Did you know that clothing size measurements, but not the numbers designating them, have grown along with the waistline of women in America? A size 12 in the 1950's is most likely a size 6 or 8 today. I will be exploring this issue in my upcoming book American Women Didn't Get Fat in the 50s. Additionally, a contemporary size 6 can vary greatly when comparing one brand to another.
Whatever the reasons for "vanity sizing," I think it's important to recognize that when someone tells you that Marilyn Monroe was a voluptuous size 12, that by today's standards she would be a size 6 or 8!
When you ask yourself how your weight measures up, which standard would you rather use? The one that strokes your ego, or the one that reflects the size you'd wear before vanity took precedence over facts?
