Over an extended period, females across different nations have faced significant aesthetic pressures regarding weight reduction. In recent years, discussions surrounding petite-sized attire have gained popularity among Chinese young women, consequently prompting increased concern amongst females regarding alignment between their body image and garment size for showcasing an ideal physique. Vanity sizing refers to by increasing clothing sizes but keeping label sizes the same. Clothing retailers and manufacturers in China intentionally exploit the non-standardization of clothing sizes prevalent in the industry to create vanity sizes that cater to consumers' psychological needs.

This research sought answers to four research questions. Are young Chinese females buying smaller clothes sizes instead of clothes they like because of their self-image? How much have social media and advertising contributed to young Chinese women's consumption of small-size clothing and shaped fashion trends? Do males dictate fashion trends targeted at young Chinese women? And does the emphasis on smaller clothing size have adverse effects on the well-being of young Chinese women?

An online survey of 120 Chinese women aged 18-29 years, was undertaken with the sample gathered by the Dynata research company. Rating scale questions were employed to cover issues of vanity sizing, body image and social expectations.

One quarter of respondents deliberately choose a smaller clothing size than their preferred garment. More than one-quarter associated smaller size garments with feminine attractiveness. 40% believe the thinness aesthetic in society influences their choice of clothing size. 30% believe they are influenced by social media and advertising to buy small sizes of clothing, and 37% compared their body image with celebrities and influencers.

A notable proportion of respondents (22.5%) reported often experiencing instances of receiving comments on their attire from male leaders, colleagues, or classmates in their daily lives. One-quarter of respondents have experienced judgements or criticism of the body image and one-quarter have felt significant pressure regarding body image. 40% felt the pressure to wear small size clothes impacted their happiness and self-esteem significantly or extremely. Hence, this dissertation explored the implications of these findings for the well-being of Chinese female consumers and explained the academic implications in depth.