Saturday, December 5, 2009

A ten is not a ten.

It's true. We've talked a lot about clothing sizes and how they just don't seem to stay consistent. Okay, they ARE NOT consistent. I went to Old Navy today like I told y'all I was going to, 'cause I figured I could probably squeeze myself into a size 10 pair of jeans. Indeed I did.

Old Navy has lots of different types of Women's jeans and they have different names. I decided to grab a few different kinds, all in a 10 regular. Here's the result:

Me in my current size 12 jeans from New York and Company:



Me in the size 10 "Sweetheart" jeans from Old Navy:



Then, the ones I bought, the size 10 "Dreamer" jeans from Old Navy:




And for a laugh, I figured, "why not try on some skinny jeans!" I have this strange, weird, uncontrollable desire to wear skinny jeans. I'm too old for them, I'm not emo, I don't get into Twilight, but dammit, I want to wear skinny jeans. It probably just has to do with the name "Skinny" jeans. 'cause obviously if you can wear them, you're skinny.

I've read a lot of debates about how "big" is "too big" to wear skinny jeans. Personally, if you're comfortable in them and you feel hot, go for it. No shame, ladies.

Here's me in the size 10 "Diva" skinny jeans from Old Navy:




As you can see, they look fairly decent with a shirt down, but you can see how TIGHT they are. These babies barely buttoned.

Hilarious how different three size 10 pairs of jeans can be!

I could easily have decided that I wanted to be a size 8 today and gone to get the next size down in the Sweetheart style. BUT, I like the way I felt and looked in the 10's of the Dreamers, so I bought them. Don't let a size dictate how you feel. I know I talk about sizes a lot, but in reality it's about how I feel when I pull up the zipper. :) <3

~Jenn

34 comments:

Jennifer Newman said...

Because trying on and buying clothes doesn't suck enough sometimes, now we have to add super confusion to the mix!

Let me just say - you are the cutest! and I like the jeans you went with - although, the sweethearts would probably have been way cuter in a size 8. I have yet to understand the skinny jeans - I mean where are your hips supposed to go? and...teenage boys have started wearing them, I HATE this new trend! (I teach high school so I see too much of this)

Glad you are having fun with sizes and zippers! Thanks for modeling everything for us!

<3 Jen

Erin said...

those dreamer jeans look suuuuper cute on you!

and i think somewhere i read that the sweetheart jeans are designed for girls with curvier hips. have you seen the lane bryant brand "right fit" jeans? the different color/shapes have a range of 10 sizes, but when you compare all of them, there are differences. some are designed for women with straight hips, curvy hips, and round hips. so sizing is really the most inconsistant science there is lol.

though then there are those times where there are actual mistakes between the size on the tag and the actual size. i bought a pair of jeans i believed to be a 28 that turned out to be closer to a 24, so you just never know...and i will never ever buy a pair of jeans without trying them on. lol

karen@fitnessjourney said...

The sizing of clothes varies so much from store to store. I am 44 and when I was a teenager and young adult I wore a size 7 in Juniors. I am now wearing a size 6 in women's sizes. Companies often create clothing that run large as a way to get women to purchase them. Who wouldn't want to wear a size 10 in one brand rather than a 12 in another? If I were the same size that I am now 20 years ago, I'd most likely be in a size 10, not a 6.

Unknown said...

And you look great in the Dreamers! Most flattering cut.

Dumb thing is, it still doesn't matter what size you are, we still all have different body shapes so you can't win either way!

By the way, doing Shred for 2 days and I am fitting into skinnier shorts, what the heck?!!!!!!

Weims319 said...

Jen I LOVED that last line! It really is all about how you feel when you pull up the zipper. That was a great thing to say and it totally made my day, so thanks for that :-)

Michelle said...

It's crazy how different those sizes are! That's why I am always so hesitant to order stuff online--even in the same store you can't be sure how it will fit!

PS. the ones you bought were my favorite! They look really good! You definitely do not look like a size ten, but just a 10!

Drew said...

I fought skinnies for a long time but now...I'm a convert. They are so much easier to wear in many ways and if you're short I think it looks better than giant amount of fabric to swim in. (I'm 5'3)

I've seen women of all shapes and sizes in skinnies and they all rock them as long as they love them.

Also, no one looks good with their shirt pulled up in skinny jeans. Unless you're a 00. We all know that's not happening for most of us so just don't look at the waistband! :-)

Michele said...

I used to work for a clothing manufacturer and they routinely "changed size labels" to fill orders. Size specs varied greatly between our customers. The company eventually went out of business. It has been over ten years but I will always remember the importance of trying things on.

This Little Girl Dreams... said...

after taking a clothing construction class I stopped caring about sizes because companies base them off a dummy they make and obviously our bodies are NOT all the same.

I am wear different sizes for different brands. I even cut out the size tags from my jeans so I forget what size they are. People get too caught up in numbers so I love how this post just shows how silly sizes are.

The only place I HATE going is forever 21 because I a large there and sometimes the things there don't even fit me and any where else I would be swimming in a large.

sizes suck!

kaitlin said...

I have 3 pairs of sweetheart 20s, and one pair of dreamer 18s. I love the dreamer style!!! I wear them pretty much every day, because I am too cheap to buy more pairs of pants when I am in the process of losing weight! Perhaps this means I can wear sweetheart 16s!?!?!

MB said...

The size discrepency makes it so hard. I think you look great in all those jeans.

I'm happy as long as I don't have to lie on the bed and pull the zipper up with a coat hanger. ;)

Midwestgirl said...

You're adorable!

Unknown said...

I like the dreamer ones that you bought- I gotta go check them out. Have not bought jeans at old navy in the women's dept. EVER- I use to buy the mens!!! LOL

hummm weird- my WORD VERIFICATION is FATERSU lol

Losing it said...

love the ones you picked out, you look great!! Way to go on all your hard work!

100in12 said...

i have old navy dreamers too! i think they're the best shape out of all of 'em. and they look great on you!

Holly Lefevre said...

I used to be a fashion designer and the sizing was crazy...I am not a small girl and was once asked to try on a skirt that was a six 6 - YEAH RIGHT! It fit and they sold it as a six..at that point everything in my closet was a 10 or 12. I could go on and on...but I shall spare you for now! Fun blog!

Holly @ 504 Main

kimert said...

I love the Dreamer jeans!! They are my current fave even at a 16. I have some new Dreamer jeans in a 14 coming on Christmas day. I'm working on getting in them..ugh..20 days!

Vince said...

A few days ago I went and bought Jeans at Tesco. Now I have been a 32/32 for the longest time. However that second 32 is now a 34, a fact I forgot while at the shop !.

Vodka Logic said...

You look great. You could wear the skinny jeans if you never want to sit down.....

Love your progress such inspiration.

Karen said...

Love the jeans! You'd think stores could size their own stuff consistently from one item to the next. I noticed this at Victoria's Secret the other day when I went in to replace all my granny panties thanks to you!). I came home with some "large" panties that were smaller than the "small" ones I bought! I told my husband yesterday I was jealous that I could go to the store, buy him a dress shirt that had certain measurements on it and be sure that it would fit him. Wish I could do the same with my clothes!

Shannon said...

Jen, I have followed your blog for a little while now and you have inspired me to try the 30 day shred. Thank you for providing a realistic view of women and weight.

Claire Dawn said...

Love the dreamers! Way to go, girl! Keep at it!

Dawn Dishes It Out said...

Once again THANK YOU for posting something like this. Lots of women get hung up (me included) on being a certain size. But you have shown that (in this case) size doesn't matter!!

Shannon Paris, Marketing Director/Realtor said...

Well said sista! I've been dreaming of becoming a size 6 just because it sounded good, but I'm realizing that when I get on track and stay on track I feel good about how I look no matter the number on the label. Besides, everyone looks different at different sizes, and being 5'2" no matter what I weigh I'm always going to struggle with how I look just because everything fits me differently.

simple pleasures said...

you are the jeans queen.. the skinny jeans looked good... no one looks good in super skinny unless you are built like a boy... 12 year old boy...
keep it up..i love to check in and get inspiration.... also with all the comments no matter what size we are all of us struggle with body image and will someday be happy in our skin

Natalie said...

Hey! Just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for an award! Come check it out at my place to accept it. :) Congratulations!

http://serendipitous-natalie.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-first-blog-award.htm

Becca55 said...

They do look super cute on ya! I love Old navy jeans but I think they run a little big. I never tried the Dreamer ones, just the flirt and diva.

l said...

Oooh, those jeans look super cute on you! I'm a size 4, but I can't fit into skinny jeans for the life of me.
Way to go, lookin' good!

MegFordice said...

Your ass is looking HOT in those size 10 Dreamers!

Heather said...

I HATE trying on jeans at Old Navy!!!

The sizes even vary within the cuts! I picked up a handful of 10s & 12s in all 3 cuts a year or so ago. Went to the dressing room and tried everything on. The 12s in some of the cuts were too tight, and the 10s fit just right. Once I narrowed it down to the Sweetheart cut, I grabbed 6 pairs of 10s to try on. Only 3 fit me right. So I only bought those 3.

It's ridiculous that you can't be like "The 10s in this cut fit well, so I'll just grab some more off the shelf!" You can't do that there though because each jean is different!

*Sorry for the vent, but that trip to Old Navy drove me crazy!!*

Anne said...

You look tiny tiny tiny in those Dreamers! Nice choice.

Kendra said...

Those Dreamers look AMAZING on you!!! GOOD CHOICE!! Oh and congrats on being a size 10!!! :) I hope to get there once I have the baby...it's always been my goal size...(was a 14/16 when I got pregnant)

Cassie said...

this is really interesting that theyre all different sizes! mannnn some of these shops suck!

Gonezo said...

those flared jeans look fantastic!

the skinny leg ones remind me of a pair i bought from American Eagle. they were size ten and I was so impressed and excited when I fit in to them. and when i went back a week later to get another pair in a different colour, i could not fit the 10 and the sales girl told me it was because of the material that wash came in. i wanted to deck her.