Men and women may be heavier than in years past but weight is definitely not the only thing affecting the average clothing size, especially for women. According to Slate, prior to the 1940s, most of women's clothing was made-to-measure so there was really no need for standardized sizes. When ready-made clothing hit the market, that all changed. But, who was to decide what was, say, a size 4 and what was a size 12? The government, apparently.
The article further explained that the federal government attempted to quantify the average American female body, but that didn't go so well considering they used men's measurements — essentially just chest dimensions — as their model. Women's bust sizes are, of course, a bit more variable.
Fast forward to 1958 and numbered sizes 8 through 38, along with the letters T, R, and S, which stood for tall, regular, and short respectively, became the industry standard. However, by 1970 this standard became voluntary and, in 1983, the government withdrew the standard in its entirety. And for very good reasons, it seems. The results of the study — which were used to determine the standard clothing sizes — were potentially tainted by paying people to participate. Not only that but the study also failed to include any women of color.
So, where does that leave American shoppers today? In a world of vanity dress sizes, it seems.
