Gender neutral clothing sizing

[KSera]

Why is it the stores that have lines of clothing specifically designated “gender neutral” use men’s sizing for their “gender neutral” clothes? Female bodies usually need room for hips and chests, so defaulting to “male” as the neutral standard for clothing for all people no sense to me. Just furthers the idea that “gender neutral” means more like a man 🙄. 
 

I guess this is just a vent post. 

[Terabith]

My guess is because men's sizing is at least based on measurements.  Women's sizing is just plain bonkers.  What the heck does a size 4 or a size 16 mean?  It's completely arbitrary and made up.  There is no standardization from company to company or store to store.  Defaulting to men's sizing isn't perfect; the reasons you list are completely valid issues.  But there's at least an agreement on SOME standardization in men's sizes that there isn't in women's.  

[prairiewindmomma]

Shopping at Old Navy today? 😂 

Yeah, my teens had colorful words about that also. 

Fwiw, shoe arch also hits differently male versus female on most shoe brands. 

[KSera]

5 minutes ago, Terabith said:

My guess is because men's sizing is at least based on measurements.  Women's sizing is just plain bonkers.  What the heck does a size 4 or a size 16 mean?  It's completely arbitrary and made up.  There is no standardization from company to company or store to store.  Defaulting to men's sizing isn't perfect; the reasons you list are completely valid issues.  But there's at least an agreement on SOME standardization in men's sizes that there isn't in women's.  

Yeah, that’s very valid.  It seems like there should be some new combo sizing though that works based on measurements, because obviously that makes more sense than the way women’s clothing does things, but that is also cut to accommodate for the fact that there actually is a difference in male and female body Shapes. Without defaulting to the male one. 

5 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Shopping at Old Navy today? 😂 

Yeah, my teens had colorful words about that also. 

Fwiw, shoe arch also hits differently male versus female on most shoe brands. 

Lol, how did you know 🤣. Target has it as well and also all unisex sizing T-shirts are that way. I’ve run into that with the shoe arch as well. I’m just extra annoyed today with things playing into the idea that neutral means male. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Yup. My child has a brother who is the same height and is within 5 lb of them. When we measure the two siblings together, their rough dimensions should be within the same size range for a standard cut as well--but the clothes are cut to hang on people with non-defined waists, no hips, etc. even though within all of the assigned male clothing there are a variety of waist cuts and fits. We straight up have better luck shopping within assigned gender clothing, on both sides of the store, than we do shopping within unisex clothing. 

But, yes, that neutral/inclusive/neither/both means male concept is one that doesn't fly well here either.

[EKS]

30 minutes ago, KSera said:

Just furthers the idea that “gender neutral” means more like a man 🙄. 

Yep.

[Terabith]

13 minutes ago, KSera said:

Yeah, that’s very valid.  It seems like there should be some new combo sizing though that works based on measurements, because obviously that makes more sense than the way women’s clothing does things, but that is also cut to accommodate for the fact that there actually is a difference in male and female body Shapes. Without defaulting to the male one. 

Lol, how did you know 🤣. Target has it as well and also all unisex sizing T-shirts are that way. I’ve run into that with the shoe arch as well. I’m just extra annoyed today with things playing into the idea that neutral means male. 

Oh yeah, I fully agree that combo sizing based on measurements would be the best approach.