Really? A size 8 at 200 pounds?? WARNING: Clothing size rant

Thankfully I have never set a goal using clothing sizes.  Ideally, I would love to eventually be a true 8 or smaller, but it is not set in stone.  For heavens sake, I could wear a size 7 when I was 300 pounds, silly Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug Plus sizes.  Really?  I could not even fool myself with that silly nonesense.

So yes, I hear your frustration.  I get sad sometimes when I can still wear things that are 1x and 2x, but those honestly run small, which I would have been madder than the mad hatter about when I was larger. So you are right, we should wear what is comfortable and not care what the tag says.  

Lying to ourselves gets us no where.  I just ask God to give me an accurate perception of myself and go from there.

Right now I weigh about 205, I am 5'4" and I have clothes that fit me ranging from 2x to a size medium shirt.  Pants range from a size 20 to size 14.  Crazy right?

I am just enjoying getting smaller and am thankful the clothes take less room in the washer and dryer and well, I won't even get into being able to pack more in a suitcase.  :O)

For your entertainment: Do you remember when Lane Bryant had the sizes 0-8 or so in the "Right Fit"...well I am 5'6 1/2" and I currently weigh around 240, and am a size "5"....Eat your heart out!! Just kidding (but they really are a 5-just not a real 5).

But on the serious side, I think the 1 was rubbed off of the size 18 she is actually wearing!!

I, like you, hope that she does not stop trying to lose.

A size 14 is a little big, a 12 is a little small. I'm 5;2.5" and I weigh 154. If you ignore the extra skin on my stomach, butt, chest, arms and thighs, I have an hourglass shape. Some people seem to think this is a good thing, but they don't have to find clothes that fit.

I'll be lucky to be in a size 8 when I get to goal.

I guess its all in the body composition.

More power to her.

I've run into some strange sizes, but I have yet to get a size 8 past my knees.

Did you catch the brand? I could use some body dismorphic jeans.

I totally understand where you're coming from. The sizes are ridiculous! If you buy something stretchy and can cram yourself into it, and say, hey lookie at me, I wear a 10... well, I just find it silly...   It may help to keep in mind that people "wear" fat in lots of different ways. I'm pre-surgery, I weigh 260 and I wear a 20. No BS. I actually wear an 18 or 20, depending on the cut. I have a lot of weight in my boobs and legs, my legs are VERY thick, which I'm hoping changes post-surgery, but I can wear a "smaller" size than most women my weight, because my fat is distributed differently. When I was 220lbs a few years ago, I could wear a 14 in juniors easily....  but nothing smaller...  but I was still fat and still needed to drop a good 60lbs...   Have fun with looking great and wearing clothes that make you feel fantastic! I love the idea of forgetting about the tag... if it looks good and makes you feel like smiling all day, then WEAR it!  I'm just looking forward to getting back into "regular" clothes and not having to look for the largest size on the rack... right now, I have to hope they have an XL, or an 18/20 or I have to go to plus size, which always makes me feel like crap, plus, plus-size never seems to fit me right... always baggy in weird areas...   I don't think you sounded petty and jealous. You're being honest about your feelings, and wisely and maturely kept them to yourself and continued to support that woman. I think you did a great job!!!

I wonder what brand she bought.  It doesn't sound right.  You are right, sizes have changed quite a bit and they are all over the place.  You can't use them for any decision making at all. 

I hear exactly what you're saying.

I read your post and really got a good laugh. Size 8, my ass! No way in hell is a 200 pound 5'3" woman a size 8 in any freakin' label! It must have been a size 18 and she just didn't get it. Whatever.... more power to her.

Now my mom was 5'2" and never wieghed more than 130 to 135. She was built heavily and at her very thinnest was 115 and it didn't look good on her to be that weight. She looked great at 125. At one 125 she was a size 8 to 10. When she hit 130 she always *****ed because that meant she had to wear her size 12s.

I have a very good friend who shops in some retro clothing stores. She wears a contemporary size 0 or size 2 in petites. She is 5'1". She just bought a dress from the 1940s. Its a size 4. Hmmmm.......

Nice thing about most men's clothes is that other than cut (slim, straight, full, relaxed, etc...) for legs waist and chest sizes are in inches. A 30 is a 30 around the middle, but the legs may not be the right cut for more muscular legged guys like I am. I can pretty  much go to any store and know I'm a small or medium on top and a 30 or 32 waist in pants and trousers.

**** I am 5'7 and 149 lbs and there are MANY stores where the size 8 just zips up for me (and I have to jump up and down and squirm just to get them up LOL). I have a feeling this is like me claiming to be a size 0 just b/c my yoga pants are an x-small LOL Hey if ONE thing fits me in that size, I can claim it right?

I think the tags were mis marked or she just carries her weight in the upper body and not in the lower. I was a 8 in highschool and  jumped from 135 to 140. No way at 200lbs could i wear a size 8.

Thanks, everyone!  I feel a little less *****y and a little less crazy knowing you all think her size 8 sounds a bit insane too. 

Sizes have changed over the years for sure.  I weight 161, I am 5'3" and I am wearing stretchy Levis 512 jeans in a size 12. Some people will wear stuff that does not fit because they don't want to buy the next size up.  I really don't care what size I have to wear, as long as I am comfy and it looks good.  I tell you what, there are a lot more things that fit that criteria now than 4 months ago!