sewing patterns.

[smashkin33.livejournal.com]

i have never tryed sewing from patterns before, so i thought i'd give it a shot. clothes i buy from the store i wear a size 8 or 10 and my waist is 30". so i picked up a skirt pattern in the 6-8-10 size. then i got home and looked at the package a little closer and i saw that it calls a size 30" waist a size 16...

my question is, did i really pick up the wrong size pattern? i don't see why they call a size 30 waist a 16.