A while ago while explaining what the ?G? in L/G meant to an American tourist (?Grand? Oh yeah, you Canadians speak French too, EH?? he replied with an elbow jab) a coworker then came up to me to say that some male customers are discouraged from purchasing smaller sizes because the French translation is “petit.”

Of course, no guy wants to be petit or else they?ll be shunned by society and catapulted into Tampon Island. Thinking that this was pure nonsense I was surprised by the number of guys who are insulted whenever I suggest an extra-small or that they try some of the kids? clothing.

Alright, it?s time to put away that stupid male-chauvinist, retail way of thinking (especially when you?re buying a pink and purple striped shirt or one with embroidered flowers, yeesh). For one thing, it?s counter productive. Wearing a shirt that?s too big doesn?t say tough, it says, ?Five-year-old boy trying on daddy?s work clothes.? Wearing a shirt that fits, regardless of what size it says on the tags, gives a cleaner cut, professional image that really says, ?Grown-up.?

On a side note, women (and some men) of the world: stop being so hung up on what size you are. I don?t care if you?re a size 6 in one store but you?re a size 8 here. It fits well, it looks good, buy the damn jeans. Don?t be a slave to some random number that isn?t even consistent among stores.

Anyways, this is where it?s advantageous to be a man or woman that?s smaller in stature: the ability to enjoy the adult AND kid?s departments. Sometimes a men?s size extra small is still too big for me so I head towards the kid?s department where the shirts are cut shorter in length.

Whenever I wear a sweater or a t-shirt from the kids? department, people would always come up to me and ask where I got it. That?s another bonus. It?s so easy to pinpoint where everybody got their clothes these days (or have I just been wandering the mall during my lunch break too much lately?). As strange as it sounds, kids? departments and stores are still unknown to most people. They sound surprised whenever I say that I got it from the boy?s section because it doesn?t have pictures of Spiderman.

Designers have caught on that kids are maturing faster and want to look like their twenty-something ?teen? idols. As a result, girls now have low-rise bootcut and flare jeans, sequined shrugs and basically anything that ?People Magazine? spotted Sarah Jessica Parker wearing in the past years. For guys, it?s about blazers, polos and t-shirts that surprisingly have much better designs than their adult counterparts.

Children?s lines have managed to be innovative and cute with their designs (cartoon graphics, unusual colours and patterns) but nevertheless remain plain and simple (one or two stripes, unique but still wearable designs and colours). On the other hand, adult lines have fallen victim with the need to be trendy. Result? Fugly bo-ho chic everywhere. Frumpy ballet slippers overflowing sale racks. Wacky tacky, circus-appropriate woven shirts for men. The horror continues on to the next season.

Before you think to yourself, ?I?m not four feet tall and weigh fifty pounds,? you should see just how big these children?s sizes go. At the Gap, for example, an XL in boys is like an extra-small in adult (and the kid sizes go up to XXL!).

Also remember that children?s clothing has no PST and are generally less expensive than the adult clothes. So the next time you?re shopping, don?t hesitate to stop by at the children?s section to fight off little Susie for that last lavender cardigan.






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