How to Convert Girls' Clothing Sizes to Ladies'

Petite and slim women may want to try girls and juniors clothing on for size.

For smaller women who are too petite for most women's clothing, the selection available at clothing stores for teens and older children can be a more appropriate size. Girls who are big for their age will also find more fashion scope in the ladies section. However, when you are buying clothes online or buying them for someone else, it can be difficult to navigate through the many types of clothing sizes that exist. The sizing in this article is based on the sizes available in the United States. Other countries use different sizing charts.

Things You'll Need

• Soft sewing tape measure

Instructions

1. 

   Use measurements to determine what type of clothing you are looking at.

   Determine what type of clothing you have. There are many different types of sizing charts. They begin when children are small. Small children wear baby or girls clothing. After they outgrow the girls clothing, they can move on to Young Junior, Junior Petite and Miss Petite Clothing. This occurs when they are just over 5 feet in height. Junior sizes are for shorter women or taller girls from 5'4" to 5'5" in height. Misses or Women's clothing is designed for women 5'5" or over.

   It can be hard to determine what sort of clothing you have, especially if you find it in a thrift store or in a store where Misses, Women's and Junior clothing are not in different areas. Women's clothing is sometimes known as plus size clothing, while misses clothing may be marketed as ladies clothing. Women's clothing may have a W after the size number. Misses clothing has even numbers, as does women's clothing. Juniors sizes come in uneven numbers. Children's clothing sizes are marked according to the usual size for a particular age.

2. 

   Smaller women may be able to wear girls' clothing sizes.

   Convert from girls' sizes to misses sizes if you are a girl who is larger or a woman who is quite small. The transition generally happens around size 10 to 14 in girls' sizes. Be aware that the hip dimensions of Misses sizes will be larger than those of girls or junior sizes.

   If you go by waist size alone to determine sizing, you can get an approximate feel for the size differences between girls and Misses clothing. A girl who is size 12 will have a 26-inch waist. The 26-inch waist is between a size 4 and a size 6 on the women's chart. A girl who is size 14 would be between size 6 and size 8 on the women's chart. In general, if you divide the girls' size in half, you will get to the correct area in the Misses section. However, since Misses and girls have different hip and bust measurements, you will need to try on the clothing to find the best fit.

3. 

   Junior sizes have smaller bust and hip measurements.

   Convert from Juniors sizes to Misses sizes if you are a larger girl or a woman with a smaller bust and hips. Juniors sizes come in uneven numbers, and this makes it more difficult to convert between clothing for those in their early teens and clothing for slim women. The waist and bust cutoffs for each size are also different.

   If you go by waist measurements alone, an 8 in Misses equals the higher end of a size 5 or the lower end of a size 7 in Juniors. If you are an 8 in Misses, you should move down to 6 in Juniors. Since Juniors is in odd numbers, try on both a size 5 and 7 and see what fits. Larger-busted women who are looking in the Juniors department may want to choose the larger size.

4. 

   Girls, Juniors and womens' clothing is designed for different body types at different stages of life.

   Girls and ladies clothing have several differences that make it more challenging to convert from one size to another. If you are looking at pants, clothing for girls is built for those who do not have much hip development. Junior clothing lines have a smaller allowance for the hips. Even in the ladies clothing realm, the Misses line is designed for slimmer, less curvy women, while the Women's or Plus size lines are designed for women with more curves.

5. Transition between shirt sizes by determining your bust size and looking at what lines flatter your figure. Clothing for small girls is built for people who do not have a bust. Juniors clothing is created with a straighter line for those who have a small bust and hips. Misses clothing has a somewhat more generous allowance for the bust, and the bust line is also lower. Women's clothing has a lower bust line and a larger allowance for the bust. Determine what style works for you, and recognize that often clothing designs change a little from designer to designer.

References

• Walmart: Apparel Size Charts
• Butterick Patterns: How to Choose Your Correct Size