I purchased a size 10 after reading a LOT of reviews. I got the sense that these shorts run slightly small. Im typically an 8, and an 8 in these shorts probably would have been perfect. All that to say, with the 10 cinched down as much as possible, they just keep from sliding off my hips, which is still fine for my purposes. If I were to order another pair, Id probably go with the 8. These shorts seem easier to make larger to fit (Velcro and not tying down the semi-draw string all the way) versus smaller (the draw string and Velcro only offer a very small amount of room to cinch smaller).