In November I weighed 236 and was a size 20-22. Now I am 191 and a size 16.

I went to the department store and bought size 16 Levis. The size 16 fit perfectly.

I also shop at thrift stores because it's easier on my budget to shop at them while I'm losing weight. I also love being thrifty. I found some Levis size 16 and thought they would fit like the brand new ones. When I tried them on they would barely fit around my hips and I didn't even try to zip them. why did the new Levi's fit when the old ones didn't? Every other size 16 in the department store and thrift stores fit. I thought sizes were getting smaller not bigger. I'm not trying to complain it's just wierd

Hi Harrypotterrocks! I think sizes are getting bigger. I know that 10-12 years ago when I was first dating my husband I was a size 6 and when I lost weight about 5 years ago (2011) I went to put those old pants on when I got back into the size 6's in the department stores and they didn't fit. It wasn't until I was in a size 4 in the department stores that I could wear the old size 6 pants from around 2003. Now I've regained and am trying to get it back off, but anyway I have noticed the same thing. Sizes in clothes are odd anyway and aren't always the same from brand to brand, but I think the sizes are definitely getting bigger.

I think it depends on what kind of pants they are. There are wide pants, petite, average, slim, etc.

One day I went to go shopping for size 18 pants. I took two pairs to the dressing room. One pair fit, the other didn't and they were the exact same brand, size... the only thing is that one pair were skinny jeans and the other was average.

It's called being "made in China".

Nope, it's called vanity sizing. I assure you it's got nothing to do with where it's made. It's down to the target market. 20 years ago I was a size 6 and weighed slightly less than I do now and I'm currently quite comfortable in a size 4. The provenance of the clothes (Portugal, France, Sri Lanka, etc. etc.) Has NO bearing whatsoever. I do find, however, that Vivienne Westwood is the meanest in the size department, you have to be slim to even wear a large.

I remember years ago watching "What Not To Wear" ... they said at a store take a wide variety of jeans in your size into the dressing room, along with the sizes above and below ... it's all varying, some is due to where it's manufactured/how - they're just winging them out and not done carefully ... and some brands are sizing larger than others, like Old Navy. Maybe look at what might fit and try there, taking from sizes above and below.

Just saw a good video on this topic on YouTube. Go to the Vox channel there's a short video about why women's clothing sizes make no sense. Very informative

Hope it answers the question

yeaah... I agree with you. you getting smaller. congrats for you.