Wookie Monster tee shirt
I saw this tee-shirt for sale a few months ago and loved it so much I bought an XL women’s size from Ript Apparel. The problem? XL for women is smaller than an average M for men. I usually get a size 14 (Australian) in women’s shirts, sometimes a size 16 because I’m broad across the shoulders. A medium men’s tee generally fits, though. I have been known to purchase L in mens then regret it because they’re more like big nighties than tee shirts.
The ladies’ XL in Wookie Monster’s ladies’ size is too narrow across the shoulders; the shoulder seam sits high on my shoulders instead of at the edge of my shoulders. It also tends to wrinkle and bunch up under my armpits and across the chest even though I’m not – shall we say – not overly generously endowed.
While I’m criticising Ript for ridiculous women’s sizes, Jinx does not get off the hook either. A while back I bought a couple of Jinx’ womens tees: they came in an inferior fabric to the men’s tees and the XL women’s size was incredibly long and thin. I wrote to Jinx and complained: I received an email back ‘assuring’ me that the tees would change shape and urging me to give them a chance. Both tees stretched and changed shape radically in the first week or so, even after being washed and never worn.
When I first put on the Jinx women’s tees I had two thoughts: firstly, I was never going to wear these in public as they were too figure-hugging. I prefer tees that are not skin-tight. Shaped, yes, but with a little room. I have a few Reebok tees from years ago that, while plain and boring, are of good quality fabric and a nice feminine shape. And size 14.
My second thought was that the tees were so very very long, they looked like they were trying to be dresses. I seriously thought about having them taken up! Luckily I didn’t because as soon as they were washed and worn they stretched sideways – considerably – and got shorter. Those Reebok tees I mentioned earlier? They’ve been washed and worn heaps, but they are the same size and shape as when I first bought them. They remain a nice fit, a feminine shape and not skin-tight.
I’ll stick with buying mens size M in the future. The guys tees tend to be better quality so they don’t stretch and pull out of shape, and THEY FIT.
