I am a similar size but need short pants as regular length are too long for me. So finding size 18 short is very much my personal circle of hell!
congrats on the weight loss. Can I ask how you are doing it??
I've cut out most sugars, including many carbs.
That's it. No more coffee with sugar. Very few sweets... though it has been holidays and girl scout cookie time. .. just keeping it to a minimum. Dessert may be a cookie, but it's more likely fruit.
Meals now are protein plus veggie. Previously, they'd be a bowl of carbs [pasta or rice or what have you] with a little protein and veg. And I'm trying to make what grains I eat the whole variety [so, brown rice or whole wheat pasta] but still way way less.
I'm pretty sure I'm eating more calories than before. Dinner tonight was roast chicken with gravy, roasted cauliflower, and mixed veg [beans, snow peas, carrots, peppers] with butter and a sprinkle of dried cranberries. So, yeah. It doesn't feel like a diet.
Bread has become something special, a rarity. So too, pasta, pizza, baked goods. ..that part is hard because all that is so easy. No cereal for breakfast, no sandwiches.
Torrid goes down to 14W and I think even 12W. They have a 0X size as well.
Agree that Talbots bridges the sizes nicely, but is pricier.
Ann Taylor and Loft go to 18 online and I found their stuff to run a little bigger, so you may have luck with a 16 or 18 there.
Lane Bryant runs a little smaller in pants than other plus size in my experience. Kut also runs about a size smaller than other plus for the ones I've had.
JC Penney may be good to check--they have plenty of regular stuff up to 20 and is cheap. Dress Barn also may be good to check, but they don't cross sizes as nicely as Talbots.