Great article!! I've often wondered about the sizes changing over the years. I know that in High School I weighed about 150 and wore a size 14. Now a days I see women that have to weigh much more than that claiming they are a size 14! I always thought they were exaggerating their size. But they probably are telling the truth if the sizing standard has changed.

When I was a teenager and swimming slim, I wore a size 9, which was considered average/fit. I've been thinking I might get somewhere in the 11/12 - 13/14 area. I guess this is saying that I should expect a much lower size number to be the same size I used to be. Yuck!

My perception of women when I hear (not seeing) that they are smaller than a 9 is still that they are too thin or they are short/petite. And this also explains when I see women who say they are wearing a 2 or 4 and thought they couldn't possibly be, that they really are.

Yeah! Has anyone noticed that clothing from the 1940's and mid 1960's (thrift shops and such) it's hard to find a really big range of sizes in vintage wear?
Tells ya' something about the eating habits and how active were then!

I mean, I tried on a vintage size 10 dress and it was loose. I put on my size 12 dress back on it fit!?!

The mythical sz. 0 stills baffles me. 0 mean nothing, so a person is does not exist?!? In the fashion business a size 6 or 8 is the model sample size (kinda).

I have yet to come across a sz. 0 model since there is no such thing as a 0 person!?!
Unhealthy number, yes. It's really a freak number since there are a very, very, very tiny portion of healthy adult people who can wear this sz. Some of those people who wear 0-4 sz. clothing find it appalling that the size can only suggest 'sick and fragile' or misconceptions of 'anorexia and bulimia'.

Same with the word 'petite'.
It only means shorter length in arms, torso, and pant/skirt length not waist size or hip size. Petite sizes can range to a size 20 as well.

My sister wore a size 0-2 and she wanted to be a 6 or 8 (muscle) b/c she was the thinist of her diving team and it made her feel self-conscious in a bathing suit!

Goes to show sz's are not always right.

I wear petites when I can find them and have found them in 26-28 when I was up there at my largest. As you said, it's only an indication of height and limb-length (and waist-length for me). I have short legs and a high waist, even when I'm thin. Unfortunately, plus-size manufacturers don't seem to think short people can get fat so there's a dearth of large-size petites available.

I wanted to make SURE I wore a six when I went shopping recently so I ended up with jeans from three completely different manufacturers. One is rather loose on me, so in that brand maybe I can try a four . The other two fit just fine, but not loose enough to go down another size. So for my ego, I know which brand to get now.

FWIW, my waist at my current weight is 26, hips are 35.

Forgot to mention, I could be wrong here, but the odd numbered sizes are 'juniors' and have narrower hips. I don't have any of my old 5 and 7 jeans from when I was a teen, but I doubt I could get into em because of the more 'hourglass' figure I have now.