Size Inflation?

I've really needed some new shorts or capris since our Texas summer started kicking in. Jeff quickly agreed that I needed some new clothes and kindly volunteered to watch all four kids last Saturday so I could go do some shopping on my own. (About the only thing I dislike more than shopping is shopping with kids.) So I tried Academy Sports & Outdoors first, a store with a surprisingly large selection of nice, cute clothes for a sporting goods store. Now other than when I've been pregnant, I've pretty much worn the same size pants for most of my adult life. Occasionally I've even been able to fit in the next smaller size, depending on the brand and style of pants. So I looked at the racks of shorts and capris, and all of them in "my size" looked huge. So I picked up about five pair in the next smaller size and headed to the fitting rooms. None of them fit! They were all at least an inch too big around the waist, probably two. I went through this process three times, with different brands and styles, all with the same result. About this point I started getting annoyed and frustrated. First of all, shopping is not my favorite thing to do (have I mentioned that before?!), so I wasn't really enjoying myself much to begin with. Secondly, they didn't have any pants in the size two sizes smaller than "my size," or I would have tried them even though I've never worn that size. I was tempted to go look in the juniors department, but I learned that lesson long ago--junior sizes just don't fit the hips of women (especially those who've had a baby or two or more), and they are generally too trendy for my taste anyway--I've long grown out of the need to be in whatever the style is this year that won't still be in next year. So, discouraged, but not ready to give up, I left Academy and went to JCPenney where I know they have "petite" sizes that fit my body style, i.e., short.

Not wanting to waste any more time, I started out with the size smaller than "my size," in petite this time. Again, they didn't have any pants in the size two sizes smaller than "my size." I probably tried on another fifteeen pair of pants in various styles and brands, and, thank goodness, finally found two pair that fit relatively well and, I thought, looked relatively cute. I bought them, and two shirts to go with them. Now JCPenney does have petites, but the selection was pretty poor. Hoping to find something else, I went next door to Old Navy. Agh, more frustration. I guess "Low Waist" and "Ultra Low Waist" are what's in, because that was all they had. Low waist pants either don't fit my body style or they don't fit my wardrobe--I won't do the bare belly thing, for several reasons that probably don't need to be spelled out. At this point, four hours after I started and way past lunch time, I gave up and went home.

Now I admit that it's probably been a couple of years since I last shopped for pants, partially due to being pregnant for a significant length of that time. So have sizes been inflated that much in two years, or am I just imagining things? Do clothing manufacturers/ retailers/marketers really think we are that stupid? That ranks right up there with switching ice cream from half gallons to 1.75 quart containers, charging the same price and thinking we won't notice! I've never been one for conspiracy theories, but I'm beginning to wonder if the clothing establishment is in cahoots with the soft drink companies. They're trying to make us think we can drink 20 more ounces of empty calories because hey, I'm two sizes smaller than I thought I was!

You may have figured out by now what size I am...was...whatever. If so, and you're disgusted, I apologize. I credit my Burton metabolism for that. Thanks for letting me rant anyway. I've been supersized out of pants, for goodness sake!