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Thread: My skinny girl vent

  1. #1
    Senior Member pony mom's Avatar
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    My skinny girl vent

    I'm a thin almost-50 yr. old woman who is tired of being ignored by clothing manufacturers. Today my mom and I went to Boscov's, a dept. store. She wanted to buy a package of underwear. Easy, right? Well, out of four different kinds, there were none in a Size 5. Nothing. She wanted new ones because the last few she bought were a Size 6; there were no Size 5s available at that time, and they were too large on her. I also wear Size 5 and am now really p*ssed off that now buying underwear will be a problem for me.

    Most stores don't carry any pants/shorts smaller than a 4, IF they have any 4s at all. And most times, the 4s are too large. I dress in a classic conservative style and will not wear jr. pants that sit below my hips (well, I'm boy-shaped and have no hips to hold pants up). I'm not smaller than I was 20+ years ago because I found a pair of jeans I bought when I was 20 and they fit me perfectly now.

    Oh poor you, I hear you say. Too thin. Well, what do you do when the smallest size is falling off of you? The pants I'm currently wearing are usually belted up with lumps from the excess fabric. Most times taking them in doesn't work because of the back pockets. I recently spent $59 on a pair of LL Bean jeans because they actually came in a Size 2 and fit!!! I've emailed them asking them to carry more pants in Size 2. I'm also too tall to wear Petites.

    I have lost about 15 lbs. since cutting down my carbs and sugar and I'm not sickly thin, although wearing baggy pants makes me look unhealthy. My small frame just doesn't have any excess fat now, and no more bloated tummy. Thank goodness riding pants are still sized by waist measurements or I'd be really livid.

    It seems that clothing is being made for what is now the "average sized woman". Today's Size 2 is 1980's Size 6.

  2. #2
    Senior Member kib's Avatar
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    Do you dress fashionably or just comfortably? If it's not about fashion, you might try the boy's department.

  3. #3
    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
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    Pony Mom: I'm size 2 -4 although I am short (5'2") so I do wear petites. You might have luck with Jockey underwear. How radical were your diet changes? I am interested in doing something similar and it sounds like you've had good success. I would love to hear more.

  4. #4
    Moderator Float On's Avatar
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    Do you have Talbots? I looked on-line and they offer lots of size 2 in their regular line. Their size chart says for waist size 26. For underwear, once you know your size and favorite brand order on-line. I know there are lots of brands offered on Amazon.
    Float On: My "Happy Place" is on my little kayak in the coves of Table Rock Lake.

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    I hear you. I often find that stores order tons of large and xl size clothing but stock very few of the small sizes. I order online these days so I can get my size.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Kestra's Avatar
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    I've been wondering what smaller/skinnier women can find to wear because lately it seems I've been buying size small shirts, when I used to buy medium-large. I'm fairly large framed, and taller than average, though totally small busted. Maybe it's the breast thing? But I think if I'm wearing a size small, when I'm bigger than a lot of ladies, what do the actually small ladies wear?

    Oh, and of course with the small shirts the arm holes are too tight because my arms have some muscle.

    I've given up on bras completely. Tried to order a 38A online, as there are only up to 36A in the stores, but I didn't even fill out the A cup on those, and the 36 band is just super tight and uncomfortable. Argh!

    I just hate shopping so much. If you aren't whatever perfect size they are making these clothes for you're out of luck. At least I'm a minimalist.

  7. #7
    Senior Member pony mom's Avatar
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    Usually I'll buy Fruit of the Loom or Hanes cotton underwear (sexy, huh?) but it's getting more difficult to find the smaller sizes. A few years ago, when I wore thongs, I'd find plenty in XLG sizes but few in small. Ew.

    I've been in Talbots and the pants literally fell off me; maybe their 26" waist is accurate, but their pants sat below the waist. As a thrift store shopper, I've had luck with petite sized capris from Talbots, Ann Taylor and Loft, because the length of capris doesn't really matter. Since I like wearing chinos, boys pants would be fine. My mom recently found a pair of boy's Brooks Bros. chinos for $6; they were too short for me. I even tried Old Navy for their small sizes, but the pants were cut very strangely.

    LL Bean has XS shirts, which fit me well. But are other XS women out of proportion and need larger pants? I don't get it. And bras? My boobs and butt were the first things to go when I lost weight. Genie bras were very comfortable but now they just flatten me out. Kestra, have you been fitted by a bra fitter? They say we're all wearing the wrong size.

    Rosarugosa, I followed the Wheat Belly diet, with modifications for my pickiness. Lost 5lbs of water weight the first week, I have more energy, sleep deeply every night, my joints feel better; I look slim and fit but not bony/skinny. I have limited carbs and try to avoid sugar if I can. And I don't work out but use my core a lot when horsebackriding.

  8. #8
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    i hear you (more past tense than currently).. my daughters had the hardest time with bras there is nothing in a 30 or 32 that is not a young girls size and usually a training bra. at one point my daughter was 32C or D. wearing a bra a number size too big means that it is always slipping up (i am supposed to wear a 34 DDD but get by with a 36 DD).

    i honestly have to say for those who do not sew, and sewing pants takes a lot of skills, to get a seamstress to make a perfect pattern (called a muslin when you sew at home). have her ( or him) make a couple pairs of pants in your favorite colors that you can wear more than once a week and consider it an investment. you can also have them adjust and fit some pants you like but don't fit well. the pants you mentioned that are too short can be shortened or slimmed down into capris or what is very nice right now, pencil length (just a little above the ankle and slimmer than some capris). really a seamstress is your best friend or a talented friend with some skills. i wish i lived there, it actually sounds like a fun challenge.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Miss Cellane's Avatar
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    For the sizes available in the stores, a wise woman I know who has worked in a large department store for over 30 years told me a few things.

    The stores order more of the middle sizes and fewer of both the smallest sizes and the largest sizes. So they might get two size 4s and two size 14s, and a bunch of 10s and 12s. And those sizes will then sell out quickly.

    If all the largest sizes sell out, but there are a ton of smaller sizes left, then the garment probably runs small, and customers are sizing up to get something that fits. And the reverse is true--if all the largest sizes are left and all the smaller sizes are gone, the garment runs large, and people size down.

    Stores order what sells in their store. Even with the large national chains, there are items in the big city stores that simply aren't carried in the smaller regional stores. For the OP, to find size 2 in a store, try going to the largest nearby city and checking out the major department and clothing stores. They are more likely to have the smallest sizes than a store out in the boondocks.

    And, unfortunately, the internet has changed shopping. If you are at the farther end of the scale, whether large or small, it is more likely that your size won't be carried in stores, but only be available on the internet. It is more profitable for the brick and mortar stores to have only those sizes that they know will sell, and keep the outliers available on the internet. My sister wears a size 10 and a half shoe, and even the stores that used to stock one or two pairs in that size pretty much don't anymore. She either drives a hour to a specialty shoe store, or she orders online.

  10. #10
    Member grendel's Avatar
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    Buying smaller sized clothes is a challenge, but there are ways of learning to deal with it. I have a lifetime of experience trying to find clothes that fit. My suggestions:

    Target sells size 5 underwear. If you want work clothes or office casual, Macy offers smaller sizes and has a Petite department. I've run into the problem of not being able to find the smaller sizes because they get snatched up pretty quickly. Once i find something that fits, I stick with it. That way, I can order it online if the brick and mortar stores run out. If I find something that fits, looks good, and is comfortable, I buy several of them at once. Also, you can get creative and wear leggings and tunics without worrying too much about the sizes.

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