‘No clothing sizes’ should never be an option! It’s literally insane that fashion brands, that only care about filling their coffers, would ignore such a huge portion of consumers. And we consumers should still not be the ones to pay for the industry’s idiocy. So, it’s time to take decisive action!
Let them know!
When a brand fails to serve you, whether it’s about not offering your size at all, or the fit being wrong, contact them. Vanity sizing is a real issue, and only we can initiate change here.
Every brand has contact details on their website, even if just an info e-mail or social media channels. If no contact details are available, search for the brand’s employees on LinkedIn. This is more likely to get your message noticed anyway.
- Then write a polite but firm e-mail, or DM them explaining the problem.
- If they don’t have your size, tell them that, and ask them to inform you as soon as the size is available.
- Or if a garment’s fit was completely off the chart, explain to them how so. For example, sleeves too short by xx inches, bust line way too small, etc.
Remember that the tone of any such message or reclamation should be polite! If you go lashing off at them, it’s more than probable that your message will be deleted before you can say ‘cat’. And so it should be. Always before pressing ‘Send’, think whether you’d like to receive the message yourself.
Send them all the information
Are you thinking what’s the point of e-mailing or DMing brands? Well, no clothing sizes will be available in the future either unless we take action NOW! And the point of that action is to give them all the information required to make them understand WHY the change from their part is essential.
The brands can’t and won’t change their ways if they don’t know what we consumers need. So, the more information you can include to the message / reclamation, the better. Whether it’s links to the brand’s online store, photos of you wearing the misfitting piece, or your sizes, it all needs to be in there!
Here’s a handy list for you of everything you should include to the message:
- Your sizes: download my size chart (PDF) here and fill in your measurement
- Tell them what shop/online store you frequented and when
- Photo of the item that doesn’t fit + explanation how it doesn’t fit
- Link to the product that is missing your size + request to be informed when available
As an extra, you could also try and appeal to the person’s emotions, who receives your message. Tell them how devastating it can be at worst when you find the garment of your dreams and AGAIN it doesn’t fit. Or even worse, there are no clothing sizes at all for you available. Every small step counts.
BONUS: Ask for a size request form
There are some, even if very few clothing brands that do this sizing lark properly. The thing is, those brands tend to be either custom-made brands or sustainable brands that have less stock and more respect for their customers. Nonetheless, a good size selection makes the shopping experience all the better.
So, as a bonus, you could mention in your e-mail or DM that the brand(s) should include a size request form to their online stores. This is a simple form where you type in your measurements and send them to the brand with your e-mail address. This way the brand can then get back to you on whether and when your size might again be available.
No clothing sizes should be amiss, but if they are, they shouldn’t be for long! Because not everyone can afford to order their clothes from custom-made brands that grow their own organic cotton. At the end of the day this sort of a form would also be a very environmental thing to do for the brands. When they produce garments to an exact demand, there’s no waste!
Give no quarter!
I know the fashion sphere is a noisy and over-populated space, but you can’t allow that to put you down! You have just as much right to dress exactly as you wish as those toneless, tasteless, shapeless mannequins in store windows. But if you don’t stand up for that right yourself, nobody else will do it for you either.
The fashion industry (which is led by old men!) has been putting us down long enough. It’s time we took responsibility for our own style and start feeling as well as looking fabulous! Because when we all shout together, even the noisy fashion industry can’t help but hear us.
And please remember something: when you find no clothing sizes available for you, IT’S NOT YOU, IT’S THEM. It can never be your fault that you are the way you are! But it is fundamentally the fashion industry’s fault that they refuse to serve people your size. And for that they should be shamed.
