Here’s a little Black Friday trivia question for you. You’re headed out today, or at least to your computer screen, to do some shopping. You’re gonna buy your wife a blouse, your husband a shirt, or whatever. Without thinking, you click on the size: M, L, 10, 42-44.

As I say you do that without thinking. But let’s think for a second. Who dreamed up these sizes? Where’d they come from?

Well, the retail clothing industry, right? Some industry trade association or council? Nope. Try: the U.S. Department of Agriculture.