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I finally thought of something worth asking. What were your clothing sizes at 18, and what are they now?
You don't have to answer with specific numbers (or at all) and can use bigger or smaller in specific categories, such as pants and dress shirt. If you're not 20 yet, you probably shouldn't bother replying.
If anyone is confused, wait a little while, and I'll give my own answer as an example.
At 18, probably a size 16. Now, at age 63, a size 10.
Went up to size 24W, down to a size 4. Stabilized at 10-12.
It's called "vanity sizing", and I think it became a thing over 20 years ago. Basically, sizing went down by about 4 sizes - meaning that a person who was a size 10 beforehand (say, in the 80's), would be a size 6 in the new vanity sizing. So people who were in big woman sizes of 20 or so beforehand, now could buy regular size 16.
It went along with the great increase in people being overweight or obese in the US.
Fact is, I'm probably about the same proportions as my mother was at this age. She was viewed as being quite overweight. Me, not so much, even though I'm about the same as she was at the same age. It's just that everyone got proportionally heavier.
I do believe the sizes were different "back then". When I was 18 I wore a junior size 7 even though I was 5'1" and weighed 102 pounds. I think the smallest size you could find then was a size 5. Now at 64, I wear a ladies' 6 or 8 and weigh 125 pounds.
It doesn't seem that sizes have changed here (Canada) any. My daughter is about the size I was at 18, and she's wearing the same sizes I was. I'm bigger, but my clothing size is proportional to what I was.
I thrift shop, though, and have run into some American clothing. I tried on a pair of shorts from Land's End recently, and holy moly they were huge! I picked them off the rack based on the size number, but they were at least two sizes (4 numbers) too big for me, slid right off.
Same size and build from 18 to 60s. Overly broad shoulders, top-heavy, no waist. Never changed. Hovered around size 10-12. Clothes never fit then, still don't.
I was like 5'6" 185 then. 32-34" waist I think - men's L or XL shirt. I was a daily weightlifter and had been using steroids on a cyclical basis for two years at that point. I got done to about 175 working construction, not eating much, etc., but quickly shot back up to 195 or so in college.
I weighed 238 this morning - 40" waist, XL or XXL shirt. Desk jobs, less activity, and more alcohol have put the weight on. I peaked at 252 earlier this year, so I have lost a bit.
At 18 ranged from 5-7.
Almost 25 years later, range from 8-12.
Depends on make, brand, etc.
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