Is it me or does color matter in clothes?

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Black pants that probably fit well!

During the past month I’ve done the semi-annual switching of the clothing. It’s all in the same closet. I move clothes from the back to the front, but I need to try the new season’s clothes on even if they were perfect the year before. Things happen.

Some clothes shrink or stretch while they are idling in the closet waiting for their proper season (despite the fact that it’s climate controlled!). Some clothes fade or just look yucky (even though I loved them last year). There is also the color phenomenon.

If I find something (particularly pants) that fit, are comfortable, wash well and are reasonably price, I buy a bunch of them. All my winter pants are either black or navy. Here’s the thing I don’t understand. Same style, same manufacturer but different colors are sized differently. Navy products are cut smaller than black. I can’t figure this one out.

Fabric is the same. Place of manufacturer is the same. (The sizing can be different when made in different countries.) Different fit. Maybe it’s a shorter rise or a snugger waist but there is something that isn’t as comfortable.

As I am aging, comfort is more important to me. I don’t like anything that doesn’t feel like pajamas. Items that I would tolerate in the past because they “look great” are donated. Won’t buy those again!

It’s quite the conundrum. I am replacing some navy pants. These are not jeans, which is a totally different story. Jeans shrink up but stretch out so I replace my jeans when they get too short. Ok, occasionally the snap closure jumps over an inch and out they go.

I should wear scrubs. They work for all body shapes at the hospital and come in navy and black. I worry that someone will ask me to look at their booboo. Yeah, not so good with body fluids so I’ll continue to order different sizes for different colors and hope for the best.

If someone has a good explanation, I’m all ears!

Author’s note: My weight hasn’t changed in decades but maybe moved around a bit. Some parts took an elevator to the basement! 😊

46 thoughts on “Is it me or does color matter in clothes?”

  1. A friend of mine who used to own a clothing store told me that during the manufacturing process, they will cut a whole stack of material at the same time, and the ones at the top will be smaller than the ones at the bottom, or vice versa, thus accounting for why two pairs of the same size fit so differently. She used to order in size 4 or 6 French Dressing pants for me, and sometimes a size 6 would be smaller than a 4, so it really made no sense. I go for comfort too. I find if I take three pairs of the same size yoga/sweatpants into the change room, they will all fit a bit different, so I go for the loosest one, to allow for shrinkage. My pants are mostly all black too, with a few navy ones thrown in, which are harder to find, other than in jeans. Jeans are a whole other story….

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      • I bought a plaid hoodie from LL Bean last year and I loved it, but had to send it back as the zipper was longer on one side by about 1/2 an inch than the other and wouldn’t work. It was made in Bangladesh or Vietnam or some Southasian country according to the sewn in tag, which surprised me as I always thought LL Bean was made in Maine? When I talked to the returns dept they were very polite and waived the return postage, but I asked how that could possibly have passed the quality assurance dept. and been sent out and he said they only randomly audit one piece in a thousand! I’m not even sure how they got it zipped up as I couldn’t unzip it! I haven’t ordered from them since, as it was $125 on sale with the US exchange rate….much too expensive for such shoddy work….plus the flannel wasn’t even very soft for that price. I was disappointed as it looked so nice in the catalogue photo.

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  2. I still have a lot of dress pants, mostly black. You can’t go wrong with black pants. I don’t know why manufacturers change products … it’s not very smart of them for the many customers that rely on the “same-old, same-old” produce/style like most of us do. Sadly, I have succumbed to comfortable clothing, that started when I began working from home in 2011. Since I never have anyone dropping by and my boss and I never used Zoom, in the Winter I would walk, then come home and put on my polar fleece jammies and made no apologies for doing that. 🙂 Now it is fleece sweatsuits mostly.

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          • I know we need to watch ourselves when we get older – balance is important. Maggie, a fellow walker at the Park is in her 60s and she works in an administrative job for the City’s school system. She was standing at a file cabinet, when someone asked her a question and she whirled around quickly, lost her balance and fell. She broke her pelvis so severely, she was off work for the rest of the school year. Her mother-in-law told me what happened – she also walks at the Park. I just saw Maggie walking on Saturday, the first time in at least three years. She used to be a race walker so I chatted with her, but never walked with her. I noted she was walking very slowly and had no slouch at all, which made me wonder if she is wearing a back brace, or perhaps she is still in pain.

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                  • I have a friend who was a social worker and she took extra courses to specialize in gerontology. She made home visits to senior’s homes and the first thing she looked for was throw rugs, which she said was the primary reason for senior trip and fall accidents.

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                    • That is scary. I’ve been watching a guy on Facebook that popped up in my feed, so I followed him. He does a lot of chair exercises for seniors and some for balance too. I am going to start paying more attention to his exercises now that cold weather is settling in and I will not be out and about as I am now. His FB site is: Grow Young Fitness and he has longer videos on YouTube, all geared for fitness. P.S. – Good luck re: Morgan’s swallowing issue tomorrow. Hope it works out well.

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  5. I’ve never experienced the different colors-different size situation. But then, I usually buy just one pair of pants. I have such a hard time finding comfortable pants these days. I think I only have 2 at the moment. I need to go shopping.

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    • I wear pants all the time so it’s important I have a bunch of comfy ones which is why I buy multiples! I have a brand that is at least 10 years old. I have 4 pair, 2 blue and 2 black. I loved them and wear them every spring and fall but this year, the fit seemed different. They sit lower and I don’t always do well with that style. Maybe my belly potted out a bit more this year but I’m keeping them until next year and if it’s the same uncomfortable fit, they are going out. They wear so well and don’t look old at all. The style and fabric was discontinued long ago so that would be the end of that.

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  8. You’ve just reminded me that me closet is due for a seasonal switch-over (like you, I basically move clothes from the back to the front). It’s always fun to find a few items that have – amazingly – shrunk or enlarged over the spring and summer.

    I haven’t noticed color-specific size differences, but I always try on everything I intend to buy. Grabbing several of the same items in different colors without trying them on usually results in returns.

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    • Trying them on is my favorite but lately I’ve noticed that stores aren’t carrying the same inventory they used to. If I find a pair that fit, they may not have a second pair in the same color and size. They offer to order them but that’s when it all goes south. If it’s a different color, for sure it’s going south. I will often order 2 sized to compare and return one.

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  10. Sizes are always different per style, manufacturer, colour and cloth. I used to have separates for the office, lone or two skirts, and half a dozen different tops to mix and match. It is surprising how many different Navy or Black items are available, even in the same designer label. That’s why I buy men’s joggers and tee. They are linger, and more generous where I need them to be. Ladies tee shirts are always at least four inches short in the body, AND they shrink more often!

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    • A lot of companies are like that. It makes it harder to order on-line. We have a local LL Bean store. I went down to try on different sizes of the navy pants I love and the store doesn’t carry the navy version — black, some pumice stone color and another odd ball color but no navy! I ordered a size up from what I had and that worked. I have had issues with Lands End too but with tops. Hangs off the shoulder or too tight for my hips. Annoying!

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  13. I never thought about it until I read this post but you’re RIGHT – same size/manufacturer/seller but different if in a different color? Weird right? But then my body is weird these days too – I’m sure the weight moves around when we’re asleep and not paying attention…..how come a sweater that was loose yesterday is tight today? Huh? Oh well. I like the idea of scrubs – they’re loose, comfy, great designs and colors……In Winter you could wear thermals or sweat suits underneath. Yeah. I’m on board with that.

    Hugs, Pam

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  15. No explanation but I too have found the same phenomena with black, navy and khaki. So weird. I’m starting to find I favor athletic type joggers…so long as they have pockets. I don’t understand why manufacturers shortchange women’s pants with puny little pockets that barely will hold a set of keys, let along the mini computers known as cell phones.

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