If sizing wasn’t confusing enough – here’s the real reason both sizes have similar names
Okay I’ve been tripped up by this a few times, but why is it that the larger we go in size, the more the measurements don’t conform to the sizing system?
I’ve bought my dad a few golf shirts in the past for Christmas and birthdays – I mean, it’s the natural go to isn’t it? If your old man likes golf then for the rest of his life, or hips, he’ll be getting a golf-related present twice a year.
I’ve picked up both 2XL and XXL and have never had a clue what it meant – initially I thought the two represented an additional ‘X’, which would mean it would be XXXL, how naive.
It’s actually much smarter than that.
I’ll let plus-sized TikToker Makayla Smith tell you, as she explained to her followers what she discovered as she captioned her video: “Should I make a video explaining the difference between XXL and 2XL??”
The fashion and lifestyle influencer, who boasts over 45,000 followers on the platform, has uploaded multiple videos explaining the difference.
Commenting on one of them, she said: “They are usually cut a bit differently, which 2XL being larger and made with plus size bodies in mind.”
So it is kind of like you’re able to choose between two fits for the same size – although Smith does explain that 2XL is slightly larger.
Shocked by the news, one person commented: “WHAT. And this comes from someone who is plus size lmao.”
While another weighed in: “I’m also xxl/2x my professor told me that XXL are is based on ‘straight’ misses category while 2X is in the ‘plus’ women’s category.”
A third clarified: “Retail worker here – xxl is still considered ‘straight sizing’ and basically just a larger size. 2X is made from a plus size pattern.”
From the outside looking in, I’m a large and it sounds like XXL/2XL have it lucky here as they can choose what type of fit they want, but I don’t think it’s seen like that by those in the plus-size community.
“Omg JUST GIVE US UNITS PPPLLLLZZZ. INCHES. CMS. ANYTHING,” one person typed.
Another asked: “I never realized this. What are the biggest differences that you notice between the sizes?”
To which Smith replied: “Length I notice most! Usually some more width and longer sleeves as well. It has to do with XXL being straight sizing vs 2XL being plus sizing.”
While a fourth added on the social media platform: “Thank you!!! i have to tell people this for christmas time, i tell them please go to plus size sections cause sizing is F***DD.”
If sizing wasn’t confusing enough, hey!