Do breeches fit differently these days?

[Punkie]

A bit of a weird question, I know. But I’ve recently lost 80ish lbs and am back down to the weight I was in my early 20s with very similar measurements. I still have another 15-25 that I’d like to lose, but I’m now a healthy BMI and much more at home in my skin. When I was this size previously (about 2012 and prior), I comfortably wore a 32 in TS, Ariat, and Pikeur and could once in a while squeeze into a 30. I was a size 8 jeans in pretty much every brand and either a small or medium shirt depending on the cut.

Well, I am still a size 8 in jeans (though they’re getting a touch big), but I’m a very comfortable 30 in breeches and could easily get into a 28 in a number of brands. I get that we have more tech fabrics these days, but this is even in the three aforementioned brands in some of their more classic fits. Believe me, I’m in no way complaining, (though I am a little sad that all of the 32s I thought I’d fit in forever are now going to the consignment shop!) I’m just a bit perplexed! Has anyone else found themselves sizing down without being a physically smaller size? Any brands that run really true to measurements? I do most of my shopping online because I’m a sale hound and I am the world’s worst person at making returns, so I’d love to have an idea of what I should actually buy!

[coffeehag]

I mean, a size 8, generally speaking, is a size 28-30. The sizing typically refers to your waist measurement, and a traditional size 8 is usually around 29".

That said, as a true size 8 for most of her life I wear pretty much exclusively a 28 and even size 28s are all over the place. It’s true for horse clothes and “real life” clothes. I think it’s very normal to size up or down without your body actually changing because brands basically make up what a size is.

Just for reference, the Dover Wellesley Classic’s size 28 has a 32" waist, the Tailored Sportsman Mid Rise Vintage’s size 28 measures 30", the RJ Classics Gracie’s 28 is a true 28" versus their Golf’s 28 which measures 30", and the Romfh Sarafina Euro Seat’s size 28 is 29".

My biggest advice, for a good fit, would be to learn your waist and hip measurements–that will get you the best breech fit.

[Rel6]

It may have to do with the rise. I do think we’ve moved towards higher rises in the past 10+ years, and if your waist is much narrower compared to your hips you might find yourself having to size down. Not to mention every brand has their own definition of mid-rise vs high rise.

[islgrl]

Also, there is the aspect of vanity sizing. All clothing manufacturers know that woman would prefer to were an 8 than a ten. So size eights got bigger over time. I wear a much smaller size than I would by the clothing standards that were in place 30 years ago. Depending on the brand I can fit into a size 4 pants. I am NOT size 4. I am probably an 8 from 30 years ago…

[jonquil]

Each brand seems to have its own idea of what 30”means. Same in shoes and all women’s clothes. You just have to try it on.
But what I really want to know is, how did you lose 80 pounds? I lost 40 the year after I had covid because I just couldn’t eat, but now that I can, it’s all come back.

[BAC]

@jonquil

Each brand seems to have its own idea of what 30”means. Same in shoes and all women’s clothes. You just have to try it on.
But what I really want to know is, how did you lose 80 pounds? I lost 40 the year after I had covid because I just couldn’t eat, but now that I can, it’sI all come back.

I was going to point this out, I think most people who lose a great deal of weight put it back on sooner or later unless you stay with whatever you did to lose the weight, so OP don’t throw out those 32s you love, hold onto them just in case.

[HJdaydream]

@jonquil

But what I really want to know is, how did you lose 80 pounds? I

I realize this was directed at the OP, who I am not. I did want to chime in though, as I have had 7 different friends all lose over 40-50 lbs (some more) in the past couple of years using semaglutide drugs (Ozempic, Mounjaro, etc). They are all very happy with their results.

[LCDR]

I was told by a manager at a Talbots that they see a trend towards “American sizing.”

She said some clothing today is labeled with a smaller size than it actually is. It is a feelgood for the customer and sells more clothing. I don’t know if this is true in the breeches category.

[Scribbler]

@LCDR

I was told by a manager at a Talbots that they see a trend towards “American sizing.”

She said some clothing today is labeled with a smaller size than it actually is. It is a feelgood for the customer and sells more clothing. I don’t know if this is true in the breeches category.

I feel like breeches especially European ones tended to run smaller than street clothes for a long time, so it’s possible they are just altering the size labels now

[fivestrideline]

I’ve worn a 26 in TS since middle/high school - my older pairs are 26 regular low rise. Now that I appreciate a mid rise, I have to get the 26 longs (and honestly I think the rise is not that much higher than my “low” pairs). Not sure what’s going on there, but the older pairs are from over a decade ago.

In jeans, I swear I’m not that much thinner than I was in high school, if at all, but I wore a 6-8 then and now I’m a 2-4, depending on the rise. I have size 6 low rise skinnies from back then that I couldn’t squeeze into if I wanted, but I’m wearing a 2 in the high rise straight cut of the same brand .

I say all this, with the numbers, because even within the same brands the numbers don’t make sense. The cuts are different but one would think the sizing wouldn’t be THAT variable.

I imagine breeches are much the same, though I’ve had decent luck going off measurements vs sizes. I’m a 26 in FreeRide Pros, so there’s some consistency.

[beowulf]

I would love to understand breech sizing because in some brands I’m a comfortable 26 or 28 and in other brands I can barely squeeze into a 32 and feel like a sausage. I’m a true 28 in waist circumference but my hips and booty are a different story.

[Annie10]

Congrats on the weight loss. That’s quite an accomplishment.
I’ve found in addition to the fabrics that sizing of clothing in general seems to have become more “generous” lately

[Punkie]

So glad you have the low down on my health!!

I have Systemic Mastocytosis, an extremely rare, life-limiting bone marrow disease. When I progressed from indolent to smoldering and started to experience organ failure and persistent anaphylaxis, I was put on extremely high dose IV steroids and a number of niche chemotherapies including Gleevec and Rapamycin. All three of these drugs have significant weight gain as a side effect. I put on 105 lbs in the span of a year and remained in the mid-200s throughout treatment. Went into something akin to remission, came off the worst of the drugs, and was happy to be alive. Fat, but alive.

Last summer, I started to get sick again. And I was pretty sure I was going to end up right back in the same place until my incredible immunologist sent me this article: https://bariatrictimes.com/glp1-resolution-chronic-systemic-mastocytosis-symptoms/ Turns out GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic are powerful mTORc-1 pathway attenuators which is a hugely important (and highly unchecked/upregulated) pathway in the disease process of SM. She further felt that the addition of the GIP element of tirzepatide (Mounjaro/Zepbound) would be key in immune mediation and immediately started me on this drug. Within the first month, my symptoms all but disappeared and I lost 18 lbs.

Unlike people who use these drugs solely for weight loss (no hate, they are life changing breakthroughs in combating obesity), I will remain on this drug or some iteration of it for the rest of my life. So unless I end up with secondary cancer from all of the chemotherapy, the chances of me putting back on any weight is next to zero.

The biggest concern now is making sure I don’t get BELOW a certain weight (that’s 30 lbs from now) because I will have life-long appetite suppression , so I really don’t think those 32s will be making a comeback

[KBC]

@Punkie I was going to congratulate you on your weight loss and ask how.

Having read your post it’s another reminder that we should start congratulating people for battles won, even small ones, because we don’t know the story behind.

Al strength to you every day, for fighting to win each deal with the carpy hands you are being dealt.

[vxf111]

Punkie, I’m glad you’re feeling better no matter what size you’re wearing.

[lazaret]

I think this size variation is mostly due to the rise and how breeches now fit - the “waist” is bigger, because some pairs sit lower on the hip by definition, and very few sit at the natural waist, even with the high rise options now.

It’s probably more an issue of the block used by the designer being “squarer” than you are, some use a block with more variance between hip, high hip, and waist than others, and they will “run big” if you have more variance (waist is smaller) than then pattern block for that hip size is expecting.

[jonquil]

I am sorry to hear that this came about because of a life-threatening illness. It sounds like you are on the upside of it now, and I am so glad for you! I hope you weren’t offended by being asked.

[FLeventer]

I am sorry that you’ve faced these issues with your health.

For the question, every brand seems to have their own sizing. I am a 28 in most breeches (TS, Ariat, Dover, Smartpak, Horze) but can go up to a 32 depending on the brand. I personally have larger hips and thighs, so while a 26 will fit, they tend to be tight over my hips even though I have to get a belt because the waist is loose. The rise also plays into that.

I agree with the poster that mentioned knowing your measurements. It has helped so much with online buying. Also knowing the fabrics and materials. How much give comes with the pants. Some cuts and rises just don’t work for me.

Good luck and I hope that your health continues to improve. I’m sorry that you’ve had to face these issues.

[mika0116]

Buy via measurements - sizing is variable and mostly brand / cut dependent.

The above is why I never congratulate folks of changes to their bodies. A college friend dropped weight because she had cancer. So many people were “thrilled for her” meanwhile she was almost dying.

[monalisa]

It’s called vanity sizing. In 2000 I could wear a 2 regular and now I am 00P. They keep making the sizes larger.