Weight and dress size
 

So at my highest weight of around 18st (260ish lbs) I was buying size 22 jeans.
Between 17st and 13st I wore a size 20 all the way through.
Now i'm 12st 2lbs and I'm just about able to get into size 16s! the 18s I bought a month ago are falling down.

So how does this make any sense? that I can lose 4st and not see any change in clothing size but the last 10lbs has meant I lost 2 dress sizes?

Has anyone else experienced this? Is it the smaller you are, the less weight it takes to go down a size? I'm confused :dizzy:

Certainly, at the bottom end I found that it took less weight to drop a dress size, but mostly I found about a stone and a half = one dress size pretty much throughout.

I was 15 stone 3 when i started and I was a very tight size 18 - my refusal to buy 20s sparked my weight loss journey, that and a photograph from Christmas.

Where are you getting your jeans from?
I am 13 1/2st (ish) and I wear a size 16 jeans that are to big and I need to wear a belt with them.

All shops are different in sizes I cant wear a next size 16 as they are to small and a new look size 16 is to big. So I stick with M&S where I am a size 14

If defiantly doesnt sound right that you are 12st honey try M&S they will measure you if you ask

Well done on the big loss xxx

THIS ^^ Some sizes in shops can be really inconsistent. Do you measure yourself?
Generally....

Size 18: 34 inch waist, 43 inch hips
Size 16: 32 inch waist, 41 inch hips
Size 14: 30 inch waist, 39 inch hips
Size 12: 28 inch waist, 37 inch hips
Size 10: 27 inch waist, 36 inch hips
Size 8: 25 inch waist, 34 inch hips

It can also be affected by things like your height and build so use this only as a rough guide but it kinda gives you a little indication of where you are.

Anyone notice how close 10 and 12 are in comparision to the other sizes? weird

The smaller you are even 5lbs can make a difference to your size.
There is the "paper towel theory" around this forums which helped me understand how smthing like this happens.

It took 30 + pounds for me to lose my first size.

I tend to buy my jeans from Dorothy perkins, I try to be pretty consistant with the shops I buy my clothes from. New look sizes I find are way too big compared to the rest of the shops, like I normally wear size 12-14 tops but in NL I can easily get into a 10.

I have 32" waist, 45" hips - So I'm not sure where that eaves me :?: .

Thanks for all your replies

It sounds like you're a pear shape and so you're losing it on top faster than you are on the bottom, the rest will catch up soon so don't worry about it.

Remember that dress sizes are only one aspect of weight loss. I've been a 10 all my life. When I was 11 stone, I was a 10 even though I should've been a 12-14 according to my inch measurements. My BMI still says that I'm overweight, you wouldn't think a size 10 is overweight, but go figure.

I have the same problem, I've lost over 5 stone. At first I was size 18. Then 16, then 14. All my tops are size 12 and some even 10 now but jeans and trousers are still 14-16 for me! I blame it on my hips.

Im currently weighing 14stone. In jeans 16s too small 18s to big. I have small waist(ish) but heavy legs & hippy.

I'm definately considered "bottom-heavy" which actually I don't mind. But I really wouldn't object if I lost a little more off my thighs rather then losing it from my bust. I just can't believe that I was just losing from my top half for 5stone! I didn't think I was very chesty even when I was bigger. Ah well I hope the weightloss evens out eventually or I may have to join the circus!

Yes, yes, come to M&S, everyone says our jeans fit really well. I'm not biased at all. Yes, I work for M&S. Lol.

I found 1st = approx 1 dress size, for me. Am also a pear-shape and lose it slowest from my hips and thighs.

I'm the opposite shape (smaller hips, carry all my weight round my middle upwards), and found the worst shop for me was Monsoon, so I'm guessing they're good for bottom heavier ladies!

Are you lifting weights? Because that would cause a slight gain in muscle which makes clothes fit differently.

I find it quite depressng, when I was at my heaviest (19st) I was practically size 26. Now after losing 3 stone I'm only size 22. Yet I read stories about people dropping as many dress sizes as stones! I think it depends where the weight is shifting from, suppose thats quite obvious really!

well im 5ft 2 maybe abit under lol and 11st 6lbs and im a size 14 in most places but some places a 16 it dont make sense how they can change in size like that :(

138 pounds. I buy a size 12.

I'm 11 stone even and I wear size 12 jeans. A couple of years back when I was 9st5 I also worse size 12 -- lots of them the same pairs. I definitely gain and lose from the top of my body first; sadly I'm a classic apple!

I think it just depends on your own body shape. It's disheartening to think that it'll take so long for me to go down a size, though.

Well im 13 stone. My clothing size is 14-16.. Think it depends on your build etc. X

I'm 13 1.5 today, 184.5lb.

I'm wearing size 14 tops comfortably as long as they dont have tight arms on them.

I'm still mainly wearing size 18 pants though, getting into some 16s but not many.

I'm 5ft 5, 10st 3lbs and a 10 bordering on a 12
For me a stone = 1 dress size. At 9st I was the bigger end of an 8.

Im now just over 13stone, & 16s are GENERALLY fine. Ive got one pair i still cant wear
.......but soon!

Cant wait to get the 14s !!!!!

I weigh 10st 10 and am 5'8. I wear a size 10 top and size 12 bottom. I can fit into size 10s in shops like Primark/Tesco etc. While I was at uni I weighed about 11st 7 and was a size 12 all over but I looked way bigger than I do now, regardless of the relative lack of progress in sizes/weight.

I recently had a somewhat massive UK shopping adventure (first time in my adult life, I wasn't restricted to Evans!) Right now I weigh about 13st 6 and I'm in a size 16 top (36F chest) and size 14 bottoms at DP, New Look, M&S, Next, Esprit and most of the Debenham's brands. I can squeeze into a size 12 jeans but with major (to the point of what I consider indecent) muffin top.

I didn't really find that I fit right into any of the tops at Monsoon and H&M, the arms fit but the bust was not right compared to the torso. It took me like over 50lbs to really NEED new clothes, but then I carry most of my weight in my torso, which is where most clothes are sized from so it was a long journey. I'm finding that now that I'm a little lighter it's about 10lbs between clothes sizes.

Hmm. I've been thinking about this, I've lost 6lbs so far, now 206. I used to be consistently around 165 and I'd have 12 top half, 16 bottom half. Now I'm 18 bottom half & 14/16 top half. There are SO many lovely clothes I have that I want to fit into! I have a great selection of 12/14 tops that I want to wear, and I pretty much just wear black combats with them as that's all I can get to fit once I get over 160 :(

I'm getting impatient to have more clothes to wear! I think once I get down to 198 (by then I'll have lost a stone) I should have many more options! Part of the reason I want to get down to 112 is that that's when my top and bottom half start to match. I have never worn a dress!!! And I want to!! Besides, that's the weight I started out at, and I was fit & healthy, I think 8 stone at 5'4" would suit me just fine.

I want my lovely clothes back! 8lbs more and I'll try them on again ;)

It's really strange to see how different everyone's dress size is compared to their weights! I am 13st 12lb now and fit in to every size 16 I've tried - actually bought a couple of 14 dresses yesterday, but that's because I'm smaller on top. I agree with those saying the bigger you are the longer it takes to lose a dress size - at 17st 12lbs I was a 20, now 4st later I'm still a 16!

Yay, noticed I already posted here, and now I'm in 12 tops and 14 bottoms, yippee!

That is with quite a lot of working out but only about a stone gone in weight I'd say. I do think sizing is getting bigger and bigger though.....

5"3 162 lbs/11 st 5

I have finally accepted that I'm a size 14 now, although I can wear a lot of 12s, I have a couple of size 12 shorts to work to get into but I couldnt believe when I tried on a tight zip size 12 dress from awear it fit as at my heaviest weight I was squeezing into size 18 zip dresses!

16 everything has become too big in the last 20 pounds. the 20 pounds before that I was 16-18. 18 around my highest weight until the 180s ish.

At 11 stone I was a size 14. At 10 and a half I was a 12 and at 10 stone I'm now a 10 (gotta love vanity sizing!). I think it's right that the smaller you are the smaller the dress size differences are. My best friend has lost nearly 7 stone since last March (another 10 to go) but she's only lost one clear dress size although I reckon it's nearly two.