Throughout history, there has been a standard for what makes a woman’s body beautiful. Today,  the fashion industry and fashionistas obsess about size zero and the vanity sizing that comes along with it. According to Forbes, vanity sizing is “the labeling of clothes with sizes smaller than the actual cut of the items” in an effort to flatter consumers and encourage them to buy more.

I talked with two anonymous female students who shared their experience with vanity sizing.

Question: How old are you?

Person A: 18 years old

Person B: 16 years old

Question: What pant size do you normally wear?

Person A: Size 10

Person B: Size 00

Question: What shirt size you normally wear?

Person A: A medium usually

Person B: Small

Question: What moment sticks out in your mind when you were a “victim” of vanity sizing?

Person A: This one time at H&M made me feel awful.

Person B: I used to shop at American Eagle all the time because the clothes fit me the best. I went back to buy new jeans and the normal size 00 I fit in before were too small and the size that fit me was a 2.

Question: What stores have you experienced vanity sizing in?

Person A: H&M, Forever 21, Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister

Person B: H&M  (Size 00 to size 6), American Eagle (Size 00 to size 2), Abercrombie & Fitch (Size 00 to size 2)

Question: Do you have a favorite store that you no longer shop at because of this?

Person A: H&M. Never again.

Person B: I still shop at American Eagle every so often for shirts, but I don’t get my jeans there anymore.

Question: What advice do you have for others about vanity sizing?

Person A: Don’t listen to the brand’s ideal of beauty. Just love yourself.

Person B: Don’t let size discourage you because every store has different sizing. Just try different stores to see which one you like best. Plus, if you look good in the clothes, who cares about what size they are anyway.