Women's clothing sizes are larger now?

Thanks! Good points all of them.

Sizes have changed a lot. When I was a teenager and was 115 # and had a 25 inch waist, I wore a size 9 pants. Now I'm 55, have a 33 inch waist, weigh about 123 and I wear a size 7 in pants

definitely sizes have changed. When i was wearing 4/6's in today's clothes I was wearing size 8's in older '90's clothing. Why?

• One big reason is boobs. I have always had big boobs and I think clothing now is being designed a little more generously in the chest (maybe the popularity of implants?).
• Another thing...spandex/lycra...good luck finding women's clothing anywhere without a bit of stretch. I am now in a size 2 pant because of it. without it, I'd be a 4 for sure. I used to have to buy a size or two higher to get pants to fit my thighs and then get taken in at the waist. with spandex you can buy to fit the waist and the rest will adjust.
• also age/childbirth/fat distribution. I look of pictures of me at this weight when i was younger and I looked heavier. no question. Perhaps it is the years of carrying around an extra 100lbs has given me high bone density and therefore heavy bones and probably more muscle. so I look smaller at the same weight, I can tell by trying on old clothes that my hips are waaaay slimmer now. I am definitely carrying it in different places. I definitely recommend a dexa scan, i wouldn't wait. I do them every 3 months. it will tell you if you are losing muscle or fat so you can adjust. do it now and in the 130's. I decided to stop here after my latest dexa scan (where I was originally going try to go lower).
• Location. This surprised me. a size 2 in Canada should be the same as a size 2 in the US, especially coming from the same store or designer, yet I swear they are cut bigger in the US. when I was just starting to fit 4 in Canada, I was starting to fit 2 in the US.