I just hate, hate, HATE vanity sizing! It really messes with your head. I had a couple pairs of Lane Bryant slacks size 16 that had gotten to the point that I could pull them off without unbuttoning them so I figured it was time to get new pants. I headed to Old Navy and grabbed two pairs of size 14 pants that seemed to fit ok and headed out the door (I had a not so patient toddler with me so it's not like I had time to really think about them much). Well, after just a few hours of wear they are practically falling up me (both pairs!!). UGH!
I mean, seriously people, I am still over 200lbs, I still have a large post-partum pouch that isn't budging, and I'm still well in the obese range. THERE IS NO REASON THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO BUY SIZE 12!!! It's just so deceiving! We wonder why everyone keeps gaining when a size 12 now fits someone well in the obese range (and isn't size 12-14 the average size of American women today?).
Up until this point I've been using a pair of H&M pants that used to be my fat pants. They are a size 12 and I know H&M is pretty true to the sizes and I'm no where near fitting in them comfortably (I can zip them up but I still have some major muffin top going on).
Then to make matters worse I tried going on TrueFit today to see my size but they no longer take waist measurements and instead just go by sizes of different brands. That's absolutely no help AT ALL to me because I don't know my size in the different brands since every style is different! Plus I do actually know my measurements and would like to see what size I need from that. Additionally, after putting in a size 14 at Old Navy as my size (even though it's too big) it said I need pants with a size 32 inch waist??? I measured today and my natural waist is 38", are you seriously telling me that they are off by 6 inches??
I HATE BUYING CLOTHES!!!! Does it ever get easier?
I'm glad you mentioned that the sizing chart is off! I had that experience too. Yes, they're off by a lot! It's impossible to buy pants from a catalog.
I hate vanity sizing too. I've had the same experience. Also, they put so much spandex in everything that things have to be skin tight fresh out of the wash and even then they'll be falling off within a few hours. But how do you know when you're trying them on in the store if you need to go for skin tight of fits just right??
Congrats to you though! Be proud of a size 12 if you fit in there! It's possible that you have that much muscle. I keep telling myself the same thing. You may just be smaller in size than your same height/weight counterparts. I know I should not be a 6/8 at this height/weight.
ETA: People say Old Navy runs big...I disagree. I think they run small. I think it's about shape.
I see people posting, at my height and my goal weight, which I was 2 years ago, and whooping it up because they are wearing a 4 or a 2.
I don't know if it's where I live and the choices that are offered here, but at 5'5" and 145, I couldn't get my right leg in a 2. But I could wear a mens button fly Levi in a 30" waist.
I'd like to know where these people are buying their clothes?
But I do agree with you. The whole clothing sizing thing is totally bizarre.
Then let's throw in those "stretch" jeans. They are fine when I put them on and in an hour I'm constantly jerking them up for fear of having plumbers crack. I hate those jeans. I may just throw them out.
I've never bought pants at Old Navy so I have no idea about the sizing, but I agree with you, it's insane.
My favorite brands are Cruel Girl, Rocky Mountain and Lawman. They seem to run a little more true to size.
I agree. I'm still 14lbs over my maximum healthy weight, and in a size 8/10. When I was at 167lbs, obese by most BMI calculators, I was still in a 12/14. I found it made me uneasy, like I'd never be able to tell if I was actually getting smaller or the sizes were just getting larger.
I'm wearing jeans that range in sizes 30 all the way to 36. All of them pretty much fit the same. You have to try on everything before you buy it to know whether the size runs big or small. There is just no consistency and it is frustrating!
I'm wearing jeans that range in sizes 30 all the way to 36. All of them pretty much fit the same.
Okay, so I obviously don't have much experience buying men's clothes, because I always figured that men's clothes were easier, seeing as how their label (in theory), is supposed to match an actual measurement~ sucks that it's the same for guys too
I'm with you on the vanity sizing. Actually, I don't even care about that. I just want something standardized so I know what to go for when I shop. And it would be nice to have something to aim for size wise.
shcirerf: I'm your height, and I'm about 7 lbs above 145. I am a size 9 in juniors, which is nowhere NEAR a 4 or 2. I can't imaging being that small at this weight. I mean, I can get into a 4, but they're waaaay tight. I'd like to know what those other people are doing to be that small at that weight and height.
Pint Sized Terror: I'm the same way at the moment. It's hard to convince myself I'm shrinking and that the clothes aren't just growing.
Okay, so I obviously don't have much experience buying men's clothes, because I always figured that men's clothes were easier, seeing as how their label (in theory), is supposed to match an actual measurement~ sucks that it's the same for guys too
The actual waist size is always much larger than the actual size of the pants. With a tape measure, my waist is around 36.5 inches. Almost always, a size 36 is way too big. Almost all of my clothes are size 30 or 32 (with a couple things in size 34 that aren't too big and one pair of jeans that are size 36 but WAY small for other size 36 clothes).
shcirerf: I'm your height, and I'm about 7 lbs above 145. I am a size 9 in juniors, which is nowhere NEAR a 4 or 2. I can't imaging being that small at this weight. I mean, I can get into a 4, but they're waaaay tight. I'd like to know what those other people are doing to be that small at that weight and height.
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Tis odd, given that other than the very large bosom, my body is not weirdly shaped. For me, I think it has a lot to do with my preferred brands of jeans. at 145 a jr 11/12 fit like a glove and looked good.
Spixiet, men's clothes are just as bad. The hubby, 6' 165, doesn't have much trouble with jeans, but shirts are another story, he has LOOONNNGGG arms. We have to buy an XLT in flannel shirts and long john tops, just so the sleeves will be long enough after washing shrinkage. Drives me bat s**t. And coveralls and coats, God deliver me.
I'm sneaking in from other forums but just couldn't resist but add to this thread because it's been driving me mad too. Sizes in the UK are getting larger and larger in most stores, run different in every shop and are waaaaaaaaaaaay different from the original sizes. It is indeed so that US sizes used to run only one different from UK, when I was young a UK8 was a US10, but I believe it's now much closer to a 2. I don't mind so much the change in numbers if only everywhere you go a 14 was a 14 was a 14 and there was a published list of numbers they were aiming at. I do a lot of sewing and the traditional sizes are used on sewing patterns and OMG I come out about 3 sizes bigger. I have a pair of "vintage" jeans (really? I bought them when I was 19, surely I'm not vintage yet?!) in a UK14 and they are my benchmark that I am back where I am aiming at because I know they are a "true" 14. I'd like to be a "true" size 12 when I reach my goal, and remember that at 136 those jeans used to be a comfortable fit. Goodness knows what modern size I shall actually be wearing by then, but then as a shortie I will probably be wearing age 13-14 anyway, so thank goodness it won't matter any more.
And I totally agree that I wish you could try things on after you'd washed and ironed them and worn them for a day, I buy things that fit and then the next day they fall off and I wish I'd gotten them smaller.
My next mission in life when I have got through all the surgery and carrying on with that is to learn how to alter a sewing pattern to make something custom fitted, and then I will stop having to care about shop labels.
I hate vanity sizing too. I've had the same experience. Also, they put so much spandex in everything that things have to be skin tight fresh out of the wash and even then they'll be falling off within a few hours. But how do you know when you're trying them on in the store if you need to go for skin tight of fits just right??
Quote:
Originally Posted by shcirerf
Then let's throw in those "stretch" jeans. They are fine when I put them on and in an hour I'm constantly jerking them up for fear of having plumbers crack. I hate those jeans. I may just throw them out.
Yeah, I think that is part of the problem. The size 14's appeared to fit just fine in the dressing room (one was a bit loose but I figured I didn't want a muffin top so it'd be ok) but then after wearing them just an hour or so they were huge! Ugh!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eliana
Congrats to you though! Be proud of a size 12 if you fit in there! It's possible that you have that much muscle. I keep telling myself the same thing. You may just be smaller in size than your same height/weight counterparts. I know I should not be a 6/8 at this height/weight.
Ah, thanks! Well, I certainly don't feel smaller but I know my chest size is definitely bigger than normal so it could be that my hips are just smaller. I checked my measurements:
45" 38" 44"
and according to the Old Navy website my hip size should correspond to a size 14 and I should have a 32 1/2" waist! I wish! But I did try on my old pair of size 12's from H&M and they fit A LOT better so I think I have dropped a bit. I can not put them on easily but I still have a bit of a muffin top (if I wore them with a baggy shirt, for instance, you wouldn't notice at all). I'm hoping by the time I get to 200 they will fit perfectly! It's crazy because before when I wore them I was 188 or less!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pint Sized Terror
I found it made me uneasy, like I'd never be able to tell if I was actually getting smaller or the sizes were just getting larger.
Yes! Back in HS at my lowest (140's) I wore a size 8 with occasionally being able to fit into a 6. I have a feeling now that I'll get to a size 8 much sooner this time around!
Quote:
Originally Posted by shcirerf
I held up 2 pair, one black one blue in the same size and they were totally different. The black pair was bigger by a lot. Weird.
I've also had that. I bought a pair of size 16 pants at lane bryant awhile back and they didn't have a black pair in that size so I had them order one for me. When it come it was MUCH smaller than the other pair!
Quote:
Originally Posted by LiannaKole
I'm with you on the vanity sizing. Actually, I don't even care about that. I just want something standardized so I know what to go for when I shop. And it would be nice to have something to aim for size wise.
ITA. I hate having to try on so many sizes and put so much thought into it all! Especially now when I'm losing and I'm just buying for a short period of time. I just want to go in, try on ONE size, make sure they don't look horrid and go on my way. Once I get to my goal weight I'll put more effort into the whole process but right now I just something to wear that isn't falling off of me!
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoseRodent
My next mission in life when I have got through all the surgery and carrying on with that is to learn how to alter a sewing pattern to make something custom fitted, and then I will stop having to care about shop labels.
Good luck on your surgery! I am jealous of the sewing, though! I used to sew a bit but we don't have a sewing machine so I'm very out of practice. That would be something I'd really like to try once I get to my goal weight.
Runningfromfat - I'm at 197 and no way could I wear a 16 or 14. In fact, I just moved to size 18. But my waist size is quite a bit larger than yours. I've always tended to carry more fat in my waist unfortunately.
So sick of vanity sizing!
That's absolutely no help AT ALL to me because I don't know my size in the different brands since every style is different! Plus I do actually know my measurements and would like to see what size I need from that. Additionally, after putting in a size 14 at Old Navy as my size (even though it's too big) it said I need pants with a size 32 inch waist??? I measured today and my natural waist is 38", are you seriously telling me that they are off by 6 inches?? 
I keep telling myself the same thing. You may just be smaller in size than your same height/weight counterparts. I know I should not be a 6/8 at this height/weight.
I wish! But I did try on my old pair of size 12's from H&M and they fit A LOT better so I think I have dropped a bit. I can not put them on easily but I still have a bit of a muffin top (if I wore them with a baggy shirt, for instance, you wouldn't notice at all). 
Dhani 
