HOW WOMEN GROW BUT STAY THE SAME SIZE In 1942, clothing manufacturers relied on a U.S Department of Commerce chart to put sizes on their clothes.

The standard included the first modern women’s clothing size charts, and it provides the first datapoints. Women’s sizes ranged from 8 to 42.

The standard included the first modern women's clothing size charts. Women's sizes ranged from 8 to 42. A size 8 woman had a bust of 31 inches, a 23.5 inch waist, and a weight of 98 pounds.