What is the difference between junior and misses sizes in women's clothing?

Juniors is a section made specifically for teenagers and tend to follow younger people's trends. This is in general a tighter fit for shirts and pants for girls and tend to be looser for boys.

Misses; however, is specifically for women and it concentrates on the fashion interests of young women, usually between the junior's styles and women's styles. It may include petite sizes and a more dressed up or more casual feel than the styles of junior girls. Also, the sizes tend to run a bit wider than the juniors because women tend to have larger bodies than junior girls who have not fully developed in their teenage years.

The biggest difference other than possible style differences between juniors and misses clothing is the way the clothing is cut. Misses clothing is generally cut more generously in the bust and hips, where as juniors clothing is generally cut straighter. The size numbers are also different: juniors clothing is sized in odd numbers (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, etc.), while misses clothing is sized in even numbers (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, etc.).

Additionally, the cut of the clothing is different because of body maturity. Back in the days (50's/60's) when most dresses were made of cotton and had "darts" as part of the shaping of the garment, the darts allowed for different placement of the bust. On a Junior size, the bust is higher on the chest wall than that of Misses sized clothing. This change usually will take place after having given birth, or eventually gravity will take it's course in women who never have children. This same change of nature also applies to the hip area in the way in which lower body clothing are cut between the two size catagories. In Junior sizing, the rise of the crotch area is shorter from waistline to inseam than that of Misses. This too is affected by the spreading of the pelvic region during the course of pregnancy/childbirth. Both size catagories may have the same bust/waist/hip measurements, but they will differ in the torso region as to where those corresponding body measurements will be.