Clothing categories

I need help. I am sure in more than one way, but I can only ask so much of you My entire life I shopped in fat departments and stores. When I didn't I was a mohawked little kid shopping in thrift stores. So. What the heck is a misses size? womans size? juniors? HELP?!?! Are sizes different given the "department?" Where would you find an 8 and a 10 vs. a 9 and an 11? I'm not *****in', don't get me wrong...just need to know where to go when I can wander away from stuff with a W next to it

Ya know Peggy, I wish I could help but I was wondering the same thing! Today I went to Avenue to get some new jeans and thought to myself as I was leaving, I'm not going to know where to shop when I'm smaller, I can't remember shopping anywhere but Lane Bryant, Avenue, or Catherine's for possibly the last 15+ years! I did recently order a jacket from Eddie Bauer and was thrilled to be able to do that! The best day of my life is when I'll be able to cut up the darn "Fat Woman" store credit cards! Jan

OK young'ens I will try to explain this size thing to you. I think I can anyway. Misses sizes are even numbers like 6-8-10-12-14-18 and on. When Womens sizes were first starting to be made they just continued right on from there, with 20/22/24/26, etc. All of these misses and women's sizes are created with the Average Woman in mind. I think the height is usually 5'6", at least that's what I was always told. And being 5'6" they were usually the correct length for me. Petites have now taken the place of what were half sizes, (something I haven't seen in awhile) half sizes were for a shorter woman and also a woman that was shorter from the shoulder to the waist. But I believe most of the time now they are just called petites. Junior's like 9-11-13-15, etc. are just usually designs that are more for the young, they are sometimes also a little shorter through the whole garment, much as a young teen would be. The other issue you run into sometimes is that there will be 14, 16, 18, in places that will have the W after them. Meaning they are smaller woman's sizes but they are cut fuller and larger than the 14, 16, 18 that does not have the W. Lane Bryant and Specialty stores are usually the only ones that use the 14, and 16 that is a fuller cut size. Having said all of this there are bound to be companies that will try to make us feel better by using a smaller number and making the garment larger, but when they do, you usually pay a lot more money for the item. It really becomes a head thing. Also over the years the sizes have actually been made larger. I wore a size12 Jeans 35 years ago at 150 lbs. and today I am wearing a size 12 Jeans at 180 lbs. So it is a whole lot about marketing. If you have confusion just try on till you find what works *******ways found that when I was in the larger sizes that just used 1x, 2x, 3x. That I didn't get as good a fit, but had no choice but to wear what I could get, unless I was going to sew the items. And I won't start on the sewing sizes as that's a whole different ball game as well. Linda W.

Bless you Clothing Diva Don't worry about the sewing thing. My Mom cooked, never sewed. I don't do either LOL Not even a button.

Thank you Linda!! That was a GREAT explanation, I've always been confused about the crazy "size and Deptment" thing and havining two teenage daughters, we shop all departments, and try on lots of different sizes to find a good fit. my one daughter will fit in a size 3-4 or 0 depending on the store or manufactuer, and my other daughter (more like me at her age) will wear a 16 or 18, but w's are two big in the hips.....I never buy cloths for them any more as gifts because I never get it right (thank God for gift cards!!!) I get headaches just thinking about shopping for cloths with them. Now me on the other hand am starting to LOVE cloths shopping for myself, so many nice thing to wear in the smaller sizes and it ALWAYS amazes me when they fit or when I have to try on the next size down!!! Have a Great day everyone!!!

Thanks Linda, you made it all perfectly clear now! Jan

I went to Kohls and got some pants a few weeks back. They had them on sale. Well of course I went straight to the Women's section and couldn't find a 18 tall. I asked the lady there and she said to check in the Misses department. There they were. I couldn't believe that I was shopping in the Misses area. And to make it even better I got the pants for $2.00 less because they were considered Misses. That was an awesome moment for me.

$2 pants in a size 18 *sigh* that's like - heaven :D hehehehe