Vanity Sizing & Thunder Thighs I went shorts-shopping today because it's 90 degrees and I only have black tweed and denim.  Those are some steamy fabrics, let me tell you. Once upon a time five years ago, I was a size eight.  My weight and waist/hip/ratio have not changed by more than five pounds any given year/season since I turned sixteen because I'm stable.  Last year I discovered I was a size 6. This year I'm a size 4.   Now just take a moment and think for a bit.  The average American woman is a size 12-14. I have 40" hips, and I'm a size 4.   Now before you all turn on me and call me a chubbling, I work on my feet 8+ hours a day lifting 40lb boxes.  Unintentional daily squats, yo.  Plus I'm six foot tall. The average American woman is 5'6 to 5'8, so their hips/thighs must be massive.  40" hips on a 5'6" woman (ie a size 4 in american pants) would be disfiguring.  But the AVERAGE SIZE IS 14-16!  Who knows what size their hips are?  Who even wants to know? I'm scared for next summer.  I'll be a 2 and the average will be a 14-16.