Women sized clothes...silly question...

bethanne60

Okay... I have discarded the big W next to my sizes...of clothes! Yahoo...My question is this: 22W , 20W etc are they all separate sizes? Meaning if I started at 20W and am now in a solid 16 (no W) that means how many sizes I have decreased? 4? 5? I guess I am just curious!

HIITMe

can someone also tell me the difference between a 20 and a 20W...

I recently saw a 14W in a store... What is that?? vanity sizing?

cavewoman15

as someone who sat between 'normal' sized clothing and 'plus' sized clothing for years (i was a size 14-16 - now 12-14!!) i can tell you that they just aren't comparable! it's weird, and i don't know how to explain it, but 14W and 16W never fit me (too big), even when normal 14s and 16s would. i think you can add a size to plus size and get a more accurate measurement. congrats!!

HIITMe

as someone who sat between 'normal' sized clothing and 'plus' sized clothing for years (i was a size 14-16 - now 12-14!!) i can tell you that they just aren't comparable! it's weird, and i don't know how to explain it, but 14W and 16W never fit me (too big), even when normal 14s and 16s would. i think you can add a size to plus size and get a more accurate measurement. congrats!!

I understand.... when 14s became too small, 14W was too big yet 16s fit.... I do NOT understand it...

krbates84

I used to work in a store that sold Misses and Women's clothing. The W stands for Woman and the difference (as I was told) is that there is added material in the seat and thigh area.

omma_to_3

Women's are generally one size larger. So, if you were a 20W and are now a 16, it would be this progression (roughly, nothing is exact LOL): 20W:18W:16W or 18Misses: 16 Misses. So, depending on how you count it, that's 3 or 4 sizes smaller.

AshRyd

I used to work in a store that sold Misses and Women's clothing. The W stands for Woman and the difference (as I was told) is that there is added material in the seat and thigh area.

This! --- The W adds for hips. For example I can wear an 18 "A-line skirt" but I have to wear a 18W for a "pencil/straight skirt". If you lay them down 18 on top of 18W you will see the extra allowance in the hip, rump and thigh area.

Moving from a 16W to a 16 means your backside is looking my hotter - so give it a shake!!!! :laugh:

omma_to_3

My progression was 20W:18W:16W:14W:16:14. The 14W and 16 misses was very close to the same, but the misses was maybe 1/4 to 1/2 size smaller than the 14W.

bethanne60

Thanks everyone! Sizing is confusing... I am now confidently buying clothes that are Misses vs Womans and smile all day long!

rfarinha

I just tell people that I was wearing a 22 and that now I'm in a 10 and let them do the Math! :laugh:

Congratulations to you on your success!

brickhouse76

Thanks for the post, I always wanted to know the difference.

breeduma

W size is NOT vanity! It just means it is cut fuller through the mid section!

breeduma

W (womens) size goes all the way down to a 12W. It usually means it's just cut fuller in the waist, hip, and butt area.

NaomiJFoster

as someone who sat between 'normal' sized clothing and 'plus' sized clothing for years (i was a size 14-16 - now 12-14!!) i can tell you that they just aren't comparable! it's weird, and i don't know how to explain it, but 14W and 16W never fit me (too big), even when normal 14s and 16s would. i think you can add a size to plus size and get a more accurate measurement. congrats!!

I understand.... when 14s became too small, 14W was too big yet 16s fit.... I do NOT understand it...

I was the opposite. 14s were getting too small. 16s fit OK, but were a bit too bit. 14Ws were enormous! Very strange. I try not to overthink it. I just figure I'm going to have to try on 2 or 3 different sizes of everything no matter what.

DancingMoosie

I looked up a size chart online. This is according to Land's End:

16: bust 41, waist 35, hip 44 18: bust 43, waist 37, hip 46
16W: bust 42.5, waist 37.5, hip 46.5
So, it looks like the "W" would fit in between the two regular sizes. It looks to be the same when comparing 18 to 18W and 20 as well. The W seems to be like a half size bigger.