Sequins and Sizing

Apparently size doesn't matter in the eyes of most retailers. What I mean is (and this has been a major gripe of mine for years) women's sizing is all over the map. I have everything from a size 00 to 8 hanging in my closet. What's up with that? I know that nothing is perfect, and certainly some variation is only to be expected, but the huge range of inconsistency gets rather annoying, especially in an age when more and more people are online shopping and hence not trying clothing on before buying.

The reason I bring this issue up is the skirt I am wearing today, which is from H&M, is a size 8. This is twice my normal size. I think most women who frequent certain stores get a feel after a little while about how things usually run. H&M I know always runs small, so I size up usually to a 6. J. Crew on the other hand always runs large, so I am usually size down to a 0 or 2. In reality my true size is somewhere in between, size 4. These days it seems like I am buying fewer and fewer items in this size. It's not due to me either loosing or gaining weight, it's due to crazy sizing.

What really bugs me are stores which have size variation on the same item. For example I have tried on two pairs of the same pants, differing only in color, in identical sizes at Old Navy only to have both pairs fit differently. Now, that's just a matter of poor quality standards.

Well, that's my rant for today. I really do love this skirt with all its sequins and it fits, so who cares about the size? I guess size really doesn't matter, but it sure can be a pain in the you know what.

 Outfit: Shirt: J. Crew Perfect Shirt in Suckered Gingham (here), Sequin and Floral Skirt: H&M, Shoes: Nine West