Ladies’ Hockey Clothing: Up to Size?
For female hockey fans we’ve had issues with the hockey clothing that’s marketed to us. There are complaints as far as the type of clothes marketed to us. But what about the sizing? Apparently that is also a real issue.
Just the other day, I was in the NHL store in Manhattan and I saw a shirt I liked. The shirt in front was XS, so I looked for an XL. I picked up the XL and was getting ready to head straight to the cash register when I stopped and took a look at it. There was no way that was an XL. I put it up against the XS and the only difference…the XL was about 1/4 of an inch longer. It was the only difference.
So before taking this “issue” to the NHL office, I want to know two things from the ladies: 1) What your size is (in US), and 2) if you are satisfied with the NHL’s women sizing for clothing.
Just an FYI ladies, the results, as well as your comments, will be turned over to the NHL and Reebok in the next few weeks. If you have something to say…SAY IT. Pass this along and tell all of the hockey ladies you know, because we need a more accurate look at the sizing situation (especially if it needs to be changed).
Pass this along to every female hockey fan. We need to make sure this is representative of the majority of the population.
There’s not enough standardization in women’s clothing sizes for me to answer. I wear a Small in Lands End/LLBean t-shirts, but a Large in American Apparel shirts (and that’s even too snug).
I’ve never bought any NHL-branded stuff, because I don’t do pink sparkles (which leaves out the womens sizes), and I wouldn’t know what to get (child’s large, mens XS?) otherwise.
This would be based on Lands End/LL Bean T-shirt sizing.
I wish there was standardization is women’s clothing for everything. I’m a Red Wings fan, but I live in Oklahoma & I am always reluctant to buy NHL (along w/ MLB & NHL) women’s clothes online, so I usually just buy men’s shirts because I know they will fit. It sucks because I love some of the women’s shirts.
I wear a Men’s XL shirt so it isn’t snug but it is too big. Sometimes the Men’s Large works, depends on the brand. I know The EYE store here in Carolina tries .. but as we know, the NHL buyers/merchandisers have no idea what a real woman’s size is.
I usually have to resort to a Large or an XL in Men’s, but then it never fits in the shoulders correctly. If I go down to Medium, there’s a different issue. Ironically, the youth sizes fit ok. I think the women’s sizing sold by the NHL may be junior sizes. Not too many women over the age of 25 can still wear junior sizes.
Oh and to qualify my remarks, I used to be a clothing buyer in the golf industry so I understand how this whole process works.
I have to buy a men’s jersey that’s 2-3 sizes bigger than what I need in the chest area because the hips area is so much narrower on the current Reebok jerseys; Reebok uses an ‘athletic’ (V) cut vs. the old boxy CCM cut.
Last summer, I compared sizes on old CCM/new RBK jerseys vs a Nike IIHL one:
Shoulders: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hockeybroad/4468071073/
Hips: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hockeybroad/4468848304/
To top that off, men’s replica jerseys show the size on the outside tag. Look, I get it, on authentics, it’s designed so retailers or equipment managers can dig through piles of jerseys faster, but on replicas, is it necessary to show off sizes? I’m sure men as well as women don’t appreciate broadcasting to everybody they pass when they’re 2, 3, 4X.
I have often wondered why, in the face of a population that is proven to be increasing in physical size, sporting good manufacturers don’t recognize that. It’s not just getting things like hockey jerseys (baseball T’s etc); try being a plus-sized person who wants to get in shape and can’t find athletic gear that fits well or is of good quality.
Thank you for shining the light on this. I’d love to wear some of the women’s styles, but find myself having to buy NHL stuff in men’s sizes because, as you so aptly pointed out, women’s XL is basically a S.
Gah! I hate having to use my accounts when I am talking about my sizes but thinking these comments are by women. But I answered that I was a an XL (in clothing), but in hockey swag I have to go to the 2XL sometimes because yes, I have larger lady parts…aka BOSOMS.
I have to buy my Reebok “Shirsey” tees in mens 2XL so they aren’t tight in the chest. The shoulders hang halfway to my elbows and they are way too long. I look sloppy but it’s the only way I can buy them. It does NOT look feminine.
The Reebok All Star Shirsey T-Shirts ran a little differently though and I have 2 of those in XL and they are HUGE.
I have a Reebok jersey in mens in a L and I have to roll up the sleeves but it fits pretty well over all . I am not a huge person but I am a curvy person so the sizes I have to buy are generally way above my true size. I never venture near the women’s section because they look like junior sizes and no one wants to address the “Plus size” customer. The only things that fit are giant mens t-shirts that look like dresses and they are super boxy.
THANK YOU for addressing this!
you’ve nailed it. I’ve been so frustrated with the sizes. Although I wear a small ( for baby tees ), the small sizes shirts (loose fit) are too big for me, there are no XS. Most of the designs don’t carry women’s sizes too, even for youth. Yes, sometimes I buy Youth sizes. I am currently collecting those Reebok player and number shirts. I don’t think I’d be able to collect all the teams unless I buy those men’s small size… and those are too big for me! Some of the players have youth/ladies’ sizes, but not all of them.
Last year I ordered, a couple of shirts (2xl) figuring, if the sizing ran a bit small, I could always layer them (i am used to having length issues in “women’s” sizes, simply due to having bigger breasts, comes with the territory) What i received was slightly appalling. . . both shirts fit snug on a friend, who would typically wear a small (and medium in juniors). . . I am no where near that size, so she received a couple of free shirts
But if I order, from the men’s side of the catalog, a L or XL typically fits perfect. . .
you would think, with how sensitive a subject that weight can be, that the league would work with their suppliers to provide women’s fashion to a wider range of women; both petite and plus size seem to be ignored completely, and those in typical ready to wear range, are having to size up… none of that is effective for sales.