Ask a modern woman what size she wears and you’re likely to get an answer that sounds something like “ummm, between a __ and a ___, it depends.” And that sucks. Not that it isn’t hard buying clothes if you’re a guy, but the sizing for men is much more streamlined and well, logical. But in order to understand the differences in sizing and the psychological impact it has on people, we have to understand how we got where we are today. Standard sizes didn’t used to exist, everything was custom sewn and made for you. For most, clothes were made at home. It wasn’t until the Great Depression that a sizing system came into play. At that time people couldn’t afford to eat, so buying fabric wasn’t their first priority. Also at this time the industrial techniques were improving, making it easier than ever for companies to mass produce products cheaply. And by the end of the second World War sewing your own clothes was out and off the rack was the new norm. This created the need for a sizin
