The apparal industry is driven in part by demand created from our natural tendency to vary in size. This can be due to growth during our early years as we transition from different stages of childhood to adulthood. It can be due to specific events like pregnancy. It can also be a function our our tendencies to fluctuate in weight - getting bigger as we indulge and smaller as we retrench into our dieting.

Changing your clothing to “fit ” your needs can be expensive. A new company called Transitional Sizes (www.transitionalsizes.com) rents out name-brand clothing for temporary use while you are in flux, saving you the need to constantly purchase and replace clothing as your figure changes. This concept is also being offered for children’s clothing by a German compnay called Luette Leihen (www.luette-leihen.de).