My weight and my clothes size don't make sense to me

2

Replies

  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    edited February 2018
    nowine4me wrote: »
    So I’m a 2, moving into a 0. Them what? Where do you even buy smaller clothes? Are petite sizes smaller, or just shorter?

    I prefer my clothes baggy so I don't mind. If I want something tight I wear kids sizes or stores that are more true to size like h&M. I've seen they have size 23 and 000 which is like kids 12/14.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    My weight is definitely distributed differently now than at 18. I always used to have a small waist, flat stomach, big boobs and big hips/rear. Now I have a small rear end and legs, my boobs went from triple D to D when I lost all my weight. But they are droopy with loose skin and very hard to find a bra for right now. My waist is pudgy with loose skin and stretch marks from babies. I haven't had any trouble fitting my rear into jeans which is completely new for me! I think maybe it's because I don't eat sugar and bread. I eat very clean. But also I don't have a lot of muscle and I did when I was 18. Very different shape.

    eating clean has nothing to do with body composition. you just lost fat in those areas from a deficit.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    So I’m a 2, moving into a 0. Them what? Where do you even buy smaller clothes? Are petite sizes smaller, or just shorter?

    you go to kids size and petite is not always shorter. I looked at a few petite sizes lately and Im 5'6 1/2. my daughter is 5'3 and she looks for petite and even the jeans she was looking at were too long on me. they would have fit length wise for someone 6' easily. some are shorter but some are not.petites are supposed to be for shorter women. they arent smaller because you can get an 18 in a petite. my sons gf is 4'10 and you can bet they are too long on her lol
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    So I’m a 2, moving into a 0. Them what? Where do you even buy smaller clothes? Are petite sizes smaller, or just shorter?

    http://time.com/how-to-fix-vanity-sizing/

    h&M and zara tend to be the smallest/ the most true to size out of all the brands.
  • mk2fit
    mk2fit Posts: 730 Member
    @nowine4me While wearing size 0, think of this. How wide are your hips? Not to disparage you, but the kids sizes are made with narrow hips in mind. When I was maybe 30, my size 5s were very loose and I swore I would not go smaller. I tried 12-14 in girls, but...hips. Maybe learn how to sew? Hell (can I say that?) I don't know.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    mk2fit wrote: »
    @nowine4me While wearing size 0, think of this. How wide are your hips? Not to disparage you, but the kids sizes are made with narrow hips in mind. When I was maybe 30, my size 5s were very loose and I swore I would not go smaller. I tried 12-14 in girls, but...hips. Maybe learn how to sew? Hell (can I say that?) I don't know.

    yeah it can depend on that too.
  • ITUSGirl51
    ITUSGirl51 Posts: 191 Member
    Vanity sizing for men is happening too. My husband has lost about 8 lbs. he’s not overweight, he just wanted to lose some belly and build some muscle. Today he tried on a size 30” shorts to prove he could wear them now. He is always a 32-33. He tried and they fit well and then he told me he swears they were 32”. So we picked up another brand 30” and they were 2” smaller than the 30” he just tried on.
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    Vanity sizing for sure.

    A size 8 in 2018 is not the same as a size 8 in 1978.

    I was 145# size 16 in 1989. I'm 134.6# size 8 in 2018. My body shape has not changed.

    Your stats are the same as mine. Size 8 is perfect for me in just about everything. I've never before in my life been able to wear a size 8, even when my weight was what it is now.

  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    I have some 'vintage' sewing patterns from the 60's.
    Size 10 had a 31" bust a 24" waist and a 33" hip
    Size 18 had a 38" bust a 30" waist and a 40" hip

    Vanity sizing.
    I took a size 5 (non stretch jeans) in the mid 80's when I weighed 120 lbs (5'8" 22yo), Today I take a size 2 at 138lbs (5'8" 54yo).
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    So I’m a 2, moving into a 0. Them what? Where do you even buy smaller clothes? Are petite sizes smaller, or just shorter?

    Petite sizes are generally cut to slightly smaller proportions than regular sizes...at least at places I typically shop like Banana Republic and Loft. Waist, bust, and hip measurements are usually half an inch to an inch smaller in the petite sizes. Of course they also run shorter through the inseam, rise, and sleeves...in better brands, sometimes prints are even scaled down. And thanks to vanity sizing, many shops now carry size 00 and even 000...sizes that just didn't exist decades ago.

  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    nowine4me wrote: »
    So I’m a 2, moving into a 0. Them what? Where do you even buy smaller clothes? Are petite sizes smaller, or just shorter?

    you go to kids size and petite is not always shorter. I looked at a few petite sizes lately and Im 5'6 1/2. my daughter is 5'3 and she looks for petite and even the jeans she was looking at were too long on me. they would have fit length wise for someone 6' easily. some are shorter but some are not.petites are supposed to be for shorter women. they arent smaller because you can get an 18 in a petite. my sons gf is 4'10 and you can bet they are too long on her lol

    Petite clothes are generally designed for women 5'4" and under. Pant/jean inseams are usually 28", although they can run longer if the pants or jeans are meant to be worn with heels. I find this to especially be the case with higher end denim. Depending on a woman's proportions, she may find petite tops may provide a better fit, whereas regular "missy" or "junior" length bottoms serve her better...or vice versa. I have above average height friends who wear petite jeans because their legs are proportionally shorter. And some (lucky) short women have legs long enough to wear regular length trousers.

    As for wearing kids' sizes, the caveat is that they are likely to be boxier in fit, as they are designed to fit a less developed child's body. There will be less difference between bust and waist and hip measurements. Of course if you have a less curvy figure, these might accommodate.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    ilfaith wrote: »
    nowine4me wrote: »
    So I’m a 2, moving into a 0. Them what? Where do you even buy smaller clothes? Are petite sizes smaller, or just shorter?

    you go to kids size and petite is not always shorter. I looked at a few petite sizes lately and Im 5'6 1/2. my daughter is 5'3 and she looks for petite and even the jeans she was looking at were too long on me. they would have fit length wise for someone 6' easily. some are shorter but some are not.petites are supposed to be for shorter women. they arent smaller because you can get an 18 in a petite. my sons gf is 4'10 and you can bet they are too long on her lol

    Petite clothes are generally designed for women 5'4" and under. Pant/jean inseams are usually 28", although they can run longer if the pants or jeans are meant to be worn with heels. I find this to especially be the case with higher end denim. Depending on a woman's proportions, she may find petite tops may provide a better fit, whereas regular "missy" or "junior" length bottoms serve her better...or vice versa. I have above average height friends who wear petite jeans because their legs are proportionally shorter. And some (lucky) short women have legs long enough to wear regular length trousers.

    As for wearing kids' sizes, the caveat is that they are likely to be boxier in fit, as they are designed to fit a less developed child's body. There will be less difference between bust and waist and hip measurements. Of course if you have a less curvy figure, these might accommodate.

    my daughter is petite and even some of the online sites you can get inseams in 30inch or even the rare 31 inch length. some of the stores we have shopped at the petites were more than a 34 inch length inseam. I am not petite but my inseam is 32 or so. They also have junior plus sizes and some places the girls sizes come in a size bigger than 14-16. I think they are 14 1/2, 16 1/2,18 1/2 and 20 1/2 for girls who arent quite into juniors but out of kids sizes.
  • _piaffe
    _piaffe Posts: 163 Member
    canadjineh wrote: »
    I have some 'vintage' sewing patterns from the 60's.
    Size 10 had a 31" bust a 24" waist and a 33" hip
    Size 18 had a 38" bust a 30" waist and a 40" hip

    Vanity sizing.
    I took a size 5 (non stretch jeans) in the mid 80's when I weighed 120 lbs (5'8" 22yo), Today I take a size 2 at 138lbs (5'8" 54yo).

    Wow - crazy!

    I wonder though about height and overall "scale". I have had a 39" / 40" hip (may still at ~155)... but I am 5'11.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    _piaffe wrote: »
    canadjineh wrote: »
    I have some 'vintage' sewing patterns from the 60's.
    Size 10 had a 31" bust a 24" waist and a 33" hip
    Size 18 had a 38" bust a 30" waist and a 40" hip

    Vanity sizing.
    I took a size 5 (non stretch jeans) in the mid 80's when I weighed 120 lbs (5'8" 22yo), Today I take a size 2 at 138lbs (5'8" 54yo).

    Wow - crazy!

    I wonder though about height and overall "scale". I have had a 39" / 40" hip (may still at ~155)... but I am 5'11.

    WOW that is crazy size 10 is like size 00 now.
  • kristen8000
    kristen8000 Posts: 747 Member
    My Mom has similar stats as you, but she's 2" shorter and still in a 6/8 depending on brand.

    So I'm assuming in the last couple decades your body shape has changed. A lot will change since you were 18.

    Oh, and vanity sizing, but I still can't get that to work in my favor! LOL I'm 5'11, 142lbs and still wear a size 6. Depends on the way we are built and where we hold our fat. She's very slim at the bottom, with no butt or hips, whereas I've been blessed in those areas. I'm much narrow on top (slimmer shoulders, narrower chest).
  • Tblackdogs
    Tblackdogs Posts: 326 Member
    I NEVER wear smaller sized clothes. Partly because I like things looser but also because I carry all extra weight in my waist. I'm 5'4 and for one day in my 20's, I wore a size 6. I think I had dieted myself down to 128 pounds. Now when I weigh in the high 130s or low 140s I'm a size 10. I try very hard not to care what size I wear because I have some size 12 pants that look awesome on me. And I pretty much always wear a size large shirt. It's all so funny!
  • lois1231
    lois1231 Posts: 330 Member
    I weighed 165 in the 70s and wore a size 15/16. I am 250 right now and wear a size 18. yes sizes have changed.
  • horror_mama
    horror_mama Posts: 29 Member
    I'm in the same boat myself. I was 163 lbs about 11 years ago and could wear my size 10 Levis. Now, I'm 199 lbs and can wear a size 10 Levi jean. But, my leather pants from the early 90's (hey, it was cool), I can't fit into at all. Not even close. Now, I've had 2 children since then, so maybe.??
  • change4char
    change4char Posts: 85 Member
    Sizing is subjective. Here is a pic I took yesterday to show it. 52sdg9b5t9i1.jpg
  • campdawson
    campdawson Posts: 69 Member
    The body definitely changes after bearing children and entering middle age; I like to call it a redistribution of the wealth.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Yeah vanity sizing and clothing sizes have changed over the last few decades.
    I'm a UK size 8 now, I am now the same weight I was in my late teens/early 20s and back then I was a UK 12.
  • ilfaith
    ilfaith Posts: 16,769 Member
    Sizing is subjective. Here is a pic I took yesterday to show it. 52sdg9b5t9i1.jpg

    Those pants in front are from H&M, and their sizing is all over the map. But I know I have size 4 pants from there, and wear a 00 pretty much everywhere else, so your picture doesn't surprise me.
  • bacs
    bacs Posts: 40 Member
    At 5'2 and 135 lbs I fit into a size 4 Old Navy, at 98lbs in 1988, I wore a size 2. If you want an idea of your true size, look at vintage clothes patterns.
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,053 Member
    I have maintained the same weight/body size for 30 years (excluding pregnancy), and honestly, nothing about women’s clothes sizing makes any sense to me whatsoever. It’s just all over the map.
  • makinemjellis
    makinemjellis Posts: 91 Member
    I have two pairs of jeans, both from Eddie Bauer, both fit well. One's a 6, one's an 8. If you compare the waistline, the 6 is marginally bigger than the 8.
  • WilmaValley
    WilmaValley Posts: 1,092 Member
    I've wondered about this too, so thanks!
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
    Btw, I read that Marilyn Monroe would have been a size 4 or 6 today. She was like a 12 in her day. But that was decades ago. Crazy to think sizes might have changed that much even in the last 20 years!

    http://themarilynmonroecollection.com/marilyn-monroe-true-size/

    http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2012/04/marilyn-monroe-was-not-even-close-to-a-size-12-16/

    "As a direct example of her size, the white dress she wore in The Seven Year Itch was recently auctioned off and was put on a mannequin that was a size 2, but they were still unable to zip up the dress as the mannequin was too big. Many of her other dresses that exist from throughout her career match up to about the same, give or take an inch or two. That being said, Marilyn Monroe at times would have her dresses so tight they’d have to be sown onto her, so something more comfortable in a size 4-ish (American) and something like an 8 in the U.K. is probably more accurate with most brands, though it should be noted that a 22 inch waist in many popular American jean sizes today would be below a 0. So, again, the exact size is difficult to nail down thanks to the non-standardized sizing system we have today."

    From the second article.
  • 25lbsorbust
    25lbsorbust Posts: 225 Member
    Vanity sizing is insane nowadays. I had my current body comp when I was in High School (~7 years ago) and I was an 8 or 10 in jeans. I think my prom dress was an 8.5. Now, only 4ish pounds lighter, I'm a size 4 or 6, sometimes a 2 depending on the store.
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