A few weeks ago, my friend and I were out shopping for shorts. Anyone who has ever shopped for shorts knows it’s not always fun. Especially since a lot of the styles out right now are tight, or come up to your belly button and a little up your behind too. We first stopped at Loft and each grabbed a pair of their Riviera shorts, which are a favorite of mine, then decided to take a look at American Eagle, which were the shorts of choice from our youth. Back when I was 20, my closet was nothing but AE shorts. We walked in, picked up our usual sizes and just about turned around and walked away. The shorts in my typical size, were so small, I’m pretty certain my six-year-old could wear them. I’m not even sure they would fit on one of my legs. The shorts I’m referring to, happen to the be the ones I’m wearing in this post.

You’re Not the Only One Sizing Up at American Eagle

If I had been shopping alone that day (or worse, ordered them online), I probably would have walked out right then, and decided I was too old and apparently too big for American Eagle.  Since I wasn’t alone, it was obvious the shorts just ran that small, as they were just as small in my friend’s typical size. We decided to give them a go and grabbed a range of sizes. I didn’t even try them in my typical size, but instead went up two, then all the way up to five times my usual size. My friend also went up the same intervals. Want to know which pair worked?

The size five times larger than my typical size. I don’t know what happened when American Eagle made these shorts, but they run SMALL in all caps. However, once I sized up quite a bit, I found a pair of shorts that have become my favorite. Funny how that happens. They’re very stretchy, so they don’t stretch out one bit. I was a little hesitant sizing up so much, thinking as I wore then they would stretch and I wouldn’t be able to wear them. Not the case at all. They hold their shape, don’t ride up a bit and are the perfect length – not too short and not too long.

So American Eagle, while these shorts ended up working fine for me sized up tremendously, you may want to reconsider how your sizing your shorts. You’re giving us all a complex, just saying.

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Have you shopped at American Eagle lately? Did you have sizing issues?

-Brooke