clothing size inconsistency..!

I went clothes shopping the other day.  As I was on my way I felt a headache coming on and I figured (correctly) that headache + clothes shopping would = not much fun.  The last time I bought a pair of brand new jeans was last December and I was thrilled that I fit into a size 8.  I hadn't been in that size in quite some time, so it was a big deal for me.  Lately I've noticed that my jeans were fitting too big.  I couldn't imagine that I was any smaller than a size 8, but when I went to the store I picked up the same style, size, fit, cut, etc. of the jeans that I was wearing.  Imagine my surprise when I went into the dressing room and discovered they were too small.  Hmmmm...I held them up to my old jeans and they were a bit smaller and much longer.  Let me say that I never put the old jeans in the dryer.

So....I went back out, got a size 10 and they fit just fine.  I held them up to my old pair of size 8s.  They were smaller.  OK - I have to realize that the material will shrink and/or stretch as time goes on, but really?!?  I've never experienced a pair of jeans that stretched out so much that they ended up BIGGER than the size above them..???  I was willing to bet that the designer changed the actual size.

I continued shopping and found a pencil skirt that I thought would be good for work.  I went into the dressing room with a size 10.  I was swimming in it.  I bought the size 8 skirt.  I tried on other pants and I fit into 8s and 10s.  I don't get it.  I have more luck at vintage or thrift stores when I find something I like I hold it up and know if it will fit me or not.  I do not have that ability with brand new clothes.  I'm not too fond of clothes shopping and usually after 20 minutes I'm annoyed and want to leave.  I forced myself to shop for about two hours and I left with a few nice things.  By the time I got home I was second-guessing myself.  Especially about the jeans.  I thought, "good god, I shouldn't have bought those.  They really didn't fit, they're going to be too tight, etc. etc."  The next day I decided to put them on and they fit me just fine. I don't know what I was thinking.  The whole experience of the 3-way dressing room mirror under florescent lights, the screaming child in the next room, the agony of taking an hour to find a pair that fits...UGH! Who knows.

In the end, I'm glad I went but I just don't understand the inconsistency about clothing sizes.  Any one else out there have this problem??