h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

So too, does, now, a pair of leather trousers, and a fur stole taht's a second hand/antique stole, fox fur I think hope the leather trousers fit
Just cooked mushroom risotto for W and I. Must shower soon, after a cuppa tea

I've always wondered, what are leather trousers like, in the cold? Do they keep the warmth in? Or are they like jeans, which look like the thick material would do good, but leave you cold to the bone?

I'm hoping they'll keep warm - oddl I find jeans both really comfortable to wear and warm too

They're partially lined leather trousers, so I guess oughta be warm; I know people who ride motorbikes say they're good to keep ones legs warm

was odd yesterday, walking out, adn my hands got cold... and... so painful from the temp drop just a degree or so damn neuropathy Problem is of course if I wear gloves then I can't feel much or anything through them its bad enough having to waer surgical gloves in teh house, to do cleaning work with various caustic fluids but I can kinda feel through the surgical gloves a bit, at least

Leather trousers under a fur coat will keep you warm. That was my favourite outfit back in the days when I had a fur coat.

maybe I should buy a fur coat... especialy if ... I dunno I was flying say, somewhere cold in the middle of winter

I *knew* there was a reason wear fur coats

Leather trousers arrived! they're gorgeous soft leather, great condtion, even have useful pockets, and sensible sized loops for belt... only - that is an extemely small size 14 and no way will it fit me ... ever So, William's now got a pair of leather trousers and ... I shall continue my search for a pair maybe try get a size 16 next time see if tehy'll fit

must start looking for a fur coat too I guess, but, the wool one I've got is pretty warm actually, maybe that'll do, with the fur stole to put round and keep my neck warm... - turns out, having uncovered the nape of my neck, for the first time since I was about 13 years old; my neck feels really cold now when out

I only really use waist circumference as a measure of trousers. In inches for some reason.

What does size 12 actually mean? I don't understand things like dress sizes and shoe sizes. They seem like arbitrarily chosen numbers.

That's because they pretty much are...

I know what you mean. But there must be some kind of system to it. That's not to say that all clothes are what they say they are, but there must be some kind of logic to it. Otherwise people wouldn't say things like "I'm down to a size x now after dieting".

The labels with washing instructions sewed to garments now come in every European language and with all the different measurements known to this universe.

This means they are now way bigger than for example modern ladies undergarments. In fact you could easily sew 42 panties out of them

They would be very very scratchy.

My father was what he jokingly called "a traveller in ladies' clothing".

Normally the samples for the season were delivered in size 12, which is about a 34" bust size, I've forgotten the waist and hips that go with that (or were considered to go with it in the 60s,) but it was probably about 34 - 30 - 34/36.

However, because my mother and I (around puberty at the time) were slightly more "normal" and a size 14, he had his samples in size 14, so that we could (a) try the dresses on when he got them so he could see what they looked like with a person inside them, and (b) keep a couple for after the season's shows were over.

Size 14 was therefore about a 36" bust size, with the equivalent waist and hips and possibly with an inch or so more length. Which my father would have approved of, because, being the 60s, the dresses were SHORT, and what father would have wanted his daughter to go around in short dresses with hems around their a**e.

I think clothing sizes have been reviewed a few times since then.

According to this site:
http://www.asknumbers.com/ClothingWomensConversion.aspx

A UK size 12 these days would be bust 36" - waist 38" - hips 39"

To convert US to UK sizes, add 2. So a US 8 = UK 10, a US 14 = UK 16.

Good material there for a guide entry, TC.

Do you have anything on Chinese clothing and shoe sizes?

I've a distinct impression they use a unisex standard, especially for shoe sizes.

well. the difficulty is with actual measured size, versa given size, of garment, and the two never matching

Nominally I'm a 42 inch chest (underbust), but can't fit into anything less than a 48 to 4 50 inch chest size, for say a blouse etc - nominally a UK size 22 to 24.
- yet, I've tops that are a size 16, that fit as well/as roomy as some tops that are a size 22 or 24

I've trousers (female), that are 12, 14 and 16, which can be either about the same size as each other (and fit), or way too tight and not fit, or too lose and hence don't fit
with a tapemeasure I'm now a 36" waist (was heading under 30" before I got cancer), yet, some 32" jeans fit me. some 32" jeans don't fit me. some 34" jeans fit, some don't, and some 36" waist trousers are too big - yeh, I've tried with a differnt tape measure, and with W doing the measuring too... its... .so random

new leahter jeans, are, therefore, of course, too damn loose yet, their wast size was given as inchs, as well as its female size - gona just give up at this point, and regain my sewing skills instead; gona slightly alter the leather trousers, as otherwise, they're damn fabulus was wearing them today, with a belt to make them tight neough; but that was a wee bit uncomfy, as they don't have any damn belt loops ,wa

Man, I've given up on *ever* finding what my measurements are (and don't even go there with the 'proper' bra size )

She's a perfect 10, but she wears a twelve

Man, well that depends on whether you are shopping at M&S, Oasis, BHS, Evans etc...ad infinitum.

Four years ago, I found one my son's t-shirt's that no longer fit him. I wore it to work. It was 'aged' 4-5.

It still makes me laugh that I was 45 at the time.

I'm only 4' 11", mind

I just ordered a waterproof coat from a reputable outdoor clothing retailer. Following their sizing charts I should have ordered 2XL but I thought "Sod that, I've lost 2½ stone, I'm going for the large". It arrived today - perfect fit, even accounting for room to wear a chunky jumper under it.

UK sizings are just bizarre.

Deb

well done on the weight loss - I put on circa 2 stone during chemo, so need to try lose that (tricky now I@m on the steroids) - luckily I was at my lowesto weight, since oo probalby the age of 17, just before I got gidgnosed and started the chemo etc - I still refuse to accept any of my weight loss, back then was due to a cancer inside me... - nah, that was all my amazing will-power, I didn't have a helping hand in loosing weight because of the cancer yeh... right... - still disapoited I didn't losew weight on the chemo... I thought that was ment to be one of the perks of treatment

glad its not only me, that finds the sizing thing just.... so screwy! another size 24 top arrived today... - good job I like really baggy gorgeous matterial though long enough to be a tunic/dress or a top I guess