Women's Clothing Size

walleymama
walleymama Posts: 174 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm curious to see how much clothing size fluctuates among women. I read posts on here where people talk about how much weight they have lost and what dress size they are now in, and the numbers just don't relate at all to my own experience. I know sizes can differ based on manufacturer, but I thought it would be interesting to collect some information here. If anything it may serve to illustrate why clothing size is not a good indicator of being overweight (I personally do not focus on what actual size I am, but I have been in stores where a size 12 is considered pretty big and in some stores size 14 is a plus size, whereas I'm always quite happy in a 12 and 10 is the lowest I could reasonably expect).

I'm 5'6" and currently weigh 150 lbs. I can fit into my size 12 pants but they are just a tiny bit more snug than I would like.

I started out at 155 lbs and this put me in a size 14, a bit loose but 12 was uncomfortably tight.

I've gotten as low as 138 in the last few years, and 12 was roomy, 10 a wee bit too tight.
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Replies

  • arl1286
    arl1286 Posts: 276 Member
    5'10, 150ish. Pants: 7 long, but my shorts are all 9s. Dress: 8, usually. Shirt: medium. That seems to work regardless of if I'm 159 (my max which I hit after 2 months abroad) or 138 (lowest; happened right before leaving to go abroad hahaha).
  • rieann84
    rieann84 Posts: 511 Member
    5"2 ish.. I weigh around 150.

    For work, I wear black dress pants in a size 7 juniors. I bought them a while ago. Admittedly, they do sit a little higher on my waist which is where I am thinner.

    My go to jeans, size 6 ladies from Express. I bought these a while ago also. These are a little tight, but they still button and all.

    For summer this year, I bought shorts in a size 11 juniors. I like shorts to sit lower on my waist, and these are actually a bit loose, too.


    So there you go. When I go shopping I pick up anywhere from 6-12 ladies or 7-13 juniors and try them all on.
  • JessicaMcguigan123
    JessicaMcguigan123 Posts: 52 Member
    Im from uk, 150lbs and size 12 bottoms and size 8/10 top.

    (in the us that is size 10 botttoms and 6/8 top)
  • allshebe
    allshebe Posts: 423 Member
    It can also be a function of where you carry your weight and body fat ratio (since a pound of fat takes more space than a pound of muscle or bone). I'm between 5'4" and 5'5", down to nearly 143 and fitting comfortably to snugly into size 10 pants, depending upon the cut/style/brand. I'm still wearing my 12s and 14s, but only with a belt.
  • jenna808
    jenna808 Posts: 79 Member
    I hate how much womens clothing sizes vary! I'm 5'6" also, currently 146 lbs and wear an 8 or 10 depending on brand. When I was 155 I was a 10/12, 165 was a 12 and 13 juniors. When I weighed 130-135 I was in a juniors 5/7.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Clothing size or actual weight isn't a good way to measure yourself against anyone but yourself. We're all built differently, have different body compositions and clothing sizes are crazy especially with all the vanity sizings.
  • amwoidyla
    amwoidyla Posts: 257 Member
    I'm 5'4" and wore a size 12 (in most brands) from 145-175, sometimes even up to a 15. Varying levels of tightness obvi. Now I'm 137 and wear anywhere from a size 4 at Express, 4-9 depending on the "fit" of Mossimo at Target, and a 6 in jeans at American Eagle.
    That's a pretty wide span of sizes!
  • JskC1893
    JskC1893 Posts: 156 Member
    4'10", 159 lbs

    Size 12 jeans (100% size 12, 14 too big, 10 too tight)

    I'm a pear shape, so I wear a small-medium shirt.
  • Rossa59
    Rossa59 Posts: 20 Member
    We have the same problem in the UK. I have size 14 to 22 (UK sizes) in my wardrobe and all of them fit me, though the jacket that is a 22 is a bit looser now.

    I'm a long term M&S shopper and know for a fact that a few years ago they downsized their range so a 14 today used to be a 16. They said that it was to make us 'feel' better about ourselves. Size 16 is the UK's average size. The 14s I have now are the old size 16s. How do I know? Because I have some 'old' size 14s I just can't get into.............yet!

    We're all different sizes whether it's in clothes or on the scales. I'll never be less than 11.5 stone/161lbs (5'10", age 54) as I have a large frame and below that weight all my ribs and hip bones stick out. Another lady the same height would probably look great at a lower or higher weight than that. Just don't get hung up on what other people do. We are all different and we should celebrate that :-)
  • victoriavoodoo
    victoriavoodoo Posts: 343 Member
    Are these american sizes? I am 5'5'', 156 and I wear womens american pant size 4/6 or a junior's 7. I'm only a 4 at old navy but that hardly counts because they're known for their vanity sizing(it works. I keep going back there lol).
  • JskC1893
    JskC1893 Posts: 156 Member
    We have the same problem in the UK. I have size 14 to 22 (UK sizes) in my wardrobe and all of them fit me, though the jacket that is a 22 is a bit looser now.

    I'm a long term M&S shopper and know for a fact that a few years ago they downsized their range so a 14 today used to be a 16. They said that it was to make us 'feel' better about ourselves. Size 16 is the UK's average size. The 14s I have now are the old size 16s. How do I know? Because I have some 'old' size 14s I just can't get into.............yet!

    We're all different sizes whether it's in clothes or on the scales. I'll never be less than 11.5 stone/161lbs (5'10", age 54) as I have a large frame and below that weight all my ribs and hip bones stick out. Another lady the same height would probably look great at a lower or higher weight than that. Just don't get hung up on what other people do. We are all different and we should celebrate that :-)

    Hate that sizing stuff, they call it vanity sizing. I believe Old Navy here is a pretty big culprit of that!! (I could be wrong, but I think that is the company I read a lot about with vanity sizing )
  • mdn15
    mdn15 Posts: 145
    I think it depends on your body shape, for example if you have more muscles.

    H: 5 feet
    W: 130
    Dress: 2P - 4P
    Pants: 4P
    Top: XS-S; 4
  • walleymama
    walleymama Posts: 174 Member
    Are these american sizes? I am 5'5'', 156 and I wear womens american pant size 4/6 or a junior's 7. I'm only a 4 at old navy but that hardly counts because they're known for their vanity sizing(it works. I keep going back there lol).

    I'm in Canada, but AFAIK the sizing is the same as in the US. I recently bought a pair of Old Navy shorts. They were a size 14 and loose, but comfortable (I need a belt). They didn't have any size 12's, and a 10 would not fit me.
  • RoadsterGirlie
    RoadsterGirlie Posts: 1,195 Member
    When I first started at 215 lbs, I was at around a size 18.

    I'm now 125 lbs, and I'm around a zero or a two, depending on the brand.

    I'm 5'9".
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Clothing sizes are ridiculous and confusing. I just buy what fits. I am 5'-2", 135 pounds and I have jeans and other pants that run anywhere from size 4 that are a little loose to size 8. I have shirts from size XS through large. No method to the madness. Don't worry about numbers. Worry about fit. Trying to squeeze into a number tends to make our bodies look worse.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I was 18 at 213 lbs, but it was very tight (and some of them were just too tight, I rarely wore them). Now I'm 162 lbs and I don't really know, I bought some size 8 pants 2 months ago that fit well, but I could probably wear a size 6 of those now. I have some size 14 pants I bought in April that fit, don't fall off, but are definitely on the loose side. I wear size 8/10 Hanes underwear (went cheap, hah!).

    So 5'5", 162 lbs, probably anywhere between size 10 and 6 depending on the brand. Kinda surprised though, I never thought I'd even reach size 8, and it seems I'll be able to get down to size 6 or less once I've lost my last 20ish lbs (considering most of it is at my midsection!).
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Clothing sizes vary wildly. Its not an accurate measurement of anything except comparison to the exact same item. When someone who weighs the same as I do says she is wearing a size 6....and I am just getting into size 12....there is absolutely no reason to use this as a benchmarks for anything. Just wear clothes that fit you...the numbers are meaningless.
  • Aparz1
    Aparz1 Posts: 949
    I'm 5'11" 165lbs. I wear an 8-10 and size med
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    I'm 5'3" and 145 lbs and a pretty standard size 4 American across the board. I'm super dense though.
  • rieann84
    rieann84 Posts: 511 Member
    Just wear clothes that fit you...the numbers are meaningless.

    This. Though, sometimes it's hard to get past that mental block. I have been known to rip tags out of clothes.

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