PSA for Coat shoppers- Grand Prix Coat sizing

[Xctrygirl]

I know this may seem ridiculous but I wanted to mention something that I saw and felt in action over the weekend. I had been eyeing a Grand Prix Techlite coat for a while but just couldn’t really make myself right with the costs. When I was in my local Dover store over the weekend I had hubby with me and figured… “Hey I should try it on and see what he thinks.” No big deal right…? Except that this was a hit to the old self esteem when I put on a Grand Prix size 10 and I couldn’t even button the front. I was confused because in almost every manufacturer of clothes I am a decided 10. Just to make sure I wasn’t crazy I put on two other brand coats and I absolutely fit in a 10. (Huntfields and I think a Treadstep)

A friend of mine works at this store and I asked her what was up with the Grand Prix’s and she said that it’s a known thing that you have to go up two sizes to fit in their coats.

I will admit that I didn’t want to put on a 14 to see if it fit. So I didn’t. My self esteem wasn’t up for that and it just made me appreciate my current coats that much more.

Emily

[Dewey]

Grand Prix is a Canadian company and uses English sizing. Please do not let their sizing lower your self-esteem! If you are a 10 in American street clothes, you’ll be a 14 or so in a Grand Prix.

[vxf111]

Those coats are “euro sizing” and always have been. Some other brands (R.J. Classic, Horseware, etc.) use American sizing. I am surprised the staff at Dover didn’t mention that right away. I have always needed an 8 in the RJ and a 12 in the Ariat/GP.

[HJdaydream]

Made in Canada- sorry you had this experience, but you really shouldn’t take it hard, their coats have always been sized this way.

[staceymc]

Your self esteem is really that dependent on the number on a clothing label? Never ever go shopping for a wedding dress then. Those are all still pre-vanity sizes and would give you a coronary. Repeat after me - it’s just a number and has no bearing on your self worth.

[JenEM]

I actually found them to run even smaller than English sizing. I’ve got a 12 in a jacket I bought from England, and my GP is a 14. And it’s an older wool one from back in the day, so nothing new about their sizing.

[Xctrygirl]

Just to explain a bit more, I guess I am a bit vain. I am just trying to stay the size I have always been, and it’s worked far longer than many folks from my age group so I don’t want to come off complaining. To clarify, I have no problem with anyone else who is not my size. I am just hard on myself to stay down on the scale because I let it go up twice and I really didn’t like the image in the mirror.

I didn’t like that particular jacket enough to buy anyway, I do love my Equine Couture coat and it still fits well. So we’ll wait and see. Thank you all for the clarification about the sizing. I will consider the Grand Prixs going forward if they make a coat I am interested in again.

Funny but true: I got my wedding dress off the rack and it was a size lower than my regular clothes. Helped too since I was planning my wedding in 5 weeks. Fit like a charm without alterations and still does!

Em

[beowulf]

I feel you. I’m normally within an 8-10 depending on the manufacturer’s, ahem, bust generosity… and I can’t even fit in a GP. I tried the 14 and it was just barely enough give up front and the rest of it looked like a tent on me.

GP has really small sizes, as in yeah, you will need to go up a few sizes no matter what size you are. Nothing to do with your body, so don’t let a number get you down. Tredstep runs a little more true to size though I find that they are a little more boxy than I would like. Ariat you tend to need to go up one size. RJ Classic tends to fit true to size, at least in my experience.

I’ve heard Ovations run true to size with some generosity. If I was in the market for a new coat (I won my Tredstep! It’s really pretty - disclaimer, that’s obviously not me) I’d look into the Kerrits or Ovations as they have some pretty nifty and cute styles that are made for women, not stick figures.

[phippsie62]

[QUOTE=beowulf;n9806389]
I feel you. I’m normally within an 8-10 depending on the manufacturer’s, ahem, bust generosity… and I can’t even fit in a GP. I tried the 14 and it was just barely enough give up front and the rest of it looked like a tent on me.

Good heavens, Beowulf, you are FEMALE?? And here, all this time, I’ve been reading your posts and assuming you’re male. I must check my gender stereotypes at the door of the forum, it appears. Okay, off to hang my head in shame…

[Dewey]

RJ Classics also run pretty true to size–your size in American street clothes will probably be your size in an RJ.

[vxf111]

I wouldn’t get too hung up/worried about it. It’s just how the sizing goes. Cut out the tag if you don’t like the number on it

[beowulf]

@"phippsie62

@beowulf

I feel you. I’m normally within an 8-10 depending on the manufacturer’s, ahem, bust generosity… and I can’t even fit in a GP. I tried the 14 and it was just barely enough give up front and the rest of it looked like a tent on me.

Good heavens, Beowulf, you are FEMALE?? And here, all this time, I’ve been reading your posts and assuming you’re male. I must check my gender stereotypes at the door of the forum, it appears. Okay, off to hang my head in shame…

o… not sure if that is a good thing… or a bad thing… :winkgrin:

[anmoro]

Oh Em! You have no idea how much I am dealing with this trying to sell the french blue coat. Lol. It has turned in to heated verbal disagreements. I’m an 8 in GP but a 00/0 in street clothes, a 38 in Animo (with room) and a kids in RJ. People have tried to outright buy the coat then scream at me for false advertising. I’m beginning to think it’s just meant to be and I ought to keep it. Lol. My deep green GP is the same way. 8R. I have them advertised as that, then they say (street clothes size 0/00 with small boobs). Some people don’t understand. Lol

[King_Creole]

I’m normally within an 8-10 depending on the manufacturer’s, ahem, bust generosity… and I can’t even fit in a GP.

I know through Farmhouse you can order the “endowed” fit GP coat. I had to special order a short through them. I wish I had gotten the endowed fit as well but I can squish 'em in…barely.

[Dewey]

Yeah, I’ve noticed on ebay that some of the sellers of Grand Prix coats don’t even publish the actual sizes–they’ll say something like “Grand Prix Techlite coat, American size 4.”

[Xctrygirl]

The hysterical moment was showing John how the 10 was unable to close in the front. My chest is average. Not big (At all) but not flat either. I did enjoy that my girls were preventing the jacket from buttoning. Hubby did too for a sec. I would laugh that a set of 36B’s would merit an ‘endowed’ fit.

Em

[Xctrygirl]

Ok so happy side update. I held my breath before posting this because I didn’t know what would happen until it arrived. Last week I stumbled onto the auctions on the HorseLoverz site. Fabulous way of selling open box items with no returns. But for the buyers also fabulous deals. There amongst the bargains was the exact hunter shadbelly I had been ogling for over a year at my local tack shop. It’s a RJ Classics lightweight new material in Navy with a cool reversible points. In a 6 long. I was hopeful since RJ has been kind to me in my other RJ coat and figured… What the hell.

It sells for $300 or so before sales and discounts. Long story short I won it for $60.

It arrived yesterday and voila it fit!!!

I love it. Even if I may only do 3 hunter derby classes in my life… Still TRYING to find shows with derbies near me. And trying to install better lead changes in Gin. But hopefully one day!

Em

[King_Creole]

Awesome! Glad you found the perfect shad!

I’m in the same boat…We just quite aren’t there for the big derbies and our local shows only offer one or two small (2’3" small) derbies a year. So not a lot of reason to get one…but a trainer was selling hers for a good deal and mentioned the buttons had been adjusted to fit her chest. I tried it…fit perfect! Not as good a deal as you got (wowza by the way!) but sometimes holding out presents us with the perfect solution

Now if only one of the AA Motionlite coats would just fall into my lap…

[IPEsq]

If it makes you feel any better, I’ve been wearing a GP 10 tall since I was ummm… 14? And I think I wore 10 regular for a couple years before that. It’s just English sizing and a little bit on the small side of that, but I think I wear the same size in Barbour.