Everyone knows that U.S. clothing sizes, especially for women, are a little chaotic. A size 12 in two separate brands can have two completely different dimensions, which leads to frustration. Even larger sizes aren’t standardized, with XL, XXL, and so on also not having standard measurements.
But if there’s one thing you can be sure of, it’s the answer to the question, “Is XXL the same as 2X,” the answer is yes, right? Unfortunately, the answer is not quite that simple.
Is XXL the Same as 2X?
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When you look at XXL and 2X, you assume they’re the same. After all, 2X is easily misinterpreted as a shortened version of XXL. If that was your assumption up until now, you’ll be surprised to find out that you’ve been wrong.
In actuality, they are completely different sizes. Generally, 2X clothing is considered to be bigger than XXL clothing by about half a size.
It’s a little confusing, but XL, XXL, and XXXL are a natural progression up in sizes. So you have XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, and so on. Each new letter means that the clothing is going up by only a single size.
2X doesn’t replace XXL, however. Instead, it’s a multiplication of XL sizes. This may sound a little confusing, but it’s a lot simpler than it sounds.
To put it another way, when you go from an XL to an XXL, the entire article of clothing gets bigger. Take shirts for example. The sleeves, chest, length, and waist all get bigger. So if you’re a plus-sized person and not just tall, an XXL will fit in certain areas, and be too large or small in others because the size scales the same across the whole cut.
On the other hand, 2X is made with plus-sized people in mind. The shirt doesn’t increase in size everywhere but has a different cut. They are made more with the proportions of plus-sized people in mind. Areas where plus-sized people tend to hold weight, such as the stomach or arms in a shirt, have a wider cut to make them comfortable but may make the waist or chest still a little smaller for a better fit.
It’s important to note that this isn’t always the case. With clothes often being imported and the sizes having no set standards, the two may be used interchangeably even though they shouldn’t.
