Women's
dress sizes DON'T work, I guess would be a response to this. But the
logical reason for the single number sizes is that if women's clothes were sold by
measurement, you would have to sell for both waist and hip measurement. The standard sizes for women now are based on having hips ten inches larger around than ones
waist, which is why many women have a hard time with pants having either the waist too large or small while the hips fit or vice versa. A better solution would be to sell clothes with differing waist-hip measurements, such as 28-36, 28-38, and 28-40 being options for someone with a 28 inch waist, where 28-38 is the only option currently available. However, this increases the number of items that a store must keep in stock three times, and instead of carrying three size tens, the store would probably carry one of each, thus increasing the already documented problem of never being able to find the size that you need. Add the much needed
inseam measurement to the mix, and the problem is tripled once again.
Then there's the psychological factor...I don't figure that many women want to buy clothes by their measurements unless they fit the 36-24-36 mold. It's a lot more pleasant to buy a small number such as 6 or 8. This might be a silly reason for women's sizing, but a valid one.
Therefore the single size system, while it doesn't work perfectly for nearly anyone, is probably a necessary evil. The only ways around it are to have your clothes tailored for you, or of course, to make your own clothing.
I think that "well, fuck" pretty much sums up the attitude of the
fashion industry. Thousands of girls are dying of
anorexia in part to conform to the unrealistic standards that the industry promotes..."well, fuck!" and the
models are even thinner.