Vanity sizing, also known as size inflation, is used to refer to the phenomenon of ready-to-wear clothing of the same nominal size becoming larger over time.
The increasing dimension of garments of the same nominal size has caused some designers to introduce size 0, 00, or subzero sizes. Different manufacturers have modified sizes so that a woman who once wore a size 12 dress can now wear a 10 or an 8.
Many commentators have suggested that "vanity" sizing, as its name suggests, is designed to satisfy buyers' wishes to appear thin and feel better about themselves. While some others also suggests that vanity sizing allows clothing companies to cater their sizing to their demographic, since women of different sizes may be attracted to different brands. Finally, it has been suggested that vanity sizing merely reflects the increasing prevalence of obesity.