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Old 04-03-2008, 06:08 PM   #1  
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Default I want to be as fat as my husband

We can also call this "Proof that the clothing industry is trying to mess with our minds".

I was looking through a size chart, comparing my "thin clothes" to my "goal". I *want* to be a size 6 (the same size I was at the height of my eating disorder). I recall being a size 6 to 8 as being this wonderful time, where my waist was "normal". After some digging...I found that I was very very wrong.

(Please note: this post might not resonate with petite women. My thought pattern definitely didn't make sense to my 5' tall mother)

I began my thoughts with what I shall call Exhibit A. The U.S. Misses Size Chart (found here). My goal of a Size 6 has the following requirements.

Bust of 34.5"-35"
Waist of 26.5"-27"
Hips of 36.5"-37"

After a bit of meditating on the implications of this while Spring Cleaning, I found Exhibit B - an image of myself at [around] my actually happiest time in high school. I say "around", because as you'll see in the photo, I was about 4 months pregnant. A happy time when I was 20...but not particularly when I was 16.

Exhibit B

After seeing that photo, I began to think "Oh, those were the days. If I could only get back into those pants again..."

At 16 (non-pregnant), I could wear my now-husband's blue jeans. My husband is thin as a rail. Which leads me to Exhibit C. My ultra-thin husband.

Exhibit C

Exhibit D, my husband's pants, goes along with Exhibit C. My husband wears a 32x32...he has a 32 inch waist. 32x32 are the smallest size jeans you can find in most men's stores. In fact, we went to Macy's to buy him a suit, and we couldn't find one (the smallest size the Men's Department carries in a 36). Women at his school constantly sigh and say they wish they're waist was as small as his.

This train of thoughts led to more contemplation. My husband isn't fat, by any stretch of the imagination. When I wore the same wait size he does, I looked amazing. I would like to get back to the "amazing" look again.

If we revisit Exhibit A, we'll learn how fat my husband really is. Size 14

Yes, that's right. My husband is officially classified as "Plus Size". My husband, smaller than the smallest size in many men's departments, is a fatty by women's "fashion" standards.

Recognizing the differences between men's bodies and women's bodies, my husband agreed to a test, to ensure the accuracy of my pondering. He pulled out the "Size 8 Goal Jeans" I have hiding in my closet. He couldn't get them past his thighs. He then pulled on a pair of my "Size 14 Interim Jeans"...they fit perfectly around his waist.
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Old 04-03-2008, 06:52 PM   #2  
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That is hilarious!!

Love your analogies!

I'll have to tell my dh (size 34) that he is really plus size too-- he'll be thrilled!!
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Old 04-03-2008, 06:53 PM   #3  
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This is fascinating to me. I really don't know what else to say!

Your husband is TINY.

Women do tend to be a bit smaller framed, but it's really neat to see the photos and exhibits!
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Old 04-03-2008, 07:02 PM   #4  
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That's really true, Manda. I thought this might be helpful for us "bigger girls". My best friend is the same height as I am, but always hovers around 120 pounds. I always held comfortably around 160 pounds. But because she was the "same height" I thought we should also be the "same size." It seems like a lot of us are killing ourselves to get down to a Perfect Size 6, while it might just be a totally unattainable goal. I had to starve, purge and hyper-exercise my way down to a size 8.
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Old 04-03-2008, 07:14 PM   #5  
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Hi Altari - those sizing charts are used in the garment industry as guidelines only. I have a 34" waist and 36.5" hips, and wear a size 4 or 6 pants (and size 6 dress, as i have broad shoulders). The chart correctly puts me at a size 6 for my hip measurement, but has me at a 16 when taking my waist measurement into account (and I have a flat stomach)!
Men's slacks are sized by waist because males have very little size differential between their waist and hip measurements. I don't think it is valid to draw a comparison between men's and women's garment measurements, although I do catch the point you're trying to make.
This just goes to show you that fitness isn't about clothing size at all. Don't let it get you irked!
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Old 04-03-2008, 07:35 PM   #6  
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I enjoyed reading this! Thanks for sharing this!
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Old 04-03-2008, 07:41 PM   #7  
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When I was in graduate school, I worked in a plus and tall size shop, and a gorgeous, very slim guy in a business suit came in. I noticed him first, and rushed to wait on him (later catching heck from the other two young ladies who were working there as they had seniority but hey all's fair in lust and retail commissions, especially if the two shall meet). He was eyeing a beautiful red wool business suit, and asked if we could get it in a 14T, as I stared into his gray blue eyes (barely registering what he had said) I thought it was so amazing that this hunk had a curvy tall girlfirend, then he said in a low, husky voice "it's for me."

Yep, hunkalicious was a cross-dresser. Heterosexual, but a cross-dresser. I almost collapsed, because the first thing I thought was "what if he wants to try things on, the li'l ole ladies are gonna die of shock." Well, he didn't try it on, but we ordered it from another store in "his" size. Oh and his shoe size, was a ladies 15. He did show us pictures of him in drag - and he made one heck of a great looking woman, have to say, and not at all plus-size.

Not sure what this really means in men/women's sizing, other than a six foot tall man (or probably woman) who wears a 14T is going to look more like a size 10, as we usually think of it.

Last edited by kaplods; 04-03-2008 at 07:44 PM.
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Old 04-03-2008, 08:57 PM   #8  
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Ha!!! Thanks for sharing!! That is unbelivable!!
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Old 04-03-2008, 09:17 PM   #9  
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very interesting Altari.

my thoughts - not every woman is meant to be a size 6. we're all shaped differently, and all carry our weight differently (actually, the same can be said for men). we shouldn't define ourselves by our clothing size. wearing a size 14 doesn't have to mean you're fat. it all depends on height, hip size, bust size, long or short waisted, etc. it's good to have a goal. but we needs to keep our goals in perspective. and we can't expect to look the same now as we did at 16.
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Old 04-03-2008, 09:21 PM   #10  
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Altari, I liked reading your comparison. My DH is a size 32x34 and looks very slim. He has worn some of my old size 14 button-up levi's before.

I am very much like fatburner mentioned. Pretty much same sizes. I am very broad shouldered. My DH couldn't get my jeans halfway up his thighs. But, he still has a much slimmer waist than I do. (and unfortunately for me, his butt is rounder than mine too).
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Old 04-03-2008, 10:18 PM   #11  
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wow thats just crazy!
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Old 04-04-2008, 06:58 AM   #12  
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The "waist" section of size charts always depresses me. Who has a 24-26 inch waist?? Honestly! That's like an impossibility for me.

And also, what woman's measurements are so perfectly aligned like that? My waist, bust, and hips all fall in different sizes!
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Old 04-04-2008, 08:50 AM   #13  
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in one area sizing is right....
in another area its not....
crazy tho....
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Old 04-04-2008, 08:58 AM   #14  
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Yeah, men are definitely built differently. My BF is also a 32x32, and can probably wear my jeans perfectly fine. BUT if I tried to put on a pair of his pants, I wouldn't be able to get them past my thighs! I'm not upset by that at all, though, I'd much rather have my curves than be a straight up and down stick!
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Old 04-04-2008, 09:23 AM   #15  
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I look pretty good at a size 8 (see my 'tar!) and currently as a size 14, of course I feel uber-chubby.

I remember this last bout of weight gain... I remember when I went from 138 to 150 pounds in 3 months... thinking "Oh no! I'm a size 10 again! Well, just as long as I don't hit a size 12, I guess I'm OK."

And then, of course, size 12 hit me with a vengeance a few months later. I remember shopping for a new pair of jeans & being mortified that a size 10 no longer fit.

Oh, THEN when I hit a size 14.... I cried. Oh yeah, cried. From 138 pounds/size 8 to 180 pounds/size 14. CRIED. Big ol' alligator tears!! Felt like such a (pardon the bad pun) LOSER!!

But the BIGGEST AGGRAVATION??? My husband weighed 180 pounds & wore a size 36 jeans. Now he's 230, & STILL wears a size 36 jeans. GGGrrrrr..... men!
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