I have found two items that fit me at Gap, the rest seems pretty consistantly too small for me (by that I mean, they're all about equally tight in the same places)

cheaper brands tend to run bigger. i can fit in 8s and 6s in jcrew but in elie tahari and theory (my work clothes) 10s are just starting to be big. maybe thats too much of a generalization but in my experience ive found it to be true. if you want to know your true size hit up neimans, thats my go-to strategy ;)

i personally have the best luck finding true sizes that aren't misshapen at JCPENNY.

Eddie Bauer and Old Navy run small for me- i have to buy a larger size than i expect for it to fit. I also stopped shopping at old navy when they dumped their plus sized in store stuff.

I had torrid, mostly i feel like their stuff is oddly cut and doesn't fit and i feel like an ancient crone when i go in there- being all of 30. lol. cj banks has some good deals and seem to be true to size- but their shirts always wind up weird after you've washed them a few times. like somehow they are shorter and wider than when you bought them.

I was curious after reading this so I did a little research. Based on size charts for a size 8 pants measurements seem to vary a lot! Waist measurements are all within 1" but hip measurements are very different, I wonder where they are measuring from.

It looks like Gap is the worst, which I have to agree with. But none of their fits are very flattering on me so I dont usually buy pants from them.


Waist Hip
American Eagle 28.5 38
Gap Jeans 28 40.25
Gap Pants 28.5 40.5
Old Navy 28 39
Banana Republic Pants 28 36.5
BR Jeans 29 38
Jcrew 29 39
Ann Taylor 28.5 38.5

I think Dorothy Perkins are pretty bad. A size 6 dress there (I think that's an American 2?) is like a size 8-10 in other shops. Thus, their clothes are massive on me.

I usually take two different sizes of something into the changing rooms when I'm shopping anyway though.