Sizing it Up

It seems that I've been shopping for clothing more often as of late and I've noticed a recurring trend... the sizes are all completely off!
Everywhere I go, I pick up an item in a size I should be, seeing as I haven't really changed much body-wise in the past ten years (minus a couple of pregnancies). Then, I go to try it on, and it consistently NEVER FITS! It's either too big or too small, and I never know which it'll be. I end up having to go back for a couple of sizes so I can try them all on to find the one that fits - and I am not one of those people that likes trying things on. I would much rather find something I like, pick up the size I need, buy it, and take it home.
Is it too much to ask the clothiers to come up with a consistent sizing tool so this isn't such a problem?
Of course, I know the reasoning behind it, and it's a brilliant marketing tool. Ladies, you all know we love to be able to buy a pair of pants with a smaller number on the tag, especially without having to lose any weight to earn it! I remember working at Abercrombie & Fitch in college and thinking... "woohoo! I'm a size 2 baby!"
I am not a size 2.
I don't believe I was ever a size 2.
But by golly, I'd pay $60 for a pair of jeans that looked like they'd been worn a million times already just so I could wear that size 2.
Get my drift?
Now am I saying this is a bad thing? Not necessarily. I don't care which number belongs to which size. I just want them to be the same across the board so it's not such a puzzle when I need to get clothes! I'm a busy mom... I don't want to have to try on a million sizes to find the one that fits.
So come on retailers - give the modern girl a break and standardize your sizing.
And if you need the measurements for a size 2, I'm your gal.