female only Clothing Sizes: What do they even mean anymore?!?!?

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@higher Well IGIGI caters to the larger ladies, so they are going to be polite to their core customer. Since people are in different stages of their weight loss I thought these charts would be helpful so here is something for everyone. There are people here that start very high, lose 200 pounds and are still plus size but now they have a shape, so this might help them.

@@Cervidae

Try wearing tight all black and take a picture of yourself. Sometimes we can see ourselves better in a picture than in the mirror because the picture is more abstract.

[KristenLe 5,979]

I truly cannot figure out what body shape I am. I just can't make that connection or recognize it. This is annoying. :/

I can't either. I don't think I'm any of them - I'm more like a circle.

[theantichick 2,204]

I'm definitely a pear. A more round-ish pear than I used to be. When I was at my thinnest (size 10) I had a 13-14" difference between my waist and hips. Finding pants to fit me was hellish. My waist has gotten wider so the difference between my waist and hips is only about 10" now, but if I get pants to fit my waist and hips, the thighs are too tight. I'm hoping to shape things up a bit more with this weight loss.

I'm dreading the clothing challenge. I HATE clothes shopping. HATE it. I hate trying things on. I'll buy things I think will fit, then when they don't give them to Goodwill rather than return them. Sizes go all over the place, even within the same store. I hate it. But I have to get over it, because as my sizes change, I'll have to have a few wardrobe pieces that fit at each stage.

I'm planning a lot of drawstring maxi skirts. :/

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I posted this in the ladies area because mens sizes are more standard and they don't have the issues we have.

When I was a size 28, I just wanted to be an 18. That was goal for years to just be an 18 like in college and I would be happy. Pre-op last year I decided I wanted to be a 12 because well, Gucci.

As I have been losing I have hitting lower sizes faster than I thought with my weight being higher than I thought, I have to re-evaluate what size I think I will be comfortable at. I have resolved all my health issues already so whatever weight I lose now is just a bonus.

I currently wear anything from a 14, sometimes a 12, and I can wear a juniors 13. The last time I was this size was in HS, but I weighed 40 pounds less. I'm pretty sure when I actually lose the 40-50 pounds I want to lose over the next year, I will end up a 10, a European size 10. Maybe even smaller after plastics. I know a lot of this has to do with the level of muscle mass I have, which I fight very hard to keep, by working really hard to keep my Protein up.

That was just the back story to my real reason for posting. I think women get too caught up in sizes and what sizes mean to us.

I spend 3-6 hours a week trying on clothes at least two times a month. I have to try on every single thing I buy, and wear it within 2-3 weeks because my body is changing so much and everything is shifting.

Clothing sizes vary so wildly by cut, material, and manufacturer, that the numbers are really meaningless. Even measuring yourself and going by your exact measurements is useless.

Some stores have vanity sizing but a lot of clothes come from asia now and are cut much smaller. Also juniors sizing is very pervasive without it always being crystal clear that it is juniors sizing.

What was/is your goal size? Have you adjusted that goal? Are you smaller in the end than what you thought you would be? Do you wear a range of sizes even at a stable weight?

I do not have a goal size because I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what size/sizes will fit me when I get to goal. As you said, sizes are pretty meaningless.

I just want to be able to wear clothes that fit me and that are well made and comfortable.

What aggravates me as I start to be able buy more clothes off-the-rack is how hard it is to find clothes that are practical fans well made.

Everything seems to be made of synthetics and cut for teenagers (sheer, flimsy, skinny straps, too short, no pockets, etc).

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

PS, I have ALWAYS been a plus size. I went from girls 6x to plus sizes. Shopping in stores has ALWAYS been a torture for me.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I found this and I wanted to share it. I know a lot of people have issues with what styles suit them after losing weight.

I am a full-busted (now floppy), pear.

[KristenLe 5,979]

I'd say apple on this chart.

[needtorecover 574]

I detest our sizing system... but it's impossible to fix :\ Lane Bryant tried a few years ago with different colors indicating pear shaped, apple shaped, or hourglass and then numbers indicating actual size, and then tall vs. average vs. petite. Then you'd pick out your green tag with size 3 and tall legs (that was me). Didn't work out though because even then everyone's shape was so variable.

I advocate we each get our own personal tailor, as that is the only way we will be well dressed

That being excessively costly, I just wing it. Lane Bryant is still coming through for me (even though they're expensive) and my size is pretty consistent so I imagine I'll find a favorite shop and stick with it when I'm thin (Gap or Old Navy most likely since that's where I used to shop as a skinny Minnie). If I feel like boutique shopping I'll just try stuff on and see what happens! Hope I get there one day!

[theantichick 2,204]

I detest our sizing system... but it's impossible to fix :\ Lane Bryant tried a few years ago with different colors indicating pear shaped, apple shaped, or hourglass and then numbers indicating actual size, and then tall vs. average vs. petite. Then you'd pick out your green tag with size 3 and tall legs (that was me). Didn't work out though because even then everyone's shape was so variable.

I advocate we each get our own personal tailor, as that is the only way we will be well dressed

That being excessively costly, I just wing it. Lane Bryant is still coming through for me (even though they're expensive) and my size is pretty consistent so I imagine I'll find a favorite shop and stick with it when I'm thin (Gap or Old Navy most likely since that's where I used to shop as a skinny Minnie). If I feel like boutique shopping I'll just try stuff on and see what happens! Hope I get there one day!

And I miss the hell out of those sizes!! Lane Bryant Blue tall pants were the only ones that ever in my entire life fit me off the rack! ::pout::

[MinaDina 89]

In my mind I say Im cool if I make it to like at 16 or an 18...whatever that is. My body is super weird like for the last 10 years I've been in 26/28 pants, but at the same time I've gained roughly 75-100 lbs. I somewhat dread the changes coming, because I wont be able to pop online to my trusted plus size retailers and just order. Im not a shopper, never have been, never will be. Going into clothes shops and having to actually try on clothes is pure torture for me. I think my plan of action is going to just be to wear dresses for the next 6 months, at least I can get a few wears out of them unlike pants that just fall off(for some strange reason none of my work pants have belt loops).

It's never too late, until its too late

[wonder woman 12 36]

Dress are my plan until I hit goal.... only 3 weeks out, looking forward to a healthier me...

surgery date was a size 18/20. Thinking a 12 should be good for my age ..(50) can't figure out my body type. .but thanks for all the charts and lovely comments

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using the BariatricPal App

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@theantichick

I have to say I HATED clothes shopping with a passion. I would avoid it at all costs and spend my money on designer hand bags instead. It's funny because when you carry a gorgeous handbag, people ask about it instead of what the hell you are wearing.

Anyway, once I lost enough weight that I was literally drowning in my clothes I was forced to go shopping. I did, and I began to find more clothes that would fit me. I found it to be super motivating to get the hell out of plus size clothes. At about 70lbs lost I could no longer even wear anything in lane Bryant and before you knew it I was shopping anywhere and everywhere.

I enjoyed it so much that once I went into a dressing room during the holidays at Macy's. The dressing room was loaded with clothing others had tried on and left in there. Things I would never consider trying on.

Well, while my poor hubby sat in the hubby chair and waiting. I put on a fashion show for him. I tried on stuff I would never buy just because I could fit in it. It was the funnest shopping trip ever. I ultimately ended up with what I went in to find (sweater dress) and 3 other outfits that my hubby loved on me.

I now LOVE shopping for clothes. I would bet my hatred before had everything to do with being so fat, looking in the mirror and hating myself and never finding anything that fit right. I also lived a life of black and navy.

Now, I have every color of the rainbow and they look good on me!

[Daniellewi 69]

I am also proud to say I am out of the black and grey life and have moved out of my comfort zone to color in my life. It's awesome!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N915A using the BariatricPal App

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I tried on jackets in Sam's club today will grabbing some meat to grill this weekend. I/My family have been members at Sam's for at least 2 decades and I could never fit the clothes there, which was always disappointing because they have real deals.

The size L 12/14 jackets fit me fine (buttoned nicely etc), even though my arms are large and my boobs are ridiculous. I will probably go with that size in the fall. It is nice to be able to grab a large and not have to go for the largest size possible and pray it works.

I am pretty consistently a 12/14 now, so I am going to stop with the 16s and give up on juniors plus.

So now I am completely out of Plus sizes in Womens and Juniors so this is a whole new world.

At 223 pounds I thought I would still solidly be in plus sizes. I think before this is all over I will be a size 8 maybe? I can't even wrap my head around that.

[Thecloude1 342]

Clothes are so frustrating to me!! I'm down to 229 lbs, but I'm still huge! Size 20-22 pants depending of the brand and between a 2x and 3x shirts [emoji107]????[emoji107]????