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Originally Posted by Torchwatch
When a suit pattern is designed it is assumed that the fabric will stretch by 70%, (this is adjusted when the actual fabric is tested} there is also an assumption as to the stretch of elastic.
12mm - 15mm elastic may be used for the waist, while 6mm is often used for the leg bindings. The thinner elastic is the more likely to cut into you if it is too short. Cutting the leg elastic too long will of course make a loose floppy suit.
The designer should match the length of the waist elastic against the length of the leg elastic taking account of the style. The resulting suit should fit an average body perfectly and adjust to the skinny and muscular bodies with the same waist.
Unfortunately clothing factories make mistakes, elastic may get cut to the wrong length, be wrongly labelled or just mixed up. A 32" waist suit may get leg elastic from a 36" suit or vice versa.
If your body shape is very different to average and you keep getting this problem it may be best to buy only after trying suits on in shops, mail order is not for you.
Remember always to try a new suit on in the shower before gong public, you can never tell what the fabric and elastic will do when wet, and light suits do tend to go transparent.
As a suit ages the fabric and elastic will permanently stretch and become looser, being thinner the leg elastic will wear faster than the waist, as this happens it is time to get an exciting new suit and place the old one in your personal museum.
If you own a special suit replace it before it is obviously worn and keep it for special occasions.
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Thanks for the suggestions & info. I don't have too many problems with bindings cutting into me, but noticed it makes a difference in overall fit. I think shape of bindings & leg opening makes difference too. Here's one more observation:
When a brief-style suit is laid flat, I see that the front is smaller than the back and the front part of leg opening makes a curve to the side.
Some suits have the front leg opening that curves sharply from the bottom to the side seam, making for a narrower pouch in front. Others curve less, making the front and back closer in size. The former makes the front fit more contoured, latter makes the front feel flatter
The seam at the bottom between the leg openings differs too -- some are range from 2 1/2" up to 3 1/2". And that makes a difference too.
So as you said, one needs to try it on. The waist and side seam size just gives you just a hint on the fit.