Yes, I know what you mean about sizes, etc. being dictated - although things are a bit better these days, there was a time not too long ago when I was asked to get someone a pair of slippers and was told by shop after shop that slippers are only available for Christmas ! The sort of thing that really gets me on my high horse is when I go looking for some DIY material and, on describing exactly what I want, I am asked in return: "What are you using it for ?". I mean, when you buy a bag of flour at the supermarket they don't ask you what you are going to use it for. I suppose it's just another test of our mettle. Hope you enjoy your trousers and that, if that is what you want, you shrink down to the smaller size (watch the crisps and other junk food). I reckon it is true that the majority of men prefer women who are not too bony, and because women lay down fat differently from men, we are probably conditioned to feel more attracted to those looking curvacious (i.e. fat in the right places). I think I saw a survey reported somewhere to the effect that women are far more critical of "fat" on women than men are - and they are seemingly prone to an extra critical attitude toward themselves individually.