However, the temple for waisted male self-esteem is Old Navy, where I easily slid into a size 34 pair of the brand's Dress Pant. Where no other 34s had been hospitable, Old Navy's fit snugly.

The oft-repeated factoid that the curvy bombshell wore clothing in a US size 12 – or UK size 16 – has been used to signify the way beauty standards have changed over the past 50 or so years.

“Our size charts are based on the measurements of 314 pear-shaped and hourglass-shaped women,” said Samdaria. “Without this data, we wouldn’t be able to properly develop patterns that fit.” ...

In 1958, a woman who had a 34-inch bust and a 25-inch waist was considered a size 12. Today, a size 12 would fit a woman with a 39-inch bust and a 32-inch waist. If those size discrepancies sound ...

This might differ depending on the particular piece of clothing—for example, with pants, Old Navy can be off (larger) by five inches from the stated waistline size. And, of course, one chart can ...