When buying plus size women's clothing, women should understand how clothing is scaled. In any plus size clothing score, plus size clothing will be scaled to a model that is a size 18W. A woman's job is to ask a sales associate whether a particular store's clothing runs larger or smaller than the size 18W model. The 18W has an approximate height of about 5'10, and her bust is usually around 46 inches. The waist size of the model is 38 inches, while the hips are about 48 inches. Knowing these measurements will allow any woman to make the right choices in buying plus size clothing that has an adequate fit.