I am always in between even sizes. 36 is just too tight, 38 has to be bunched up with a belt. I have discovered Dockers Comfort Waistband, which is a hidden elastic section that works well. It does not look like a Sans-a-Belt, the extendable section slides out from under a belt loop, pretty neat.
But why not every inch? 2 inches is a huge jump. Or maybe one company could only make odd sizes, that way they only have to stock the same number of sizes. Hey, they have Big and Tall shops, why not Odd Man In Stock?
Do most people in this situation just go to a tailor for adjustments? I picture some little old man with $200 a yard tweed draped over his arms staring over his glasses at my request to let out my Sears pants.
Some trousers are sized in units of one inch. Here in Australia, for instance, you can get Levi 501s in one-inch size intervals up to 38", after which it’s 2" intervals up to 44", after which you’re on your own, tubby. I can’t imagine they’re available in the US in a more restricted range of sizes.
Obviously the more waist sizes (and leg lengths, and colours) you have, the larger the stock retailers have to carry in order to be able to offer customers the full selection, and carrying stock costs money, so there’s a trade-off between offering increasingly fine gradations of size and length and keeping the product reasonably priced.
Back when I wore a 33, life was easy. Now that I’m the same size as the OP, not so much. You’d think, with the aging and expanding population, clothing manufacturers would be more accommodating.
Other than the very rare time that I have to play dress up, I wear 501s with a 31 waist. They’re hard to find in stores so I get them on Amazon or Zappos.
They are, at least by some manufacturers. I’ve noticed that Costco offers only even inch waist sizes, but other stores have pants sized by each inch. Solution? Shop somewhere else.
I’m in much the same boat as the OP. I’ve been making a point of wearing my snug old 36’s more often lately as a helpful reminder that the currently baggy 38’s are going to go the way of the 36’s if I’m not careful.
I also wear 33s, but I have to really hunt around the shelves to find a pair, then make sure they’re the right length. I actually need a 33 length, too, but 34 will do.
I’m reluctant to buy online because sizing is inconsistent. I don’t want to order three pair of jeans, then send some back. And then there’s the cut. Straight fit, regular, slim straight, relaxed. Those all work differently, brand to brand.
There is a Kohls near me, I’ll try them. As for Sears, the reason I was shopping there (and JC Penny) is they seem to be the places that carry that Comfort feature I was looking at. What would possibly be odd about shopping for Dockers at Sears?
I tried a “comfort waist” type thing once when I was between sizes and I hated it. Sure, the elastic gives a little, but it also made the pants uncomfortably tight around my waist.
Because having every style in every size is horribly expensive for the manufacturers and stores. By only making even inches they cut their inventory hassles in half.
Same reason resistors are sized at 47 ohms and 56 ohms, but not 51 ohms. A “47 ohm” resistor is only accurate to within 10%, meaning that it could actually be anywhere from 42 to 52 ohms, roughly. So there is no point manufacturing a 51 ohm resistor, just get a “large” 47 ohm resistor instead, and it will be close enough.
In other words, they sell them in odd number sizes, they just don’t usually label them that way. That’s why you either try them on in the store or visit a tailor for minor adjustment afterwards.