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Ladies would Ya'll Please Explain Womens Clothing Sizes to Me? It makes no sense
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I went pants shopping a couple of weeks ago. In the same trip, depending on the store, I was wearing between a size 4 and an 11. I don't get it at all. I find something I like and don't even look at the size, I just grab a few pairs and hope something might fit. How can I be wearing snug 11's at one place and go home with a size 4 from another?? Pisses me off. And now I'm finding that my pants are fitting too cozy in the quads. No wonder I prefer skirts. 
SteelWeaver
New member
Why inches anyway? What's wrong with centimetres?
And funny, magdalena, what you say about "dwarfs" in America. I live in Japan - you should see the clothes sizing here, S, XS, XXS, 3XS - EVERYTHING here is made for kids, as far as I can tell. Once I tried on a swimming suit that said 3XL on the label (the ONLY LL size item I found in WEEKS of looking) - I couldn't get both legs into it. Went home pretty depressed, I can tell you that.
Now I don't buy clothes here anymore - and I don't look at sizes when I go home to visit, because they all seem to have shrunk! I think everywhere just makes clothes for kids, then puts them in the "women's" department to make us feel bad.
Doo de doo de, it's all a CONSPIRACY!!!!
And funny, magdalena, what you say about "dwarfs" in America. I live in Japan - you should see the clothes sizing here, S, XS, XXS, 3XS - EVERYTHING here is made for kids, as far as I can tell. Once I tried on a swimming suit that said 3XL on the label (the ONLY LL size item I found in WEEKS of looking) - I couldn't get both legs into it. Went home pretty depressed, I can tell you that.
Now I don't buy clothes here anymore - and I don't look at sizes when I go home to visit, because they all seem to have shrunk! I think everywhere just makes clothes for kids, then puts them in the "women's" department to make us feel bad.
Doo de doo de, it's all a CONSPIRACY!!!!
women's clothing sizing just doesn't make much sense. it's waaaaaaay too variable, and really doesn't account for anything. Most of the time i'm a size 3 in jeans, yet sometimes i can be a 5 or even a 7, all depends! and i don't think these numbers make much sense to ANYONE really. i wish they would come up with a more 'universal' system, that was at least semi-logical, and ALL clothing brands would use, making it easier and less time consuming on us shoppers. it gets anoying having to take 4 different sized jeans into the fitting room, trying to 'guess' what size you are today.
All this craziness comes from the high fashion world. They want to convince all of us that if we are not super skinny then....guess what? we are fat. No in between, just very skinny or try to convince you that you are too big. And of course there is no permission for....eeek muscles!! 
You know I used to think that Women's clothing sizes were a bit strange. However, now that I have read this thread and had it explained to me it seems even stranger.
I mean it makes no sense whatsoever. Yes, there is some sort of method to the madness...but why was it set up this way in the first place. Probably better not think about it too long or my head might explode.
I mean it makes no sense whatsoever. Yes, there is some sort of method to the madness...but why was it set up this way in the first place. Probably better not think about it too long or my head might explode.
circusgirl
New member
the interesting thing is PATTERN clothing sizes appear to be standard, even from the US to the UK. I am a US 14/ UK 16 in regular sizes (12/14 in some stores) BUT I am a Simplicity/Vogue 18-20. This sizing was originally thought up after the war and despite minor adjstments has remained roughly consistent since then (correct me if I'm wrong). High street clothing has undergone size creepage since the 50s, patterns haven't due to a need for backwards compatibility. A 12 was originally designed as what a 12-year-old girl would wear.
Now, vintage sizes are another thing entirely. I know this as I bought some vintage UK16 dresses on ebay and they didn't fit around the bust area at all although th rest did (I passed them on to a TV friend instead, they fitted him just fine). Simply put, back in 1965 they had started to submit to size creepage already but expected women to have big asses and hips proportionally to their bust and so the proportions of the typical 16 dress is 36-34-40 rather than the modern 40-34-40. (after having 15 sprogs in 16 years, donchaknow).
I guess women are now bigger and more hourglass-haped than before? thoughts people?
circusgirl
(edited to remove some typos)
Now, vintage sizes are another thing entirely. I know this as I bought some vintage UK16 dresses on ebay and they didn't fit around the bust area at all although th rest did (I passed them on to a TV friend instead, they fitted him just fine). Simply put, back in 1965 they had started to submit to size creepage already but expected women to have big asses and hips proportionally to their bust and so the proportions of the typical 16 dress is 36-34-40 rather than the modern 40-34-40. (after having 15 sprogs in 16 years, donchaknow).
I guess women are now bigger and more hourglass-haped than before? thoughts people?
circusgirl
(edited to remove some typos)
Robert Jan
New member
magdelana
"These are amerikan sizes remember. In the Netherlands the numbers keep going higher as you become a woman. They do not begin again at 0 for adult sizes. Only a tiny baby could be a 0. "
Waar woon je in Nederland?
"These are amerikan sizes remember. In the Netherlands the numbers keep going higher as you become a woman. They do not begin again at 0 for adult sizes. Only a tiny baby could be a 0. "
Waar woon je in Nederland?
I think I'll start my own line of clothing...and everything will be size 4 or less...no matter how BIG it is..it will be a zize 4 or less.
I used to compete in Martial Arts...and they never had a Heavyweight class...they only went up to middleweight but had lightweight, featherweight, super-light, mini-light...etc...
B True
I used to compete in Martial Arts...and they never had a Heavyweight class...they only went up to middleweight but had lightweight, featherweight, super-light, mini-light...etc...
B True
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