This woman tried on 2 pairs of jeans in the same size—and only one of them fit

Adobe

Finding the perfect pair of jeans is no easy task. You walk into a clothing store only to come face to face with a wall of options—from jeggings and skinnies, to slim straight, real straight, girlfriend, boyfriend, boot leg and flared. On top of all that, you have to choose a wash. Dark? Light? Something in the middle? Oh, and there’s texture, too. Thick and heavy or thin and stretchy? Choosing the perfect pair of jeans can be a dizzying process!

What’s even worse is the size situation. As most women know, sizes tend to vary drastically. And that fact was proven recently by South African body-positivity activist Mira Hirsch, who took side-by-side photos of herself wearing the same style (and size!) jeans in two different colors.

On the left, she can barely get the maroon pants up, let alone buttoned. But on the right, the mint pants hug her in all the right places. What gives?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BdckoDTl6xc/?taken-by=mira_hirsch

“DO NOT DEFINE YOURSELF BY A NUMBER!” she writes in her Instagram caption. “[I] was looking for a pair of pants and found both of these in the same size in different sections of the store. The maroon pair had a label saying ‘New Fit’ and the mint pair had nothing. Both were my size yet one pair couldn’t even close and the other pair was a little loose?”

The 18-year-old blogger goes on to explain how similar experiences in the past made her “dread” shopping and that she would leave stores feeling bad about her body.

“Stop trying to fit into the ‘ideal size’!” Hirsch continues in the caption to her over 100,000 followers. “Wear clothes that you feel funky in!…who the hell cares if it’s a few sizes bigger or smaller than what you normally wear…take back your power and wear whatever size and style you desire…love the skin you’re in!”

Popular fashion brands, including H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch and Zara, have been called out in recent years for their unrealistic—and extremely inconsistent—sizing, making it even more frustrating for women to live in world where they are constantly judged based on physical appearance. It’s no wonder the response to Hirsch’s Instagram post has been overwhelmingly positive and received almost 6,000 likes.

zara photo
Getty Images | Cameron Spencer

Commenters are even actively participating in the conversation: “I’m sick of companies that do this,” wrote one. “A size 8 should UNIVERSALLY be an 8. And a 10 a 10. There should be a universal “law” that gives measurements to an 8 and that’s what all companies and brands etc have to make. You can go from one store to another and be three or four different sizes and it sucks. I hope your post brings more light to this.”

It seems women everywhere agree that sizing needs to be more consistent. So when are brands going to listen?

Fashion & Style, Good News
,

Related posts

Vansha women’s high waisted cotton linen palazzo pants
These bestselling linen pants are up to 70% off for a limited time
Ozark Trail Waistpack/Time and Tru Women's Buckle Clogs
14 Walmart alternatives to popular expensive products
Woman taking soft cashmere sweater out of box indoors, closeup
How to store cashmere sweaters (and other cashmere things)
A woman wears a creamy winter white sweater, and another woman wears a classic cream colored pea coat.
Cozy winter white clothes your closet needs

About the Author
Chelsea Davis
Chelsea is a freelance journalist based in New York City whose passion revolves around traveling the world, immersing herself in foreign cultures, and of course, eating and drinking everything delicious. She covers all things food, drink and travel and is always up for an adventure, whether that means an adrenaline-pumping excursion or trying a new cuisine. Follow her on Instagram at @cheycheyfromthebay and keep up with her latest work at www.chelseadavis.com.

From our partners