Try This on for Size

So I have a gym - and on a regular basis am faced with the horrified gasps of women as they stand on a scale and face their worst fears.  Each time I see the expression on their faces and hear the stream of words sputter out "wait, that can't be right, are you sure, really could you check again", I am reminded of my first time clothes shopping in England.  I had moved over in January, from San Diego and the temperature difference was, how can I put this, EXTREME.  I didn't have very weather appropriate clothes, like socks, closed toe shoes and to be honest many pairs of trousers.  I had jeans, but not much else so on a weekend meeting my husband's best friends for the first time, Matt suggested that Nerys take me out clothes shopping.  So off we went to the mall, where Nerys introduced me to a store called New Look.

Luckily I found lots of clothes that I liked and started grabbing things in my size which at the time was an American size 8.  I saw the look on Nerys' face as I was grabbing things and I read the look as "hmmmm interesting choice".  We went into our separate fitting rooms and as I went in Nerys kindly said "the sales girl can get you more sizes if those don't fit".  To which I thought "wait - are you saying these won't fit me?"  I was a bit miffed, to say the least, but set about trying on the first pair of pants.  Which fit.......up to my knees......then wouldn't budge......WTF?!?!?!  In a panic I started muttered "waitthiscantberighttheirhastobeamistakeperhapsificheckthelabeligrabbedthewrongsize"  Label checked - size 8, gasp, maybe strange cut.  Tried on the next, and the next, and the next.  Decided to self that English food must be avoided because made me a porker in the span of a month.  Heard Nerys knocking on door to fitting room.  I came out with sheepish look on my face and explained that they didn't fit.  Nerys (who was a good size smaller than me) said "I thought they looked a bit small - I wear a size 10 - I think their is a size difference of 2 - try a size 10 or 12. "  At that point in my life I had always been lucky enough to avoid double digit clothes and I would be damned if I was going to start now - size difference or not.  I almost walked out empty handed, but luckily for me Nerys had the sense of mind to convince me that size 10 in England = notafatass.  I bought a pair of pants, which I now (7 years on) wish upon a star will fit me again one day!