the reasoning being the large amount of inconsistent sizes being sold at your favorite stores. However, Dunn also proceeds to tell us how all of our bodies are unique. If you take a group of women that are all a size 14, they all will look completely different. One may be a size 14 for her hips, her bust, her height, etc. 

For so long we've been relating clothing size to health and body positivity, but now, it's more clearer than ever. Your clothing size should not define how you feel about your body, especially considering the inconsistency in the industry.