Size apparently does matter to some

There was a story a few days ago on CNN's Web site about people's perceptions of weight and how what many now consider a "normal" weight is heavier than it used to be. You can read the story here, although I was a little disappointed in it because I thought it veered all over the place.

But what intrigued me most was the beginning of it, in which the author mentions that the fashion industry and retailers have apparently been engaging in a little subterfuge to soothe our egos (and sell more clothes) by adjusting clothing sizes downward. So, according to the story, what was once a size 14 might now be labeled a size 10.

Now this was news to me, because I'm not much of a shopper. I've never paid that much attention to sizes, except as a starting point for the quick trip to the fitting room and what I always hope will be the equally hasty retreat from the store.

I had to wonder, does size deflation really make anyone feel better? I mean, really? Are people that out of touch with their bodies that they're going to put on a deceptively labeled size and feel better about themselves?

Maybe I'm odd (don't say it!), but when I put on a pair of jeans, I want them to fit well and feel comfortable, and it wouldn't matter to me whether the label said it was a size 2 or 22. I wish we weren't as a culture so obsessed with numbers-driven ideals.

OK, that's my rant for today. Carry on.