a question I haven't had to ask since ... I may never have had to ask this question

[fox]

How much difference is there between clothing sizes? When, in other words, do I know if my clothes are actually Too Big instead of just Roomier Than I'm Used To?

Comments

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

There are variations even when you have two shirts of the same style, by the same manufacturer, bought in the same store on the same day -- most clothes in mall-type stores are machine-cut using 'template' garment pieces, so the garment on the top of the pile of cut fabric will be more true-to-size than the (bigger/slightly skewed/wider-sleeved) one that was on the bottom of the pile of fabric to be cut.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. But I meant generally speaking. :-) Also, I mean, of course I could go try on clothes in the next size smaller and see if they fit better. But if I have a strong suspicion that they won't, I'll save myself the trouble (and the irrational discouragement).

[strange-selkie.livejournal.com]

Oh! Umm. I would say if your clothes suddenly appear too long, that's a good indicator that things have gotten smaller. :)

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

That's what prompted me to ask the question, actually. We're all used to the fact that our jeans are the most snug right out of the wash, and roomier after we've worn them two or three times just before we throw them in the laundry again. So the fact that my pants sit at different places on my hips is no big thing, really, although at their snuggest they're looser now than they were, which yay. But I do feel like I'm walking on the hems, even if I haul the damn things all the way up as high as I can (= comedy waistline, even if they would stay up there on their own, which they won't), which I guess may mean there's less leg in there than there was.

Not than I can afford new pants at the moment. This has been today's experiment in unrolling the turned-up cuffs and wearing boots instead of sneakers with the boot-leg jeans. Live and learn.

[jgesteve.livejournal.com]

My judge are the questions: "how many time have I had to yank the pants back up?", "Is my belt causing bunches in the pants at places?" and "Can my shirt or top be described as 'billowing'?" If I can answer yes to any of those questions, it's time for a size smaller.

[jgesteve.livejournal.com]

I suppose I wouldn't answer "yes" to the first question, but you get the gist...

[thalia]

I think it depends on how they're supposed to fit. If they're falling off, definitely Too Big. If they're meant to be snug, but they're baggy, Too Big. If they're meant to be loose-fitting but they used to be snug, probably Roomier Than You're Used To.

[cordelia_v]

Well, if you bear in mind that I've been trying to postpone buying new (smaller) clothes for as long as possible, too . . . I'd say about 20 lb.s between sizes. That's as long as you can put it off, has been my experience.

For the time when you're between 10 and 20 lbs, belts are your friends. I bought two and wore them with everything, severely notched in, until the pants/skirts were simply too rutched in at the waist, even with the belt. Then I went down a size, and it fit snugly, but not too tightly.

That's for the Queen sizes, mind you. I guess that the difference between size 6 and size 8 might not be that many pounds. But I'll probably never find out, myself, since I'd be thrilled to achieve a size 12.

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

Ah. Well, I'm going from 16 to 14, and have lost 19 lbs and some change. So perhaps you're right.

[cordelia_v]

Oh, I'd bet you could wear a 14 now, in that case.

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

cordelia_v is probably right, at the 14/16 range. Of course, everything varies by body type. If you've a tape measure handy, you can measure yourself and see how you line up with online size charts, though that doesn't always work (for example, if the hip measurement on something is 42.5", I can wear it, even though I always get 48" when I measure myself. 42.5" hip measurement is a sz 14 in most of the manufacturers I buy from -- Ann Taylor, mostly, but other brands as well).

[glasshouseslive.livejournal.com]

When you need to wear a belt to help hold your pants/skirts up, and not as a fashion accessory, it's too big. If the sleeve seam (where sleeves are sown on to the main body of the blouse) drape more than an inch or two down your shoulder, it's too big.

Yay on the weight loss!