Boutique sizing runs small, to flatter the buyer. I wouldn't put much on a tag size - ever, at all - really.

Ok, so am I just wearing the wrong clothes? I am 5'8 and 145 and I wear a size 10/12 - not an 8, and certainly not a 4 or 6. What is wrong with me?

Depends on your build, where you carry your weight, and what brands you wear. A size 8 in Gap or Old Navy is like a size 12 in other brands.

Ok, so am I just wearing the wrong clothes? I am 5'8 and 145 and I wear a size 10/12 - not an 8, and certainly not a 4 or 6. What is wrong with me?

18:28 here - I want to clarify I know most American women are overweight, I don't think 12-14 is necessarily healthy. Just wondering what size most people feel healthiest at.

The average American adult female is a size 12 or 14 (I forget which). What size do most of you feel most comfortable being? Seems like people in this thread seem to think 6 and up is on the heavy side . . .

It really depends on both your frame and bone size. If you have small bones and a small frame, then 140 is on the heavy side for 5'8--I say this because I am 5'10, have small bones and a large frame and am a 4/6 at 140--look thin, but not anorexic. If you have large bones (which is different than frame--so says my trainer), then 140 may be ok. I almost always ignore the scale, though and go for clothes fit.

PP. I am glad I'm not the only one. I'm 4'11" and 130 and a size 4. I'm very fit and muscular. Most people guess my weight at 110. I do have a little weight I could lose in my tummy, but not that much.

Anonymous wrote:
I"m 5'4" and weight 150, but I fit easily into a size 6

I'm impressed, PP, you must be really fit or muscular if you fit into a size 6 with that weight and height. I am 5'5" and 130 and sometimes a 6 is too small, but I'm not muscular at all.

I'm the 5'4" 150 poster. I am quite fit - I'm a runner and I do marathons. I'm not fanatic about my weight, but I know I must not "look" like 150, because when I go to the doctor and they put me on that big old fashioned scale, the nurses always look at me, set it at 100, and start slowly sliding up the weight like they expect me to be 120. A few times they even moved me to a different scale because they assumed the one just had to be broken. But no, I'm really 150 lbs and size 6 at my height. I do have massive calves, maybe that is where I keep all my weight.

I'm 5'7, so one inch smaller, and weigh about 118. I'm thin but not freakishly so. I wear a size 2. Wore a size 0 when I was 114, which actually was too thin, but still not emaciated or anything.

At 118 I definitely have some body fat (I do agree with others that if she's muscular, it could be a completely different type of build).

I've been heavier and still felt / looked fit, but even 10 lbs more and I'd feel very heavy. I think 20 lbs more, even with that extra inch, would be on the heavier side of normal.

Not overweight, but probably not thin, as some posters are suggesting. If she's very fit / muscular, she might be built like a brick shit house and she may look great, but I don't think the perception could ever be "thin."

Anonymous wrote:I admit that I have a very slender physique but I am the same the height as you and weigh about 120. I am thin but definitely not stick thin (wear a size 2 not zero). But if I gained another 20 pounds that would be way too big for my comfort level.

So someone that is 5'8 and 120lb can wear the same clothes as someone who is 5'5 and 145lb? Seems unlikely.

I admit that I have a very slender physique but I am the same the height as you and weigh about 120. I am thin but definitely not stick thin (wear a size 2 not zero). But if I gained another 20 pounds that would be way too big for my comfort level.

Anonymous wrote:I"m 5'4" and weight 150, but I fit easily into a size 6

I'm impressed, PP, you must be really fit or muscular if you fit into a size 6 with that weight and height. I am 5'5" and 130 and sometimes a 6 is too small, but I'm not muscular at all.

I'm 5'5" and 140-145 and wear a size 4-6; in dresses sometimes a 2. Like the other poster I am pretty rock solid and I do have a larger frame; very big hands,large wrists etc. Ppl assume I weigh 120-125. I have never been a fan of the scale for judging fitness. I had a roommate that was 20lbs less than me but wore a size 10.

Anonymous wrote:I"m 5'4" and weight 150, but I fit easily into a size 6

I'm impressed, PP, you must be really fit or muscular if you fit into a size 6 with that weight and height. I am 5'5" and 130 and sometimes a 6 is too small, but I'm not muscular at all.

I agree- I am the 5'9 and 130lb PP from above, and I wear a 4 or 6.

Sounds average (on the thinner side of average) to me, although I agree it depends on your frame and how much muscle you have. For comparison, I am 5'9 and have a very small frame, and I work out (weights and cardio) 5-6x/wk. At 140lb on my frame, it looks a little heavy (in my hypercritical opinion). But at 130lb (my "normal" weight), I am called "tiny".

Since you are not working out, at 5'8 and 140lb I am guessing you are not very toned. So perhaps you would want to work on that to feel better?

I"m 5'4" and weight 150, but I fit easily into a size 6

I'm impressed, PP, you must be really fit or muscular if you fit into a size 6 with that weight and height. I am 5'5" and 130 and sometimes a 6 is too small, but I'm not muscular at all.