This is why I loathe women's sizing, especially for jeans etc. If you want a pair of jeans with the perfect inseam, you go for guy's 501s, pick out your waist (or hips, however you wear them) then the inseam, and you have the exact dimensions you're looking for. Women's? Well... I think I'm an 8ish. Maybe a 10. Wait, what brand is it? They run small. Maybe I'm a 12 for them. Is 'petite' going to be too long or too short for this brand?

So if the numbered sizes seem this arbitrary, the s,m,l,xl sizes are completely chaotic to me. I'm about the same size as Badgercat, I think... 5'4ish and probably somewhere around 112-115 and often stymied by what 'small' might mean. Often it means "It's going to look huge on your waist but look like it's painted on your butt" or "It's going to be really long, but incredibly tight in your shoulders" or "It's hanging off of you but too short." :P

I want to find the lasts most companies make their stuff on.
...and burn them.