I mentally translate the 'W' as "wide" because I am cynical and jaded that way, both when I worked retail clothing, and also when I actually wore those sizes (which wasn't all *that* long ago, really).

I have the other problem with pants, which is that I am 5'7", which is usually just slightly taller than the manufacturer intended for that size. Women's pants usually come with a 29" inseam. Mine is 31".