It’s true.  I’m considered fat here.  I’m not fat in Canada, but compared to 99% of the women here in Saigon, I am fat.   I know this because I’ve been told so by our Vietnamese friend Nguyet – not in a mean way, but simply an “it’s the facts” way.  Literally:  ”You are too fat”.  The other reason I know this to be true is through my shopping experiences.  I’m normally between a size 4 and 6 – a pretty easy size to find in a North American store.  I enter the store here and after combing through some of the racks, pick out the largest dress shirts I can find.  I know there’s trouble when I can’t get the first shirt over my shoulders.  The second shirt goes on but isn’t anywhere near fitting and I hear a stitch rip as I try to remove it.  The third shirt (a stretchy one) goes on, and I get the snaps done up but it looks like my boobs will pop out any second.  It’s at least two sizes too small, and one of the largest shirts they have in the store.

Luckily, Vietnam is renowned for it’s excellent, affordable tailors. For a dress shirt, it costs about $3 for the fabric and $6 for the tailoring, ready the next day.  And the final product is a high quality, custom made shirt with whatever pleats, cuffs, stitching and buttons you would like.  I am sure we can find an even cheaper tailor further away from the tourist district, but for now, that seems like a fabulous deal.  Thank goodness for the tailors, because I don’t think there are many Big ‘N Tall Shops around here for us fatties.

One of about a dozen measurements needed to make a custom dress shirt.