London Calling

A few weeks ago, my cousin let me borrow a pair of jeans. I did not even look at the size before trying them on. They fit and that was that. When I went to wash them, I turned them inside out and saw the size. After reading the tag, I realized I have no clue what my actual size is. Skirts, jeans, and work pants each fit differently. Different material compositions affect fit, but there seems to be no standard size that is always true for me. This is kind of annoying. I did a quick look in my closet and found I have pant sizes from 0-7, along with waist measurements for some of my jeans. The odd sizes come from stores like Charlotte Russe and Forever 21. I know I am getting too old to shop at these stores, but the prices are just too good to pass up. Do you think they would ever consider renaming it Forever 31?

All this made me think back to when I lived in London and Spain. After figuring out my UK/Euro size, shopping was a snap. The same size always seemed to fit me. However, the UK does not seem to care as much for size self-esteem as the US does, and the average person goes up 1-2 sizes. In London many of the pants came in a standard long length. The stores then alter them for free or for a small fee. The sizing in Spain was on a different scale, and even though France and Italy are close by, their sizing is not always compatible. All these different sizes and calculations are enough to turn shopping into a nightmare. Wouldn't it be nice if sizing became more standardized? Until then, we will just have to be armed with a variety of sizes and patience as we enter the fitting room or fill our online shopping bags.

With Love From the West Coast,
XOXO