Difference between American and British weights/dress sizes

[MarieW]

I don't understand how I can weigh so much when I'm slim. I'm 5 ft 6 and British size 12 dress size, don't know my measurements exactly but I have a flat stomach and I'm slim, curvy but slim. I don't have heavy/big bones, I'm sort of medium...yet I weigh 10 stone ( 140 pounds ) I don't have big boobs either.

Most of my friends who are approximately my build weigh around eight and a half stone. It doesn't make sense.

I know I shouldn't worry as long as I'm healthy and my clothes fit but this has always niggled me.

I've been reading the other posts in this section and most of you lovely guys and gals seem to be American and your weights in pounds seem very light. Are American weights slightly different to British? I know British clothes sizes differ to American ones - i think a British size 12 is an American 14 - perhaps someone could confirm this?

For example, I'm a big Marilyn Monroe fan and she was a lot bigger and curvier than me but apparently only weighed 117 pounds through most of her life.

I'm lost, can anyone help?

P.S I'm not really this vain, I just couldn't help myself asking for advice.

[Samantha16]

About the marilyn monroe thing...is it possible she was shorter? That can cause her to be a few pounds less than you. there are people who are skinier than me but weigh much more because I'm a lot shorter. I'm only 5ft. It's all about porportion. And wasn't Marilyn only like 5ft 3"?

[DiorAddict]

A lot goes into consideration, for example, bone mass and density, and muscle mass. If you were to look at muscle size as compared to fat, one pound of muscle looks like three pounds of fat. I don't know if that will help much, but it's a fact. Ciao, and be happy you are healthy (and with a flat stomach!)!

[clia]

It sounds like you have a similar build to me. I'm also 5'6" and if I weigh 115 lbs I'm a size 4, 120 a size 6, 125 a size 8, 130 a size 10, 135 a size 12, etc.

 

So if you are 140 and a size U.S. 14, then that sounds about right. I really don't know the difference between european and U.S. sizes, though.

 

If your clothes fit well and you look good, don't even worry about what size they are. I've also found it shocking when I find out some of my friends wear the same size I do because our body types look so different.

 

For example, I'm a big Marilyn Monroe fan and she was a lot bigger and curvier than me but apparently only weighed 117 pounds through most of her life.

 

imdb.com says MM was 5'5 1/2", so if she only weighed 117 she was a twig and probably a size 2 or 4. I found some sources that say she was anywhere from 118 to 140 during her career.

[HokeyReligions]

If you are 140 lbs, 5'6" then I would say a size 12-14 (depending on the manufacturer of the clothes) sounds about average.

 

As for Marilyn Monroe, her weight varied between 110 - 140 and her size fluctuated with her weight. That's according to the biographies & documentaries that I've read/seen about her.

 

When I was in high school one of my gf's was shaped like me and we would share clothes because we wore the same size and style. I weighed 80 pounds more than her. Our builds were different. I had larger bones and more muscle mass then she did. At 150 pounds I wear a size 10-12 here in the states. My mother at 150 pounds wears a size 18 and she is only an inch shorter than me.

 

I hate those "your ideal weight should be" charts/statistics! If I weighed what "they" say I should weigh I would look like a concentration camp victim! 20 years after I'm dead my bones will still weigh more than those charts!!

 

If you are healthy and active then I wouldn't worry or put any stock into what the scales say. Be happy and comfortable in your body--it was built just for YOU!

[Pyrannaste]

- i think a British size 12 is an American 14 - perhaps someone could confirm this?

 

British dress size 8 is an american 6,

British dress size 10 is an american 8,

British dress size 12 is an american 10,

British dress size 14 is an american 12,

British dress size 16 is an american 14,

and so on.

 

I am interested to know if there is a difference between british pounds and american pounds, too.

 

An easy way could be to check if a british pound and an US pound are the same weigh in kilograms.

[niko1999]

Another thing people seem to forget, when talking about bone mass, your head. It is a 10 t 12 lb bowling ball. So try and look at the bright side of things. Youre 10 lbs less in youre body, without a head:) Anywhos, some people wear different sizes, and are different wieights, adn everyone carries it differently. I weigh about 160 @5'5, and I wear anywhere from a size 8 to 12. but most of my weight is in my thighs and boobs. So I wouldnt worry about it, becuase sizes SUCK!

[clia]

I am interested to know if there is a difference between british pounds and american pounds, too.

 

It's the same.

 

http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Pound

[Pyrannaste]

Cool link Clia, thanks!

(wow, i just learnt I am 110 pounds)

[MarieW]

Thanks for the replies guys, very imformative. I can understand a bit better now. I guess I am quite muscular which would tie in with muscle weighing more than fat etc and it's interesting to know that American sizes are one smaller than ours. Hell I'm moving to America because I'll be a size 10 there. Lol!