Often Surprised About Sizes

Jlennhikes

I'm 5'10". I weigh 155, and I wear a size 12 pants, and I often wear a large in tops. Depending on how big the sizes run, I might be a size smaller. When I hear someone weighs 160 pounds and wears a size 6 or something. I'm kind of surprised. Is this a height thing?

sociable15

they may have more muscle. The same weight of muscle takes up less space than fat. also, not for nothing, if it's women's sizing (which it sounds like) that's like...a guess on a good day about whether two sizes in different brands are the same.

hush7hush

It's more like a; how each person distributes their weight, thing.

Like, I'm over 200, and wear a 13.
My friend who weighs just as much as me, wears a 9.
Another friend that weighs just as much, wears an 18.
It's all about how it's placed on your body.

sarah44254

I think it has to do with body shape. I am 148 or so, and I am still trying to become comfortable in a size 8. At 5'3", I could wear a size 8 from my biggest (170) and also now. True there was quite a difference in feeling, but to lose 20+ lbs and not drop a size? I get sad.

I do see improvements so I'm not sad for long, but I understand what you are saying. There are gals my height and weight in size 6 and 4 and I don't understand how that is possible.

MeggieMae22

It also depends on wear you shop. I'm 5'1, and weigh 163. I wear size 8/9 pants, and medium or large tops, but if I go to another store my pant size will change either a size smaller or a few sizes bigger.

Legs_McGee

I'm often surprised too. I'm also 5'10 - when I first joined MFP I weighed 157 and wore a size 10 pants - now I'm at 140 and just bought a couple pairs of size 6 from The Gap. I'm usually a small on top (I'm built like a prepubescent child). I don't know if it's a height thing....if anything we should wear smaller sizes since our weight is spread over a longer body.

kayemme

I'm 5'10". I weigh 155, and I wear a size 12 pants, and I often wear a large in tops. Depending on how big the sizes run, I might be a size smaller. When I hear someone weighs 160 pounds and wears a size 6 or something. I'm kind of surprised. Is this a height thing?

it's so many things, you can't even list them all.

some people weigh more because they are muscular
height distributes weight
some people carry weight in only certain areas
some people are heavy but not fat

when i was 250lbs, i remember this other girl who was also 250lbs. she was probably 3" shorter than me, but she wore a size 24- 26, and I was comfortable in an 18.

why? I have no idea. I figured I must be either delusional (wearing clothes too small for me) or rather muscular (probably more the case). not that i didn't have fat on me, i certainly did, just not as much concentrated fat in the same area as her. we weighed the same, but i was considerably smaller than her.

Jlennhikes

Yeah, I can definitely say I'm not very muscular right now. But when someone says they're 5'6" and they weigh 160 pounds and they wear a size 6, I've got to wonder. I think some people wear their clothes quite a bit tighter than what I find comfortable.

kayemme

plus sizing is a vanity industry... what used to be a 12 is really an 8/10 today. I have a vintage 16 woolen suit that is clearly not a 16 today.

Jlennhikes

Like, I'm over 200, and wear a 13.
My friend who weighs just as much as me, wears a 9.
Another friend that weighs just as much, wears an 18.
It's all about how it's placed on your body.

I think you are right. Your friend who wears Size 9 at 200 pounds must like to wear tight clothes

Jenscan

Like, I'm over 200, and wear a 13.
My friend who weighs just as much as me, wears a 9.
Another friend that weighs just as much, wears an 18.
It's all about how it's placed on your body.

I think you are right. Your friend who wears Size 9 at 200 pounds must like to wear tight clothes

and/or said person is flat out lying about what size they're wearing.

**edited for grammar**

Jlennhikes

I think it has to do with body shape. I am 148 or so, and I am still trying to become comfortable in a size 8. At 5'3", I could wear a size 8 from my biggest (170) and also now. True there was quite a difference in feeling, but to lose 20+ lbs and not drop a size? I get sad.

I do see improvements so I'm not sad for long, but I understand what you are saying. There are gals my height and weight in size 6 and 4 and I don't understand how that is possible.

Yep. And my sister, who has lost 35 pounds, has only just lost one size, although she looks a lot smaller. It's weird how those sizes work. I think I could drop another 20 pounds and still be in a 10 because I'm not too far from six feet tall, and I've never been smaller than a 10.

skinnyhopes

I'm 5'3" 114 and I wear a size 7. I carry most of my weight in my butt and thighs

Jlennhikes

There is a big variation among the brands. I just bought a couple Medium t-shirts, and I know it's a brand that runs large.

Jlennhikes

I usually just assume when you're that tall, there's only so small you can get, but I guess you proved me wrong (not to mention the super models out there who weigh 120 pounds at 5'10".)

faerybun

Definitely a height thing. At my high weight of 160 I was still a 10, but I'm almost 5'8''. At 143ish I'm a 5/6 and small/extra small for tops.

Jlennhikes

when i was 250lbs, i remember this other girl who was also 250lbs. she was probably 3" shorter than me, but she wore a size 24- 26, and I was comfortable in an 18.

why? I have no idea. I figured I must be either delusional (wearing clothes too small for me) or rather muscular (probably more the case). not that i didn't have fat on me, i certainly did, just not as much concentrated fat in the same area as her. we weighed the same, but i was considerably smaller than her.

It is weird. My sister looks very similar to me, but she claims she's still in a size or two larger, but she really does look close to the same size.

Jlennhikes

plus sizing is a vanity industry... what used to be a 12 is really an 8/10 today. I have a vintage 16 woolen suit that is clearly not a 16 today.

Too true. I don't fool myself when I know I can wear a 10 in one brand and it would be a 14 in another brand

CoryIda

It's a height, build, muscle-mass vs body-fat, many other factors thing. I weigh 200 lbs, am 5'10" with a large build and an hourglass figure. I wear a 16 in pants, a Medium in shirts, a 14 in bathing suits, a 12 in dresses, and a 36J bra...
I doubt you'll find other 5'10" 200 pound women who are equal to me in all of those areas - some may wear smaller pants or bigger shirts or any combination of different things.

hush7hush

Like, I'm over 200, and wear a 13.
My friend who weighs just as much as me, wears a 9.
Another friend that weighs just as much, wears an 18.
It's all about how it's placed on your body.

I think you are right. Your friend who wears Size 9 at 200 pounds must like to wear tight clothes

and/or said person is flat out lying about what size their wearing.

Well that wasn't very nice.
Actually, we all share our weights.
And we go shopping together.
It's odd to see it, sometimes.

Jlennhikes

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and/or said person is flat out lying about what size their wearing.
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Like me lying on my driver's license. If I can lose six pounds, I won't be lying anymore