Womens pant sizes are confusing!!

It's called vanity sizing. Today's ten(for example) is much larger than the ten of fifty years ago. On top of that, you have to deal with all the different cuts and brands, each of which have a different standard for a size ten. I can fit into a size X of one brand, but have to go up to a size Y in another.

I recently found out that I was measuring my waist in the wrong place. Maybe you are doing this too? I assumed you were supposed to measure around your belly button, but it's actually supposed to be several inches above. This meant that I was always wearing a size that was two sizes down from what my waist measurement said. I did find that the hip measurement matched up O.K. though so I just started going with that.

But I have also found that clothing manufacturers all have a different idea of sizing. There are the vanity sizers that mark all the sizes down and the anti-vanity sizers (American Apparel) that mark everything up. I went to Goodwill and tried on 14s from about 10 different mainstream manufacturers; they ranged from falling down loose to super tight.

I hate vanity sizing! It makes online shopping really hard hehe

The thing about women's clothing sizes is that none of those numbers have anything to do with reality. We might just as well be labeling our clothes with ice cream flavors, for as meaningful as the numbered sizing system is. There really is no such thing as a "standard" size anything anymore - vanity sizing, in both directions, means that (as others have noted) if you just grab a "size 14" pair of pants off the rack at 10 different stores and compare them, you'll have 10 different sized pairs of pants. At higher-end shops, your 14s will probably be smaller, to enhance the exclusivity of the product in a culture that values extreme thinness. A mid-range or slightly lower-end shop's house brand 14's will be larger, to make the average woman feel better about herself. It gets more complicated when you wait a long time between buying new clothes, because manufacturers are gradually adjusting the physical dimensions of their clothing sizes up or down (as appropriate) every year. Being aware of how ludicrous some companies' vanity sizing is (looking at you, Old Navy) does kind of suck the joy out of trying on a "smaller" pair of pants the first time out shopping in a year, two years, five years. And it's starting to happen to men, now, too...even though their clothing sizes are supposed to refer to something that actually exists in real life (i.e., measurements in inches of the waist/chest, inseam/sleeve, etc). Take a tape measure with you to the store next time and see how big around the waist on a pair of men's pants is. I'd bet money it's not the same as the number on the tag.

OMG! Right? I've been asking people about this for awhile. I started at a 22 @ 243 and now 12's too big, comfy in 10's and 8's fit good enough to wear-not super tight. My young adult life, I was 120'ish and wore 6's. I'm now in 190's and size 8? I'll be a size zero with another 60 lbs to go. So, my 19 y.o. daughter's jeans (size 11 jr.) fit me now. and she's at least 30 lbs lighter than me.

I do not know how this may be interpreted, but someone recently reminded me that most of our clothes are made in China, so their sizing rates could be totally different. I think this is really a possibility because even vanity sizing wouldn't be THAT MANY size differences.

Curious what everyone else says.

Gets even harder when your waist/hip measurements are not "average" ratios. size 8 waist with a size 14+ hip means no pants ever fit and if they do, they don't look good.

Then add in the new trick of "relaxed fit" and stretch. According to Lee Jeans sizing chart I should be wearing a size 8, yet I fit nicely in 6. Am I measuring wrong or are they? Although I did buy some no-name PJ's, Hanes sweats and Danskin 3/4 sweat pants in size chico (the new American for small) and they are size 4-6 and THEY FIT! It's a major conspiracy that should be investigated by the Justice Department, just after they report on Fast and Furious, Benghazi and the entire last four years. In other words, don't hold your breath for TRUTH in our new America. Yes, I do have TEA every now and then..

womens clothing sizes in general are ridiculous! its impossible to know if something will fit without trying it on these days.. I did hear something about it being part of the fact that a lot of clothes are imported so the sizings are dodgy, that as well as the vanity sizing..

i think dress sizes are a little bit more stable though, i tend to more go by my dress size not pants or whatever

It all comes down to mass production. They literally stack fabric from floor to ceiling in a factory and have a machine that comes down and cuts hundreds of layers of fabric at once. The piece on top can be several inches smaller than the piece on the bottom, but they will all be made into the same size garmets. I worked retail... you could try three pairs of jeans on - same brand, same style, same size, and they will all fit a bit differently.