FAT & FASHION: The Sizes, They are a Changin’

I’ve gone from a size 22 to a 14 and occasionally a 12. That’s a halleluiah moment in Pat-land. But I think it also contributed to my plateau.

BC (Before Children), I was a size 12. That was the early 80s. Everyone says you never get back to the pre-baby size. My original goal was to be a 14. So I hit goal, right? I mean, diet done. I’m already there. Wrong! The sizes they are a’ changin’.



There are 2 types of people from my generation who know their measurements: beauty contest gals and women who sew. While I personally don’t sew much, my mother and grandmother did. I remember what my BC measurements were. Today, I’d be a 6 … maybe even a 4. Let me repeat that. What used to be a 12 is now 6 or a 4.



In the 1970’s and 80’s, you couldn’t be 50 pounds overweight, like I am, and be a 14. I’ve brought this up to a few people. The prevailing wisdom is “clothes are getting smaller.” That’s like gaining 20 pounds and blaming the dryer for shrinking your jeans. America has gained weight and sizes have adapted to accommodate it.



Recently, I got a Lands End catalog and there are a couple of things I liked. When you’ve lost 73 pounds, you’re not sure what size to buy, so I consulted their chart. According to that, I’m a 16 to 18. I don’t care what number I am, but I wish reality were consistent with the size charts. I just donated a bunch of Land’s End 18s to Goodwill, because I swim in them. Seriously, the pants fell in gathers over my tush. Regular pants with a zipper and button could be pulled off without undoing either.




In Pat-land, size charts are consistent with the actual clothes.