Waist size

welloiledmachine
welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
edited October 4 in Fitness and Exercise
Quick question....I'm a bit baffled and hopefully I can get closure on this. My waist is a 30.5 and I am 5'3" and weigh 115 lbs. I can wear size 0 pants. (Not bragging) How is it that a lot of women have a 28 in. waist and fit in a size 0 w/t them falling off? My BF percentage is about 16 or 17. I'm not complaining about a 30.5 in waist, but it just seems like 28 is the 'ideal' waist size. That just can't be because people aren't the same height or have the same build or bone size. Ugh. I think I'll just be happy with 30.5. Just wondering what a normal waist size is.
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Replies

  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    lol... my waist is 28 in. and I am about a size 8 - so I have no idea how someone can fit into a size 0 with a 28 in. waist. Maybe you're thinking hips?
  • marthafox1
    marthafox1 Posts: 191 Member
    I'm intruiged to know what your other vital stats are because mine are;

    35
    28
    36

    and according to various bf online calculations, my bf if 23.7% (taking my thin neck and wrists into consideration as well).

    I am a UK size 10.
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    lol... my waist is 28 in. and I am about a size 8 - so I have no idea how someone can fit into a size 0 with a 28 in. waist. Maybe you're thinking hips?

    I don't think so. I measure my waist right over my belly button.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    My waist is 31 inches and my hips (where jeans actually sit) is 38 inches. I wear size 12.
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    Different people are built very, very differently. I'm 5'5", 138 lb and my waist is 24.5", but I have a higher body fat percentage than you, so I'd wager that my hips/thighs are much bigger than yours. Meanwhile, I have a relative who is 5'4" and 105 lb, extremely fit, and her waist is 32", because her shape is very straight-up-and-down, while mine is more of an hourglass.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    Well, I'm 133lbs at the moment, and I think my BF% is around 25%. Hips are 35.5in. so that's probably why I'm a bigger size in jeans. I think your hips/butt have way more to do with what size pants you wear than your waist size. But if you're only talking about a 2 1/2 inch difference, I'm sure the women with a 28 inch waist wearing size 0 jeans are probably doing so with them being a bit looser, probably wearing a belt.
  • bbbbb33333
    bbbbb33333 Posts: 1,107 Member
    It's that hokie woman sizing thing. Men use real measurment, not ficticious size 0......

    We uses waist and inseam in inches. Seems kind of logical doesn't it?
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    It's that hokie woman sizing thing. Men use real measurment, not ficticious size 0......

    We uses waist and inseam in inches. Seems kind of logical doesn't it?

    Wouldn't that be nice? I wear a size 7 to 11 here depending on the item of clothing. When I was in the US on vacation, I tried on clothes and was a size 0 (!!!! hahahaha, no way in hell) to size 6, depending on the item of clothing.

    When people ask what size I wear, I say, "I DON'T KNOW!" and run away crying.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    It's that hokie woman sizing thing. Men use real measurment, not ficticious size 0......

    We uses waist and inseam in inches. Seems kind of logical doesn't it?

    Wouldn't that be nice? I wear a size 7 to 11 here depending on the item of clothing. When I was in the US on vacation, I tried on clothes and was a size 0 (!!!! hahahaha, no way in hell) to size 6, depending on the item of clothing.

    When people ask what size I wear, I say, "I DON'T KNOW!" and run away crying.

    LMAO <3
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    Well, I'm 133lbs at the moment, and I think my BF% is around 25%. Hips are 35.5in. so that's probably why I'm a bigger size in jeans. I think your hips/butt have way more to do with what size pants you wear than your waist size. But if you're only talking about a 2 1/2 inch difference, I'm sure the women with a 28 inch waist wearing size 0 jeans are probably doing so with them being a bit looser, probably wearing a belt.

    My hips are 34.
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    My hips are a 34 so I guess that factors in too.
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    Thanks you guys for your input. I do have closure now knowing that 28 isn't the magical number. For me, 30 inches suits me. I won't be obsessing anymore about trying to get a 28 in. waist. That's a relief.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I think you must be measuring your waist in the wrong place. It should be right at the narrowest point, not at your belly button. I have 35 inch hips and wear a US 2-4, UK 8 ish. I have a 27 inch waist. There is no way you could wear a UK 8 with a 31 inch waist, let alone a 6, which would be a size 0.
  • Deathwithab
    Deathwithab Posts: 462 Member
    when i was 170 pounds my waist was 31 and i fit a size 9-11

    your waist is where if you bend to the side it creases, the smallest part
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    Okay, now I am getting different answers as to where to measure your waist. I read that you measure it on your belly button.

    If I measure an inch above my belly button, my waist is a 27.5.

    Where do you measure?
  • fragilestrength
    fragilestrength Posts: 26
    bodies are weird :P

    I'm 5'2, and my waist is 24in. I also wear a size 0 comfortably. so who knows!
  • Deathwithab
    Deathwithab Posts: 462 Member
    Okay, now I am getting different answers as to where to measure your waist. I read that you measure it on your belly button.

    If I measure an inch above my belly button, my waist is a 27.5.

    Where do you measure?

    your natural waist where if you bend to the side it creases, 27.5 sounds more correct
  • Hayesgang
    Hayesgang Posts: 624
    It's usually above the belly button at the natural indention of the body. It's very confusing especially since most pants now don't sit at the natural waist.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I find it hard to believe you can get into a 0 even with a 27.5 inch waist. Mine is 27, and my smallest jeans are a size 2 (US) stretch skinny jean. You measure yourself at the narrowest part.
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
    I measure my waist between the bottom of my sternum and my belly button.

    Everyone is different, indeed. My waist is 30, my abdomen (belly button) is 32 and hips/toosh is 40. My jeans vary from size 6-10 depending on brand, fabric ratio (stretch) etc.
  • scotrunner
    scotrunner Posts: 87 Member
    I agree with everyone who says measure waist at your narrowest point. On a similar note I measure hips as my widest - round your buttocks!

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  • LisaKyle11
    LisaKyle11 Posts: 662 Member
    my waist is a 27 and i wear size 2/26 - and sometimes 0s (just depends). 34 bust and 32 hips.

    we are all just so different and unique!
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
    There is no such thing as normal. Google pics of girls in swimsuits. Some have waists, some are still toned / thin and look like a straight line from under the breasts straight down to hips. Everyone is built differently. Can't change that basic shape...
  • tmarie2715
    tmarie2715 Posts: 1,111 Member
    I measure my waist between the bottom of my sternum and my belly button.

    Everyone is different, indeed. My waist is 30, my abdomen (belly button) is 32 and hips/toosh is 40. My jeans vary from size 6-10 depending on brand, fabric ratio (stretch) etc.

    Holy %$^& I've been measuring my waist wrong all this time. :(
  • welloiledmachine
    welloiledmachine Posts: 1,147 Member
    I measure my waist between the bottom of my sternum and my belly button.

    Everyone is different, indeed. My waist is 30, my abdomen (belly button) is 32 and hips/toosh is 40. My jeans vary from size 6-10 depending on brand, fabric ratio (stretch) etc.

    Holy %$^& I've been measuring my waist wrong all this time. :(
    So have I, but it works out better the new way.
  • Devil6972
    Devil6972 Posts: 5 Member
    These are my specs too...But because I have thick hips and thighs...jeans shopping can be frustrating..
  • MariaMariaM
    MariaMariaM Posts: 1,322 Member
    I have 24.5 - 25 inch waist with 33 - 34 inch hips and I wear size 24. Size 0 for the most part are loose on me. Hard to find size 0 that fit right.

    When my waist was around 27 - 28, I was a size 6-8
  • shockingpink33
    shockingpink33 Posts: 49 Member
    I'm an associate fashion designer and part of my job is writing specs for clothing. Very few pants are designed to sit on your natural waist. Most pants sit on your low waist or high hip, so this may be why you can wear a size 0 (because you are a size 0 at your hips).

    Clothing is also designed to fit a standard of a 10" differential from waist to hip. You can be a size 0 bottom and a size 8 top.

    The measurement of our size Medium/ size 8 fit model are as follows:
    waist:29
    hip:39

    Size small/ size 4 fit model:
    waist:27
    hip: 37

    My waist is 12" smaller than my hips and I'm really short, so depending on the silhouette, some clothing doesn't fit me well at all.
  • MariaMariaM
    MariaMariaM Posts: 1,322 Member
    I'm an associate fashion designer and part of my job is writing specs for clothing. Very few pants are designed to sit on your natural waist. Most pants sit on your low waist or high hip, so this may be why you can wear a size 0 (because you are a size 0 at your hips).

    Clothing is also designed to fit a standard of a 10" differential from waist to hip. You can be a size 0 bottom and a size 8 top.

    The measurement of our size Medium/ size 8 fit model are as follows:
    waist:29
    hip:39

    Size small/ size 4 fit model:
    waist:27
    hip: 37

    My waist is 12" smaller than my hips and I'm really short, so depending on the silhouette, some clothing doesn't fit me well at all.

    Interesting information
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    My waist is 23 inches, my hips/butt is 34 inches. I wear size 00, and sometimes I need to get the waist made smaller.
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