Size 14 is the new 10

"Size 14 is the new 10"

That was the headline I saw on CNN.com yesterday. Apparently, the article says, "in recent years, as the American population has become generally more overweight, brands from the luxury names to the mass retail chains have scaled down the size labels on their clothing. You may actually be a size 14 and, according to whatever particular store you're in, you come out a size 10."

I ruminated about that all day long. Does that mean that a few short months ago, when I was a 14, I was really an 18? Does that mean that now that I am a size 10, I am really a size 14. Does the same go for shoes? Have the shoe manufacturers decided to make us feel better by changing the shoe sizes? Are my (already big) size 9 feet actually a size 11??!! and, what have they done with bra sizes?! I don't even want to think about it! This is so scary - how many things have 'they" done this with. And who is "they" who decides to change sizes so as to make sure that we feel better about ourselves? And after the first "they" does it - how do all of the other "theys" know to get on board and do it too? So many questions, so few answers. The newest conspiracy.