I wanted to find out how many inches my waist, hips, etc, need to be in order to fit into my goal size clothes (8 or 10), so I did an online search. Boy, this has been a little confusing, to say the least. Apparently since the majority of women no longer have an "hourglass" shaped figure, but a "pear" shaped one instead, standardized sizing has somewhat gone out the window. I have found two links to charts, however, and wanted to share them with anyone interested.

This link confused me in the neck sizing (seemed small) and "women's" sizes started at 38 (which seems awfully large) but the other info seemed believable.

http://www.fiber-images.com/Free_Thi...asurements.htm

This link had a simpler chart:
http://www.dharmatrading.com/info/sizing.html

If anyone has any other info on this, I'd love to see it!

Mada

Summer Challenge Stats:
204/204/174 by 6/21

Overall Stats:
215/204/160-140 (size 8-10)
Re-re-started LC 1/5/04

"Self delusion is pulling in your stomach when you step on the scales." - Paul Sweeney

Hi:

I have found that sizes vary by the designer and the manufacturer. Some on this forum said that the more expensive clothes are roomier. I have found just the opposite. Also, your mileage may vary. I have been amazed at the low sizes that some of us can get into at a weight larger than mine. I chalk it up to YMMV. I'm tall and have rather sizable hips, evidently. They don't look it to me, but I can't seem to get lower than 14 in size. Go figure!

Peace, Peg
1/1/03
205/173/155
5'8"

It definately depends on the brand. I work at Lane Bryant and our clothing line is Venenzia. I know for a fact they run a bit larger than the average because I can wear a size 14 in that line and fit in a pair of 16 in Gap. As far as inches to size, I believe we consider a size 18 to be 38inches in the waist. But thats average and ever pair fits differently depending on style, cut, etc. Even the same jeans in different dyes will fit different.

But thats just for Lane Bryant...so I dont really know if thats for everyone else also. Hope that helps!!

"We've Only Just Begun"
- The Carpenters
260lbs 5/00
231lbs 8/15/03 (began Atkins)
189lbs now
150lbs goal
Size 22 to a 16..not bad!
www.sdsymphony.org

I have taken to only buying one brand name of jeans--and dress pants--then I know for certain I can order the darned things and they will fit--Lee fits me nicely! I couldn't wear the same size in Chic I wear in Lee and Levis don't fit right at all. My waist is exactly 38 but my 18 misses jeans waistband is 36 1/2 inches by the tape measure. My 18W jeans the waist band is 38 1/4 inches. They fit perfectly--the 20s in the same brand are exactly the same distance at the waist38 1/4 but they are bigger in the hips and thighs. I can almsot wear my 16 dress pants by Lee Casuals. . .they fit like my 18 misses jeans. So there is some descrepancy even within the same manufacturer, but for hte most part I can go pick u an 18W and wear it comfortably. A short 8 weeks ago that size was a 22W. go figure--anyway, I second the thought that there is no "normal" except for every cuta nd manufacturer and fabric type. I have 22s and 20s ready to leave my house. . .any takers??? hehehe

232/201.5/130

If you can conceive it and believe it, you can achieve it!

I think it is also the brand I notice when I attempt to buy anything cheap they almost never fit but whenever I puchase name brand clothing like BEBE or Benneton it fits perfect. I also thinks it depend on the fit the low-rider jeans seem to fit no one but people with pankcake flat butts.Also the target buyers affect the fit in stores like abercrombie and fitch and other younger hip stores.I have size 6,8,10 all from diffrent companys that fit me.

Start Date Feb 23,2004
70/67,5/60

I too am a different size dependning on the brand. I agree that Lane bryant and also New York & Co, run big. I was a size 14-16 for most of my life and the other day i went NY and Co and had to buy the dress shirts xs, i was kinda excited that soon i won't be able to shop their at all! (for the tops only) Eventhough my waist is a 29, my hip are a 43!, so even when i get to my goal weight, if i'm still a 40 on the hips, i will still go to NY and Co for pants, maybe even Lane Bryant.

Started 3/20/03 thru 9/2003
Restarted 1/2/04, this time i will finish what i started.

180-154-140 http://img24.photobucket.com/albums/...rofile_pic.jpg

Boy this is subject not near and dear to my heart. I have spent way too much time trying to locate clothing that fits properly. A size 8 is not a size 8 is not a size eight, lol.

One big thing I noticed is that the low cut jeans seem to fit me in the hip and thighs but I get a huge gap at the back giving me that plumber kind of look if I crouch down.

So far the only brand I have gotten that consistently fits me well is Riders by Lee, and also some Lee jeans. Dockers usually fit pretty good, unless they are made with Lycra.

Libby

174/142/138

RIMA!!!!!waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaait a doggone second there.. i just was JACKED to get a pair of the low rider jeans..and now you say i have a PANCAKE BUTT???? !!!!! well all i have to say to you is.. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! *grinning from ear to ear*...

NEW BLOOD! go easy on me.. i'm a rookie..

I worked at a small clothing store for several years.. it always amazed me that the EXACT same size in the EXACT same brand and style would be even up to 2 inches different size in the waist,,, finally i asked my boss what was up with that.. (lee jeans and levi ..so they were name brands not seconds) and she told me that in the factory they cut such HUGE stacks of material at the same time.. that the top is usually WAY smaller than when the machine gets to the bottom of the stack..
also.. junior jeans are narrower in the hip and thigh than the same size of missy or womens sizes..
in mens jeans we were told to figure twenty inches from a womens size.. (if you wear size 12 that a mens 32 would be about right... of course.. men have no hips so that could be a problem if a person had HIPS god forbid..*grin*)

NEW BLOOD! go easy on me.. i'm a rookie..

bras are a pain in the a** too... i could use that tape measure and find that the 42 was ACTUALLY only about a 24 when you measure it *grumble*... of course THEY too vary WILDLY from brand to brand and style to style... i for one am TOTALLY JACKED about finally getting back into a 36 -38 where i can get some cute sets without going to a specialty shoppe... *HUGE smile*

heck yeah,, you can call me PANCAKE BUTT!!! *thanks rima*

You all are too funny!

Kim, you crack me up!

It's really ridiculous that the sizes vary so much. Makes clothing shopping frustrating and time consuming.

My original goal here was to find out what size waist and hips I needed to be considered a size 10 or size 8. That way, I have in my mind how many more inches I need to shave off. I guess I'll just take an average of what I've found.

Mada

Summer Challenge Stats:
204/204/174 by 6/21

Overall Stats:
215/204/160-140 (size 8-10)
Re-re-started LC 1/5/04

"Self delusion is pulling in your stomach when you step on the scales." - Paul Sweeney

Kim,
Secrectly while trying on the cutest pair of lo-riders in the dressing room I try to suck my but in to get that pancake flatness but all I end up with is overflowing plummer but.Its also hard for me since I have a very small waist and thunder thighs and a large rare end.

Start Date Feb 23,2004
70Kilos/67,5kilos/60kilos

I find that clothes for the pass 15yrs or so are made big...when i was a teen i use to wear like size 28...but today the size 28 is bigger..even today i take a size 8-10...the sizes are bigger than 20yrs ago...i guess the clothes maker made them bigger as the population got bigger if you compare with the 50-70's...i use to work in clothing on the road and the ceo of this company that i worked for, she worked all her life all over the world for clothing...she said the same thing...most europeen sizes are smaller than the Western side (usa and canada)...i wear a size 8 and 10 depending at 150lbs...in the olden days someone of 150 would wear like a size 12...but heh...Marilyn Monroe was a size 16 and look how beautiful she looked!

lan

To Love is to risk not being loved in return. To try is to risk failure. But risk must be taken. Because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

Mada, I'm a 140 pounds and wear a size 10. I buy most of my clothing from Penney's because their 10 fits me reasonably well. Their size charts list the 10 as 28-28 1/2 inches in the waist and 38 1/2-39 inches in the hips so I imagine my measurements fall within those ranges. It was interesting what you said about clothing no longer being sized for hour-glass figures. No wonder I have a hard time finding clothes that fit no matter what size I wear because I have the classic hour-glass shape.

Esther

rima.. welllllll i USED to want to have a round butt... then i got a HUGE butt.. so now i am happy to have the flat one again... now if i could just get the REST of me flat..*L*

heck yeah,, you can call me PANCAKE BUTT!!! *thanks rima*