[Xenalyte]

Furthermore, clothing manufacturers have been steadily increasing clothing sizes (both the actual sizes of labelled numerical sizes, and the output of clothing with larger labelled numerical sizes) for a number of years,

Actually, no. Ever buy vintage clothes? I'm a modern designer's 10 or 12, and if the garment is older than I am (that would be 35), I have to go up to 14 or 16.

[GovernmentShrinker]

You just made my point. If what used to be labelled a 14-16 is now labelled a 10-12, then what used to be labelled a 10-12 was the size of current 6-8. If you wore a 10-12 in older sizing systems, and haven't gained weight, then the new 10-12s are too big for you. If those vintage 14-16s fit you, and modern 10-12s fit you, then modern 14-16s are too big for you, because they're BIGGER than old 14-16s.