In recent years, China's fashion industry has been dominated by a petite craze that sees women's clothing continue to shrink. Young Chinese women are squeezing into ultra-petite outfits that are sometimes even smaller than childrenswear.

This shift toward extra-small sizes has been fueled by a growing obsession among some Chinese women with looking ultra-skinny. A set of unrealistic body standards that champion the ideal A4 waist, which compares waist sizes to the width of an A4 sheet of paper, and the perfect L-shaped shoulders have led many to experience body image anxieties and go through extreme fasting and overly intense workouts.

Another factor that helps perpetuate the shrinking of clothing sizes is the lack of uniform sizing standards. China did create a set of national standards, which were last updated in 2018 and are therefore quite outdated. What's more, the standards are merely recommended, not mandatory, leaving room for brands to create their own size charts.

For clothing brands, petite sizes should be an option, not a standard. For authorities, mandatory standards should be introduced and constantly updated to ensure the orderly operation of the garment industry. Consumers should also always remember to love themselves and embrace their own body images.

(Ce.cn, August 19)