I've been in plus sizes so long that I can't remember where the cutoff is in women's sizes. I thought the cutoff was size 14, i.e. 14 and under is misses, 16 and over is "women's" or plus. Apparently not...

Is a size 16W the same as a size 16 in the misses' department? I think it isn't. I'm in a size 16W now and I'm starting to enter the awkward in-between phase of being too small for women's sizes and too big for misses' sizes. A size 14 is too small for me, that's for sure. I bought the same pants in a size 16W and a size 14, and I can barely pull the 14s all the way up. I cannot zip them. The 16Ws go on easy as anything, and after they stretch for a day they're on the baggy side.

I'm guessing that the 16 in the misses' department is the missing link. Am I right?

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Depends on the store...

the largest size express carries is a 12... a lot of other stores a 14 is the largest... places like New york a nd company - carry to an 18.... Gap stores carry a 16/18 sometimes...

Women's sizes are cut a lot fuller than misses sizes and juniors sizes are cut even slimmer...

A 16W is probably closer to an 18 in misses - so a 16 or 14W would be the right fit - some stores do sell 14Ws.. but they're tough to find...

and as i'm sure you know - Every manufacturer sizes a little differently - what might be aperfect fit in one manufacturer -might be too big in another, and cut off your circulataion in another...

as Tim Gunn says -when you're shopping - always take 3 sizes into the fitting room -the size you think you are -the size larger and the size smaller and buy what fits and l ooks correct-not the size...

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Oh, I know. The pants I was looking at were the same brand/style in both departments.

I also went to Lane Bryant and bought my usual Red Bootcut jeans, but in a size 2. I started off as a size 4 in those. The sales girls also urged me to try the Yellow Bootcut jeans, which are a straighter cut that are not as generous in the butt. They remembered me from the last couple of times I came in and they said I'd lost a lot of inches in the hips/butt. They're right; my body measurements bear that out. So I tried on the Yellows, but due to the different cut I had to go up a size to a 3. No biggie; they looked cute too. Different, but cute.

One of the main reasons I continue to wear the Lee plain front pants is because they sell them in both women's and misses' sizes. I'm using them as a yardstick more than anything else; they don't look all that great on me, but then again nothing really does. Yet.

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Ah that inbetween stage really sucks! I had that problem in the spring/summer. Some stores in my area offer regular size 16's, and those were not fitting me. I bought some size 14 plus size (only slightly bigger than a normal 16 here), and they fit in the waist and were a little roomy in the butt and legs. Then I wore them and they stretched out and looked awful.
So yes, try to shop around and find stores that offer a regular size 16. I'm not sure what stores around you offer those, but where I am, Reitman's and Rickis is pretty good for that size.
Good luck!

I think I may have to hit the mall and endure the withering stares of the snotty teenaged staff at The Gap. I have not darkened the doorway of The Gap in ten years. That's how long I've been too fat to shop there.

As it is I'm at the lower end of Lane Bryant's jean sizes and at the bottom of the size spectrum in the women's department at JC Penney. Right now I'm wearing Red 2s from LB. They only go down one more size, then I'm in a no-man's land for jeans. I'm still a size 3 in the Yellow cut, though. I started off at a size Red 4 at LB and that was after losing about 15 pounds, so I'm pretty pleased with my progress.

I'm looking forward to NEVER having to go back to Lane Bryant, or enduring the embarrassment of schlepping through the mall carrying a bag that says LANE BRYANT, AKA FAT LADY STORE on it. It's usually the last place I hit for that reason, but there's still the schlepp of shame back to the car.

I want to shop at J. Crew, dammit.

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J Crew is so overpriced...

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So is Lane Bryant. Captive market.

Also, all the clothes at Lane Bryant seem to follow the "big and beautiful" philosophy and they seem expressly designed to highlight problem areas on me like my big ass and my fat arms. I feel like I have no dignity when I go in there. The ONLY thing I will buy there nowadays is jeans. Their other clothing is way too form fitting and skimpy and foo foo for my tastes.

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a few years ago -I wrote a letter to the buying staff of the Avenue... I was completely appalled by the amount of tank tops and capri pants in the store and really nothing else -neither tank tops or capri pants are a good look on large women...

The response i got back was - well it was the current trend...

Current trend is one thing -and I suppose it's better than a polyester mumu.. but there's something to be said for dressing the current body... and dressing it appropriately...

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Exactly!

Plus it seems like LB has some kind of "fat is beautiful" philosophy which I do not and never have agreed with. Of course they want their customer base to feel beautiful so they'll keep going there and buying clothes and their employees are well-trained to flatter you, but really the clothing there is not appropriate for some of the people shopping there. I don't want my fat rolls hanging out and I don't want to see other peoples' either.

There must be a happy medium between LB's current range and the polyester muumuu of old. I generally wear long pants and long sleeves because I don't want people to see my bod. My legs are a lot slimmer than they used to be but they are still very JIGGLY and dimply. I don't want anyone to see that. I don't have any pride in that and don't feel that I should.

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I completely agree. I hate shopping in plus size sections because the majority of the clothes try way to hard to be "cute" and "in-style" to the point where it's often over the top. When I'm fat all I want is basic tees with a decent sleeve length to cover up my fat arms. What's it with all the no-sleeve shirts in the plus size department? I don't think I've ever seen an overweight person who should be showing off their upper arms. All the other shirts have obnoxious colors and detailing to try to hide the fact that your fat. I can't wait until I'm back in "normal" sizes so I can start wearing classy-casual clothes again.

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I hear ya. Oh god, I understand. Boy how I understand.

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