Just a rant here... Womens pants sizes. WTF?

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  • loubeth22
    loubeth22 Posts: 72
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    Hehe, I'm the same. Mr Man thinks I'm so unfemine because I hate shopping more than anything.

    Monday I went shopping for a dress to wear to his fancy work function. Store #1 I was a 12-14 and nothing sat right, Store #2 I was a 10-12 and needed to either go buy some chicken fillets to wear with them or go braless. Then I decided to try a 'formal attire' shop even though I really didn't want to spend a heap. I got a sexy little black thing in a dressmakers size 8 (this is the only standardized measurement I've ever seen) which fit perfectly. The sales lady told me that they make all their dresses to the standard and then if you go in and it sits a little off they can take it in or let it out as needed for a small fee, she also offered to "pad the cleavage area just so" to "maximize the assets". I nearly died.:laugh: I shall be shopping tailored clothes from now on.
  • Rockmyskinnyjeans
    Rockmyskinnyjeans Posts: 431 Member
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    I have this weird quirk when it comes to ever ordering online, especially because I basically live in the middle of nowhere. When I get a chance to go to the city and go to the mall, I make a day of trying on clothes at all the stores I like to order from. Then I write down the sizes. If I want to buy that day, then I do, but if I don't, then I can come home and order later at my convenience. As for the size thing... all stores/brands are different, even within the same store. You pretty much cannot blindly pick something off the rack and walk to register to pay without first trying it on. I can still remember when it wasn't so much like that...
  • JeaninePaige
    JeaninePaige Posts: 464 Member
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    While I agree it is aggravating, there are several reasons why it could happen. Depending on where the particular garment you are trying on was in the 'cut pile', it will be larger or smaller. Which means that even the same size from the same manufacturer in the same style could fit differently! Also, and this was something I only learned when my daughter became a teenager, even sizes are 'women's' and odd sizes are 'junior's'. Clothes cut for women are different than clothes cut for juniors.... women's are a bit roomier in the hips generally... there were other differences, but I don't remember then all now. So you may want to go somewhere and try on women's sizes and junior sizes and see which seem to have the right cut for you and then try on several pair of the same style/size pant and see if you find one that fits.
    Frustrating.... absolutely... but, you are looking for clothes in a smaller size (most likely) and that is amazing!

    This is so true and great info I didn't know. :)
    I will do that! I had no clue about the odd and even sizes being cut differently.
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,230 Member
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    I'm right with you on that. I'm bordering on getting into a 6 at one store, but bordering almost too big for an 8 at another. I've measured and know that 8 is my size, but having to try everything on to make sure that 8 is THEIR size 8 is infuriating at times.

    Same for BRAS. If the size is the same, then any differences should be in the front, depending on if you're trying to lift, let loose, push up, spread out, spin tassels, go bare, distract, heave over each shoulder, etc. YTF is this 34" band that goes around the body not the same length as that 34" one?!

    There are also a few stores that inflate the range of their lower sizes, too... *cough*OldNavy*cough*... so someone who normally wears an 8 could easily fit into a 6 and possibly a 4 if their hips aren't wide. I'd rather honest sizing than false hope, ya know?
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
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    There should really just be standard measurements, it would make life so much easier.
    Like how men's pants are like 32x34, etc? :( Ugh.

    Men's sizes aren't really as simple as that, the waist sizes aren't really what they claim to be.

    I have a friend that wore size 34 when his waist was 38 inches, and they were loose on him. I recently borrowed a pair of size of his shorts, size 36, and they were bigger than my hips. My hips are 40 inches!
  • julesw734
    julesw734 Posts: 100
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    So true.. I am now a 11 or 10 petites, but my big problem is the length of the pants.. I am 5 foot so everything I buy is to long and I have to take it to a seamstress to get the length altered.. I never know what size to wear.. luckily I love to wear belts.. Slacks are worst than Jeans are..
  • JeaninePaige
    JeaninePaige Posts: 464 Member
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    There should really just be standard measurements, it would make life so much easier.
    Like how men's pants are like 32x34, etc? :( Ugh.

    Men's sizes aren't really as simple as that, the waist sizes aren't really what they claim to be.

    I have a friend that wore size 34 when his waist was 38 inches, and they were loose on him. I recently borrowed a pair of size of his shorts, size 36, and they were bigger than my hips. My hips are 40 inches!

    Oh jeez, then I feel for the men, too!
    I've always just seen a lot of them go into the store, grab a folded pair of pants, buy 'em and be fine.
  • rbl1225
    rbl1225 Posts: 235 Member
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    So true.. I am now a 11 or 10 petites, but my big problem is the length of the pants.. I am 5 foot so everything I buy is to long and I have to take it to a seamstress to get the length altered.. I never know what size to wear.. luckily I love to wear belts.. Slacks are worst than Jeans are..

    I learned the word petite and short on pants mean if you are about 5' 4 I am just under 5 ft and it sucks. I have learned the perfect art of folding without leaving a crease and not having to sew it :P and anytime I have to wear any sort of dress pants I just want to light them on fire

    had to edit its late and I can't spell :P
  • ang3h
    ang3h Posts: 185 Member
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    I hate pants. Every brand has a different sizing and most brands are not geared toward short girls with wide hips. It is so hard to find a flattering pair of pants.
  • jlynnet
    jlynnet Posts: 5 Member
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    its the same thing for us bigger girls! there is the 16 and 16w which are two totally different things and yet... sometimes their not. recently Lane Bryant (okay, it was a couple of years ago) introduced their new fit concept by your shape and started numbering their jeans 1,2,3,4 and then a shape circle, square, triangle that corrosponds to your body shape. The sales lady the first I heard of this was explaining it to me and I cut her off with a "well that's it, I am not buy jeans here anymore!" how horrible! not just to figure out your "shape" but to then try on the jeans and a 1 in this shape has no relation to a 1 in another shape. Add to that the fact that I am a 6 footer with a 34 - 36" inseam and you have a resipe for violence!
  • loubeth22
    loubeth22 Posts: 72
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    There should really just be standard measurements, it would make life so much easier.
    Like how men's pants are like 32x34, etc? :( Ugh.

    Men's sizes aren't really as simple as that, the waist sizes aren't really what they claim to be.

    I have a friend that wore size 34 when his waist was 38 inches, and they were loose on him. I recently borrowed a pair of size of his shorts, size 36, and they were bigger than my hips. My hips are 40 inches!


    Oh jeez, then I feel for the men, too!
    I've always just seen a lot of them go into the store, grab a folded pair of pants, buy 'em and be fine.



    My Mr Man has put on an awful lot in the bottom region due to some hetic work hours and lots of weights (not complaining, just really jealous), he went into one shop to get a replacement for some jeans he bought that split right along the crotch :wink: and nearly cried when he couldn't find the exact same pair. Turns out he went from a 32 waist long to a 34 long and 36 regular. Weird how the leg changed with the waist...
  • JeaninePaige
    JeaninePaige Posts: 464 Member
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    I hate pants. Every brand has a different sizing and most brands are not geared toward short girls with wide hips. It is so hard to find a flattering pair of pants.

    THIS! I have both problems. :(
  • cersela
    cersela Posts: 160 Member
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    There are also a few stores that inflate the range of their lower sizes, too... *cough*OldNavy*cough*... so someone who normally wears an 8 could easily fit into a 6 and possibly a 4 if their hips aren't wide. I'd rather honest sizing than false hope, ya know?

    Seriously Old Navy seems to be the worst offender. There was a time I fit in jeans 4! sizes different there than my size at other stores.

    I also hate shoe sizes, I wear between a 9 and 11 depending on the brand, I can't order shoes online unless they have a decent return policy.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    And don''t forget clothing cut for juniors (typically odd sizes) are cut slimmer in the thighs, and with less waist definition. So if you happen to have big butt/wide hips/or a very defined waist, the waist is going to be way too big.

    Typical missses sizes are cut with about a 9-10 difference in waist and hips. Juniors is more like 7.

    Also, sizing charts can be hilarious. Some people cut differently for dresses, pants and skirts. (Notoriously Calvin Klein) Jeans are about 2 inches smaller than pants which are about 1 inch smaller than the dresses.
  • LisaH1967
    LisaH1967 Posts: 332 Member
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    I totally agree with you. I'm taking my mom clothes shopping tomorrow and not really looking forward to finding some pants that fit.
  • Long_and_Lean
    Long_and_Lean Posts: 175 Member
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    The reason for this is because of the different fabrics used. I can fit into a smaller spandex/denim pair of jeans, while a nice dress pant probably wont stretch as much for me.

    Its all in the fabric.

    And the cut. If you have broad hips or a full behind, you'll probably have to go up a size or two in skinny jeans. Women that carry their weight in their stomach but are far heavier than I am tend to wear a smaller pants size than me because they don't have broad hips. Consider the cut *and* fabric and then double check pants sizes. I find that I'm a 12/14 across the board when I do that.
  • Ray50296
    Ray50296 Posts: 58 Member
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    Or they go up in increments of two, and you would be the inbetween size that they don't even make.
    That's where I Always am! lol

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