hehehe
Glad to know it is not just me that wonders then. I also actually ignore the BMI auto calculations. I refused to believe the charts, etc and when they actually hooked me to all the fancy machines a couple years back my chart BMI is what is showing now but my actual was 39.4. Go figure...
I am Canadian so I shop in UK, US, and European sizing depending on the store.
I went looking on the net for charts last night...
Let me see if I can take some mystery out of it (ditching the sizes under 6):
USA Women's Size Standards
US Sizes _____ 6......8......10......12......14......16......18.. ....20
Bust (inches) _ 34½..35½..36½...38......39½....41.....43......45
Waist (inches) 26.....27....28......29½...31......32½...34½...36½
Hip (inches) __ 36½..37½..38½...40......41½....43.....45......47
Bust (cm) ____ 87½..90.....92½...96½...100½..104....109....114
Waist (cm) ___ 66.....68½..71.....75......79.......82½...87½...93
Hip (cm) _____ 93.....95.....98....101½..105½...109....114....119
Women's Dresses and Suits (Misses Sizes)
European-36----38----40----42----44----46----48----50----52----54----56
UK--------8-----10----12----14----16----18----20----22----24----26----28
Japan-----9-----11----13----15----17----19----21----23----25----27----29
USA-------6------8----10----12----14----16----18----20----22----24----26
USLETTER-S-----M-----M-----L-----L-----XL----1X----2X----3X----3X----4X
And not to miss any - Only Plus Sizes in inches (pretty dead on to US sizing):
U.S. Sizes - 14 - 16 - 18 - 20 - 22 - 24 - 26 - 28 - 30 - 32 - 34
U.S. Sizes - 1x - 1x - 2x - 2x - 3x - 3x - 4x - 4x - 5x - 5x - 6x
Bust (ins) - 40 - 42 - 44 - 46 - 48 - 50 - 52 - 54 - 56 - 58 - 60
Waist(ins) - 32 - 34 - 36 - 38 - 40 - 42 - 44 - 46 - 48 - 50 - 52
Hips (ins) - 42 - 44 - 46 - 48 - 50 - 52 - 54 - 56 - 58 - 60 - 62
U.S. Sizes - 36 - 38 - 40 - 42 - 44 - 46 - 48 - 50 - 52
U.S. Sizes - 6x - 7x - 7x - 8x - 8x - 9x - 9x - 10x - 10x
Bust (ins) - 62 - 64 - 66 - 68 - 70 - 72 - 74 - 76 - 78
Waist(ins) - 54 - 56 - 58 - 60 - 62 - 64 - 66 - 68 - 70
Hips(ins) - 64 - 66 - 68 - 70 - 72 - 74 - 76 - 78 - 80
Oh and from what I can tell a W at the end is a vanity sizing thing so it can be anywhere from a half to whole size up from the number. Sort of like those who have gone to the same tailor for years to get pants and have been a 36 waist for 20 years but the pants are 2 inches larger around the waist now. ;-)