[dolphinea]

I am wearing 18W (tight) or 20 (not tight at all) pants and jeans right now. And yet, when I look at major labels that I wear size charts, they all say those sizes correspond to around a 48 - 50" hip and a 39 - 41" waist.

My hips are 50" but my waist is 46"! How am I fitting into these pants?

I measure myself with a cloth tape measure, just above my navel, and I don't suck in or stand up tall or anything.

I'm totally confused. Maybe I'm measuring wrong?

[VernDern]

Im with you on this one so I wont be much help but I was looking at sizing charts just the other day to see what my measurements needed to be for me to get into a 16 because my 18's are getting lose. To say the least it says I should be in a 20/22. It also said I shouldve been wearing a 26 (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) at my highest weight when I was wearing a very tight 18 & comfy 20. Weird.

I guess I'll have to just go out and try em on!

[luckymommy]

I think that regardless of what the charts claim, every cut is different and it's really a bit of luck to find just the right size. Even the thinnest people I know have a big range of sizes that they fit into, say a size 6, 8 or even a 10...they're probably an 8, but they can fit into either one depending on designer or cut.

[MBN]

Sizes vary enormously depending on style, brand, cut, and shape. I wish there was more standardization, because it drives me nuts. I'm in the smaller sizes and my clothes vary literally 4 sizes depending on brand and cut. It's insane.

All we can do is try things on and go with what fits!

[170starting]

I understand this whole-heartedly. I have so many different sizes. At 170, I was wearing a 10 - not tight, but not loose either. Today, (weighed in at 150.4) I am still wearing a 10, but loose. The thing is, I have sizes ranging from 8-13 that I can wear comfortably now...and oddly enough, some of the 8s are bigger than the 13s. Because of the "vanity sizing" that manufacturers use, I have come to the conclusion that I am not a 'single size' but rather a range.... I wear size 8-13... when I go shopping for pants and such, I always grab the same garment in 3 sizes. Sometimes, I am the smaller, sometimes the middle, and sometimes ALL of them dont fit. I definitely feel you have to TRY something on because regardless of what the manufacturer says the recommended measurements are, their sewing department disagrees. (either that or they have a sense of humor).

[LovebirdsFlying]

I've got body parts that are different sizes. Generally I must dress the top half of me to fit my arms, which means what I buy is going to be loose in the bust. My arms are a good two sizes bigger than the rest of me. And my abdomen (below my waist, but above my hips) is a bigger measurement than my hips, so I use that as a guide to dress the lower half of me, applying the "hip" measurement to my abdomen instead. This means I can pull it up, but it's going to sag across the butt.

Or, I can sew my own clothes and adjust the arms and abdomen as I need. I realize not everyone can do that, but it does happen to be a skill of mine.