Women's Clothing Size
walleymama
Posts: 174 Member
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.
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
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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).0
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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.0 -
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)0 -
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.0
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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 5/7.0
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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.0
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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!0 -
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.0 -
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 :-)0 -
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).0
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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 )0 -
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; 40 -
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.0 -
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".0 -
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.0
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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!).0 -
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.0
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I'm 5'11" 165lbs. I wear an 8-10 and size med0
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I'm 5'3" and 145 lbs and a pretty standard size 4 American across the board. I'm super dense though.0
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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.0 -
I won't ever go by clothing size because they differ so much. I can fit anywhere from a 4-8 which is a pretty big range to me. On top of that, we are all built so differently and some of our bodies change greatly after having children as well. Also keep in mind, you can compare two women of the same weight, height, and similar build but completely different sizes based on their muscle mass/Bodyfat %.0
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Check out this website.
It really gives a great sense of what each body size actually looks like at varying weights, clothing sizes, etc. It can really be a self esteem booster.
Its callled
Mybodygallery.com
Check it out!!0 -
My sizes are pretty consistent according to where I shop. I'm 155 and wear a 3/4. At just 6 pounds heavier, I was in a 5/6, but I AM only 5'2. I'm technically overweight by bmi standards, but I'm leaning out. It's tough for me because I can't find anyone with a body composition like mine! Everyone's like, "A size 4 at your weight? Impossible!"0
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www.mybodygallery.com
As well as differences in manufacturer's sizes, there is a huge difference between what body type fits in to one size. I'm 5'5", 150 and I wear a size 6 or 8 in almost everything. But someone else the same height and weight but with a different fat to muscle ratio might wear a 14, or someone else might be a 4.0 -
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.
I think measurement--waist, hips, chest/bust are needed,too. A tall woman can weigh 150 and wear a size 10 (just an example) while a short woman weighing 150 might wear a 16.0 -
It varies so much between brands. A Forever 21+ size 14 was falling down while I was running for the bus, but yet an Angel's jeans size 15 can barely get over my toosh.
Why can't women just use their actual measurements by inch like men do?0 -
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 )
I rode the crest of the vanity sizing. In 1968, I was 5' 7 " and weighed 118. I wore a size 12, couldn't squeeze into a 10. They didn't sell anything below an 11/12 except in specialty stores. I remember when they opened a store called 5,7,9. For the really tiny people. I wore a size 12 until I hit 170 pounds in the 1990's. I kept getting bigger and so did the size 12's. Now I am 188 and wear a 14 in pants. It amuses me to see my teens shop for 0 and 00 jeans. What is next? Minus sizes?0 -
5'5" and 125 pounds. Wear size 6. Can also comfortably wear 8s. I fit into 4's, but too snug. When I drop another 10, I'll get back into my 4's. I carry my weight in my tummy.
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I'm in the UK. I'm 5ft 6in, weigh 8stone 7lb (But I'm working on it!)
In my wardrobe I have clothes which are size 10, 8, 6 and (my favourite) GAP size 0 jeans.
Explain that?????0 -
I'm 5'5. At my highest weight, I was almost 170 lbs and was wearing a size 10 pants in most brands. They were snug on me, but not too tight.
I'm currently 135 and wear a size 2 or 4, depending on the brand and the style.
I've now been able to fit into many of my old clothes that I've kept. I have a skirt from Ann Taylor and I don't remember how old it is, but it's a size 10. At some point, it was too big on me, so I took it in at the seams. When I gained weight, I let the seams back out, but even then, I couldn't wear it for years. The skirt is only slightly loose on me now - but I wear a size 2 or 4 in current Ann Taylor pants, and the skirt is a size 10! So yes, there is definitely vanity sizing abound.0
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