Did you know that technically, a size 0 is curvier than a size 12? Really! It all has to do with the waist-to-hip ratio. The "ideal", according to studies, including this one from Harvard, is 0.7 for women, meaning that the waist measurement is 70% of the hips. Let's take a look at a few examples, based on size charts:
J. Crew:
Size 0 is: 24" waist; 34" hips. 24/34= approx. 0.706 WHR (At J.Crew, a 0P is 23" waist, 33" hips, which works out to approx 0.7!)
Size 12: 31" waist, 41" hips. 31/41= approx. 0.756 WHR (12P is 30" waist, 40" hips or a WHR of 0.75. J.Crew does not make 14 or 16 in petite (neither does Banana Republic)).
Jenny Yoo: (bridesmaids dresses)
Size 0: 25" waist; 35" hips. 25/35= approx. 0.714 WHR (no petites)
Size 12: 32" waist; 42" hips. 32/42= approx 0.762 WHR
Jenny Yoo makes dresses up to size 22. The size 22 dress, with a 41.5 " waist and 51.5" hips works out to an approximate WHR of 0.806.
That's probably why plus sizes start at a size 14. The size 14 in the plus range has a different WHR than a 14 in the missy or petite ranges.
Let's take a look at Talbots:
Misses and Petites.
Size 2: 24.5" waist; 34.5" hips. 24.5/34.5 = approx. 0.71 WHR (in petites, the waist is 24" and the hips, 34". Therefore the WHR in petites is approx. 0.706)
Size 12: 30" waist; 40" hips. 30/40= 0.75 WHR. (In petites, the waist is 29.5" and the hips = 39.5". 29.5/39.5= approx. 0.747 WHR.
Talbots Woman and Woman Petite:
Size 12W: 30.5" waist; 41.5" (lower) hips. 30.5/41.5=0.734 WHR (Unlike non-plus petites, the waist and hips have the same measurements. Therefore the Woman Petite WHR is also 0.734)
If you click on the size charts, you will see that the waist and hip measurements go up an inch as the number increases. Since the number is getting closer to 1, how on earth is the larger size "curvier" than the smaller size?
