Wondering why the waist measurement is ~2" more than the garment's listed waist size? 

 

This is standard in the industry. Historically, trousers were cut to sit higher on the natural waist (around the navel), which is smaller than where most modern pants sit — on the hips or just below. To compensate for this change in how people actually wear their pants, brands adjusted sizing to reflect where pants sit on the body — often at a wider part of the torso.

 

Additionally, pants and shorts are designed with a certain amount of "ease" — the difference between body measurements and garment measurements — so they aren’t skin-tight at the waist.
 
Long story short - do not fret - these fit true to size.
 
All measurements listed in inches. For centimeters, multiply by 2.54.