I'm 5'5" and very apple. My waist has always been huge, though. I remember in HS shopping for prom gear with a friend who seemed much bigger than me. I weighed about 180 or so and had probably a 40" waist at age 17 while she was able to fit into the 30" thing we were trying on. She was a size 14 and I was an 18 or 20. But she was big in all the places it doesn't matter for certain clothes (legs, arms, butt). I have always been "bigger than my size" and have not been in regular sizes since 6th grade. Even at 140 pounds when I was 13 I was in plus sizes. At "normal" weight in HS (ca. 150) I had to shop the plus size side of the store. Most people with the same height and weight wear an 18, but I am in a 24. You can look at my profile pics. I also do not look very different at 220 pounds and 180 pounds. At 180 pounds I wear an 18W or a 20 misses. Honestly, one of my prime motivations for losing weight is to be able to just shop anywhere I want but it ain't ever going to happen for me.