clothing sizes
 

OK....I am trying to figure out why for example some people at 168-165 pounds wear a size 16 & some wear a 10....I am not understanding how this is possible. Can someone explain?

Kyemom, probably it's height.

I'm 153lb and 5'9" and am a solid 12. There's a few (and far between) 10'
s that I can wear comfortably.

Did I inspire this thread? ;) I was just posting about my size. :D

I don't know the answer to that, but I have often wondered it. I have a cousin that has always been bigger than me (in my opinion) and I always get shocked to hear that she is in a smaller size than me. :?: I don't get it. My first thought when it comes to myself and my cousin is that we have different body types. I have what my mom calls "birthing hips" :p . My cousin has more of squared hips and larger top end.

Then, you have to take into consideration the different makers of clothes. You also have to consider how people like their clothes to fit. I have a tendency to want mine loose. But, some people don't care at all to pour themselves into things, lay on the floor and suck in their guts!

My sister and I are close to the same height (I'm 5' 3" and she's an inch taller) and weight close to the same amount. I'm about 137 and she is about 5 pounds less. But I mostly wear size 8 and she mostly wears a 10. I think a lot of it is that my stomach is flatter from working my abs in exercise class. I still have a long way to go before it is close to flat but it may never be after having had a c-section with my son!

It can also make a big difference how the clothing is sized. I have two pair of work pants that are 8 and are very loose on me and then have some size 8 shorts that are tight.

DJett- yes it was you!!! I just get so confused by this subject. I am 166 (size 10) and my best friend is 135, and she is only 1 size smaller than I am (size 8). I do not like my clothes to be tight, but I don't like them baggy either, unless they are sweats...I just like them to be comfortable. I have a very hourglass figure, so everything is always too big in the waist. As far as brands go, I do not wear a certian brand, I shop all over....shhhh, DH believes I don't shop much...lol...Anyway, just wondering.

I think some of it is height and some of it is the clothing manufacturer. I know in higher end clothing (Jones NY, Lauren) I take a smaller size than in dept. store labels. I have some Lauren pants that are 12's that are loose, and some Worthington pants that are 12s and just fit.

When I first started on here at 157 lbs, I was a size 16. Now I'm around 140 (I haven't weighed myself in awhile) and I'm an 8. I'm only 5'3, though, and when I lose weight, it all comes off my hips, butt, thighs, and stomach. I think it just depends on where you keep your weight at, where you lose it at, and how tall you are.

It's the difference between a pound of fat and a pound of muscle. A muscular 150 pound woman can wear a smaller size than a 150 pound "normal" woman. This info is from Meg and Mel who are exercising MODs.
Here's a demo which I'm sure we've all seen before. I may print it and post on my fridge!

It is strange, at my highest weight-197 pounds-I was wearing a tight 16. I'm now around 160 and wear a 10-12 and I'm 5' tall. I do believe it is the muscles vs fat thing. I've always been very muscular-just had a lot of fat covering them up :lol:

I remember being in high school....being 144 lbs & wearing a size 4 or 6 depending on the clothes. I knew I had a lot of muscle, but that picture really cleared up a lot for me. Thanks Ruth

I always wondered this as well. Im now down to 127 but i wear a size 9 People think im lying but thats the size i wear! And i work out about 7 times a week so i dont think its that i have alot of fat!!!

I just had to reply to this one in 1979 when I weighed 115 I could squeeze into a juniors size 7. In 2005 at 144 pounds i wear a junior size 3 depending on the brand.
what happened was a little thing called vanity sizing. We women never say I have a 28 inch waist or I weight 144 pounds but we will say I wear a size 3. Heck In the old days I would have had to weigh 86-88 pounds to get in a size 3. Forget buying small large or medium. I have a friend who can tell you she is a large woman and has been large for years but her clothing sizes keep getting smaller even as she gets larger. In ten years all women will be a size 1

They didn't make a size three when I was a kid. I remember being 102 lbs 32-22-32 and needing a dress for 4H. I got a size nine.

Don't get me started on vanity sizing! Please, that's the main reason I got so fat...I kept telling myself that I wasn't fat, I could still wear the same size clothes. Even as the scale went progressively up. When I was younger late 70's early 80's, I went on a strange starvation diet that consited mostly of fiber and bananas and managed to get down to 120-and I could squeeze into a size 10 just barely. You know breathing is so over-rated when you are young.

It wasn't until I started sewing from patterns that I figured there might be some problems, because with a sewing pattern I was between size 22-24. Even now, I'm 14-16 on a sewing pattern.

:soap:

The clothing manufacturers should stick with standard sizing and not try to boost their sales by making us tubbies feel better about our weight. Let us confront the realities of too many cheesecakes and late night snacking.

bowing and gracefully falling off my soapbox.

Sarah

Everyone is built different, so the weight/size thing can sound crazy. Some of you aren't saying how tall you are and that is a big factor. I'm 5'7" weigh 165 and can wear 12 or 10's.....

I am 5'4, 166 & wear a 10. Maybe 5'7 with hair!! lol

I'm 5' even like sarayu but I wear a 18 in pants and a 14-16 in tops (or an XL if it is sized that way). I am pretty pear shaped and have large hips, butt and thighs. When I was down to 130 lbs I was in a size 8 to 10 in jeans and in small shirts. No mater what I do I think I will remain big bottomed :D

Big bottom girls make the rocking world go 'round!!!!!!

I think there are probably several reason....

1. The whole body structure...taking into account height, muscle vs. fat, etc.
2. different brands have different cuts.
3. some women like to pour themselves into clothing that others would never wear because they can't breathe.
4. and lastly...lets face it, some women fib. There is no way, no matter how much muscle a woman has or a difference in the cut of clothing, that one the same height as me can wear 4+ sizes smaller than me...I just personally don't believe it.

Amen to what Tina said. And I'm as guilty as the next vanity fibber. Last winter I wore some 3's and some 4's .... however the shirt I told all my friends about was a size two.

Ditto to Tina and Susan......some people don't tell the truth.......
Last year at 160 I wore some 8 pants, by the end of the day my stomach hurt so bad. When I got home and took them off, funny thing happened, my stomach ache went away....hum?

Let's not forget control top hose! You should see what I can wear if I stand up all day with a good sturdy pair of those on!

lol...ya'll are killing me!!

Saying your real size is like saying your real weight. Some girls can go off plan for weeks but when they come back 'low and behold - somehow they have lost weight'
That always make me wonder - hum - how'd they do that?

I'm pretty sure laughing burns calories.

:lol: I love this thread!!! I always think its funny when someone is my height (5'6") and appears to be my shape or build and tell me they wear a size 8!! I am about 156-158 pounds and wear a COMFORTABLE size 12!! To me comfortable means, not to snug or too loose but just right, a size 10 I cant even zip up!! :lol: I would love to say I can wear a size 8 but I would be lying to everyone, and most importantly...I would be lying to myself!!

Tina, you're on the right track here with all but number 4 (though I'm sure there are plenty of women who fib...). You easily can wear something 4 or even 8 sizes smaller than someone at the same height and weight if you are all muscle (or mostly) and they are mostly fat. The fat takes up SO much more room! I've heard lots of stories of women who lose weight and then keep exercising (especially those who lift) who are maintaining their weight but still losing sizes because of their muscle. It's amazing stuff and yet ANOTHER reason to exercise and lift weights! ;)

But yes, the size thing is baffling because so many different manufacturers use different sizes and sometimes even the same manufacturer has different sizes listed as the same size! This could drive anyone mad, but especially someone who's losing weight and trying to find their size! I find that jeans are often the final arbitrer of loss...if I fit into a size 14 in jeans, I know I'm definitely that size. For instance, right now, I fit into several size 12 skirts and dresses, size 14 pants, and size 16 jeans. My size 16 jeans are so baggy on me that I think I might be able to get into a size 14 in jeans, but I haven't tried yet. I have a couple of size 14 dresses that are slightly tight on me, and I have a pair of size 22W jeans that I was just able to fit into! (I think I might have shrunk them way back when...they are the only ones that have taken this long to get into!). I don't fit into size 12 pants or jeans yet.

Another frustrating thing is that it can take anywhere from 20-40/50 pounds to lose a size when you are really overweight. Once you get down into the 16/14/12 size range, the sizes drop very quickly, maybe every 10-15 pounds. Unfair, but true. Maybe it's that way to help mitigate the slowness of the weight loss at that point? ;)

Builds, fat content, height, body shape (a woman with a large butt who is exactly the same as another woman in every other way is going to wear a larger size...same with those of us who have large 'girls'), and the silly, confusing sizing of manufacturers all go in to making sizing very hard to understand. Just try to keep an open mind and not stress too much about those numbers, okay? :D

Laurie, I see what you're saying girl, I really do....but I still don't fully buy it, :lol: . 1-2...maybe rarely stretching it 3 sizes taking all factors into consideration...but more? nah. Not your average woman out there. I'm sure there are the rarer examples of body builders, etc...but, they are far and few between here, at least where I live, :lol: ...mostly I come across women who for their own psychological reasons...fib. I can be looking right at 'em, SEE they are not more defined and muscular, are about the same build, weight and height...and for some odd reason they are compelled to claim they are a size 4. NO WAY, :lol: . I've been both...before my first pregnancy I was a workout nut (even went through a bout of 'anorexia')...flat stomach, toned...had gained some weight up to 114 and it wasn't flab, I was a comfortable size 5/6...MAYBE a 4 in some manufacturers clothing...this time around, since I can't do that type of regimen...I'll be about an 8 at that weight. So I do understand...just like I said, typically you'll come across more flabby fibbers :nose: than you will extreme muscle clad workout nuts :strong: .

Laurie ... I had to laugh about your 'large girls' they get smaller, honest. One of my favourite memories of losing weight will always be going for the smaller bra the first time.

Again, I have to agree more with Tina.....
Another thing why are women so hung up on a size anyhow? I never understood that, I have friends that want to be a size 8, who are 40 pounds overweight - when I look it as - I need to lose 10 pounds four times....lol And let the size be whatever...

Star...I often wonder the same thing on being hung up on sizes or even weight.

I do have a goal weight on my ticker but to be honest I am more or less wanting my body to look a certain way and to be healthy. :s: I dont really care what size pants I wear I just want a flatter stomach. :lol:

I do agree that people do tend to "fib" quite a bit on sizes that they wear! I know muscle takes up less room than fat but when I am looking at someone who "appears" to be my height and my body shape (I am not toned anywhere :( ) and they arent either, but they are telling me they are a size 8! No way, like I said in a previous post, I am a comfortable size 12 and chances are...they are to but dont want to admit it :o !

In my opinion...if someone isnt comfortable with what size clothing they wear...they should avoid conversations about it instead of lying because most everyone looking at them knows they are not being honest! :lol: Its personal anyway so just avoid the conversation or change the subject! :s:

Hey 3 Girls,
We are about the same distance from our goals, I'm just 1 inch taller and my goal is ten pounds more than yours. Aren't these last pounds stinker-cling-ons?
For me I picked my goal weight becuz I haven't weighed that in a long time. I use to weigh less, but that was many years ago. At where I am now 165 - I know for certain I feel better at 160 (becuz I was there last Christmas). Then I feel like all the BMI's calculators say I should weigh under 159 anyhow, so 150 sounded right.
Also, I live in Michigan ..in Washington and work in Clinton Twp - where are you abouts?

Yup - and I'm 5'7' and 156 lbs and am still too big for a size 12 !! Granted, my 14's are hanging on me, but the 12's are too tight...My sister is the same height as me and weighs about 10 lbs less and has lost about the same amount of weight in lbs (25), but I have not budged from the 14's and she has gone from a 14 to a 10.....NOT FAIR :dizzy: I have not been working out too much (too busy going to soccer games every night) but as soon as soccer season is over, plan on stepping up the exercising adn hopefully I will go down in sizes!

One of the problems IMHO is that when we are overweight we have no idea what it's going to be like 'down there'. As someone has already said sizes have changed, styles have changed, our musculature has changed ...
I didn't buy 'sized clothing' when I was 162. I wore scrubs and sweats or a loose dress for the odd wedding. I have no idea what size I was. And so had no idea what size I'd be. I wasn't sure what shape I'd be.

I did, too, want to mention that I watched the Biggest Looser last night and was surprised at the various shapes and sizes a 200 lb woman can be. They are all very different.

This thread cracked me up this morning. I think it's interestnig about it taking fewer pounds to lose a size the smaller you get. I'm 5'7" and wear and 18 or 20 pants depending on the brand. It takes me about 20 lbs to lose a full pant size. It's frustrating sometimes. My top sizes seem to stay the same. I wear anywhere from a medium to XL in tops but as I lose weight fewer of the tops at the larger end of the sizes fit me.

I agree that it's not the size it's how you look that matters. With all the size distortion nowadays who can really rely on it anyway? I say just find a pair of jeans that make your butt look smokin' and wear 'em no matter what the tag says :D .

Well I am 5'7" and at 165 I am a size 12 and some 10's. I do workout alot and have my entire life (or for the last 35 years).
I too watched Biggest Loser. At 216 I had the shape and the hairdoo of Ryan...and to look at the changes I have made, makes me very proud.....
I did find it strange that Jillian would have those guys race her 'full speed' at their sizes and heavy loads to carry. No wonder there was a bad injury...

Maybe this one should go into the FAQ! What a long thread!

:) Hey Star...we are like neighbors...I am in the Royal Oak area, funny thing is...I used to live in Washington about 6-7 years ago for a short time, I grew up in Rochester Hills!

The last pounds are SLOW to come off for me too but I have always been told that the slower they come off...the slower they are to reappear!!! :lol:

Pearshape... :lol: I agree about the "butt" statement :s:

Go for it Ruth...I think it is something we all wonder about. Thanks for such an enlightening thread girls!!

I was going to say something rebelious ... Ruth you can delete it if you want, OK?

So, lets do battle. Let's fight the societal image that says beauty is size 0. The next time someone says "Lulubelle! You've lost so much weight! You look great! How much have you lost and what size is that fabulous dress?" Tell 'em ... I don't care if it's a flippin' size 72 wide ...Tell 'em. Take a stand! Beauty come in all shapes and sizes, as does good health and fitness.