We have discussed here only American sizes: British sizes are different, and continental European sizes are still different. For a time the French, German and Italian sizes were all different from each other, but thanks to the Common Market there has been agreement on a stardard conti- nental European size scheme. These all offer ranges similar to Ameri- can sizes, although tall seems to be impossible to find anywhere outside the U.S.A. I guess the foreign GG who is 1,80 meters tall is just up a creek for finding ready-made clothes to wear and her TV counterpart will have the same problem. If any reader knows of any shops or stores anywhere outside the U.S.A. which sell tall sizes for the equivalent in another size scheme, please let me know.

If you are game for some fun and don't mind waiting six or eight weeks in eager anticipation after you've dropped your order in the mailbox, you might want to try buying direct from Europe! There are several mail order companies which will send catalogs and merchandise direct to the States. Further, you can pay in dollars and can also pay with a personal check! I've done this several times and they clear my bank with no prob- lems. Mail Order House Quelle, Inc., 45 West 45 Street, New York 10036,. the United States office of the largest West German mail order com- pany, will, for $1.00 send you a nice, thick (600 pages) catalog in German and if you order every so often you will continue to receive them with no further payment. Some of the styles are just darling and generally are available in larger sizes than American clothes. If you don't know any German you will have to wade through the language, but it isn't too difficult. Also, you will have to decipher the size charts in the back of the catalog, converting them from metric to American. But it is fun, the items are of good quality, and they are very favorably priced in relation to American prices: good-looking coats for $25; gorgeous slips with real French lace for $2 to $4; and so forth. Better skip buying bras, however, as the Europeans are just now beginning to learn about cup sizes and for years all bras over there were sold in one standard cup size!

Another West German firm (which unfortunately does not have a New York office) is Medaillon, which has better quality goods than Quelle at slightly higher prices. They feature in their current catalog, for example, Mary Quant of London ultra-fashionable outfits in sizes up to 20 for $18 to $25!! They will send a catalog free. Write direct to: Medaillon Mode G.m.b.H., Postfach 2629, 6000 Frankfurt 1/Main, West Germany. You have to pay extra for shipping, of course, (though they pack the stuff well enough for an Apollo trip around the moon!'