Trying On

I'm becoming very philosophical about trying on clothes. First of all, I know that most stores will have horrible lighting in the dressing rooms. Second, the mirrors come in all varieties, from super pretty slim me down mirror (Yay, Ann Taylor!) to funhouse wide angle mirror (Target can suck it). Third, I know that I have lost weight and even though I'm not tiny, the fact that my smallest Lane Bryant pants are getting too big and that I can fit into regular size 14's makes me giddy and no matter what else does or does not fit, I know for a fact that my bum is smaller than it used to be and that's all that matters.

I have also learned that sizes aren't the same anywhere. Heck, they're not the same in the same store. I went to the outlets last night and spent some quality time in the dressing rooms of Banana Republic and Ann Taylor Loft. I am the shopgirl's worst nightmare. I walk through the store picking up everything that looks like it might slightly fit me and be flattering, in various sizes and colors, winding up with a 50 pound pile of clothes that I can just barely peek over as I ask for a dressing room. The Banana Republic outlet was so huge that I actually made two rounds.

Then I try everything on. This routine is one reason I hate stores with dressing room limits. I am fully aware that out of this whole pile of clothes, one, maybe two items will fit me well, but I need to try them ALL on to see which ones. Having to redress and walk in and out of the dressing room dropping off 6 items and grabbing 6 more off of my pile is just a major hassle for everyone involved.

Last night after a couple of hours of trying stuff on I wound up with 3 shirts and a sweater. The thing that I find kind of infuriating about the process is how the same size in the same store can be very different depending on fabric, style, whimsy of the person putting the labels on in the factory that day. In most BR shirts I wear a medium. However, not all. Who decides that? Shouldn't there be a standard set of measurements in use so that a medium actually equals a medium no matter what? The website has a size chart, but I am skeptical as to how many items of clothing the chart actually applies to.

So I have determined that sizes are a farce. I'm trying to keep that in mind when I try things on.