[NoVaVTFan]

I know everyone has experienced this, and I just need to vent about it a little. I HATE trying to buy one size of pants in one brand and fitting into them, and not fitting into that size in another brand. I have found that even the same brands can't keep the sizing the same in different styles of their pants. I find this especially frustrating with jeans. I am very short (5 feet) and have to buy petite/short size pants wherever I go. I have found in the past few years that NY & Company jeans fit me pretty well, and their petite sizes are short enough so I don't have to roll up the end of the jeans so I don't step on them. I wore a size 14 jean a couple of years ago from there, and kept them when I went up to a size 16 last year in the hopes I would fit into them again. After losing 25 pounds and my size 16 jeans nearly falling off me, I felt for sure my size 14s would fit. They were so tight and barely fit me! It was so frustrating! I recently went to NY & Company and tried on a size of 14 jeans in their new styles, and they fit really well, except now the petites are too long and I have to roll them up. Never mind trying to buy pants at other stores - Size 14 pants at Old Navy are huge on me (not that I am really sad about that). It would be nice to be one size at all stores. It is so frustrating when you are a size 12 somewhere, and a 14 somewhere else.

Sorry I am rambling, just having one of those moments.

[MissGiggles]

Old Navy changed their jeans again and the petite jeans still need to be altered.

I'm 4'11

I buy my jeans from the GAP and Old Navy. I give up, I had to get them altered. Yes I wear 3 different sizes.

[100percentME]

i understand. Im 5'3" but i have short legs, and a taller upper body. So i have to buy "regulars" in my jeans because if i buy a "short" its perfect in my legs, but it doesnt come up high enough on my stomache, and some of them arent high enough to cover my behind. Its aweful.

[bargoo]

I carry a tape measure with me at all times and measure them before trying.
I lay them on the floor of the dressing room if necessary. I am 5'2" and 28" inseam is just about right.

[Lekhika]

Sizes vary greatly....I have some clothes from Europe and I wear what used to be a size 6....which is a size 2 at Old Navy or Gap or Banana Republic, probably a 0 at Ann Taylor. It is entirely frustrating not being able to pop in a store and be able to grab stuff...especially when I'm already rushed trying to corral 2 very active kids (4 &2).

[WindyCityChick]

I am convinced that men would never put up with the variability in sizing that we do! I am wearing everything from a 2 (and while I've lost plenty of weight, believe me, I am not a 2) up to a 10, it's just ridiculous. And while I love shopping at Ann Taylor, there's no doubt they are the biggest practicers of vanity sizing.

[swiminky]

I have a related issue. I am 5'4" but have long legs and a short torso. Petites fit my hips correctly but are too damn short on me! Usually I'll buy petite pants and make them into cutoffs. I can only wear petite dresses and fitted shirts too, since in regular sizes the waist falls at my hip line.

I find that Eddie Bauer makes well-proportioned petites and my friends with very short inseams swear by them. If you buy by catalog or online you can make returns in the brick-and-mortar stores, thank goodness.

[aphil]

Well, if stores carried all the exact same sizing, and the exact same fit-then the clothes would only fit about 5% of us.

Men are pretty standard, and mainly it is because they are built pretty much the same. If they carry excess weight, it is usually in their torso mainly (gut/love handles/manboobs/etc.) and their lower bodies usually stay pretty straight up and down. If they find their waist and length, everything pretty much fits them.

Women are different-some of us are hourglass with a defined waist and curvy hios, some are apple shapes with a chubbier waist and no hips...some are A cups and some are DD cups. Because of the differences in womens figure types, plus height differences, it really would be impossible for the pants to run like mens.

For instance-the low rise flare leg jeans that have been in fashion the past few years are wonderful for apple figures. They are low so the waist measurement isn't an issue, and they are slim cut through the hips and thighs-basically modeled after an apple figure. Most curvy hourglasses can't fit into them (myself included!) If I buy them big enough to fit my butt, the waistline is way too big, and they fall down to "plumber crack" level.

My apple friend would prefer Old Navy low rise boot cut, while I preferred Old Navy "Curvy" jeans...fuller through the hips and thighs, and a higher waist that is more defined. They would cut into her waist (too tight) and be baggy in the rear on her.

You just have to find what fit, fits YOU. Women aren't one style fits all, like men are. One woman who wears a medium might wear a 36B and the next medium a 34C. We are simply too different to be put in men's sizing systems.

My biggest bit of advice is to read the description either online, or if they are on the tag (like at Old Navy) of the fit. They will say low rise/relaxed hips and thighs/slim cut/at the waist/etc. try on the fit that fits your body type more.

For those wearing plus sizes, Lane Bryant just came out with a line of jeans meant for the apple (straight), the regular fit (average curvy), and the curvy (where the waist is much smaller compared to the butt. You can go to their site and put your measurements in, and they will give you your fit "color".