I had this exact same experience!
Jeans were getting seriously ridiculously too baggy to keep wearing, if only the 90s were back in style. So I bought some two sizes down. Got them home and just looking at them I had this little voice go “this was dumb, look how small these are, you were silly to buy this size, you haven’t lost that much”. Put them on any ways and they fit fine. Figured in your head you get so used to clothes being a certain size that it has trouble catching up.
Yes!! I know this feel! All of my jeans are getting way too loose and I have to keep hitching them up. I recently found a pair of jeans I’d meant to donate last year because they had gotten way too small. Apparently I forgot to take that pair for donation. Tried them on and… they fit. Now I have at least one pair of jeans that isn’t falling off my waist!
Enjoy your cords! I was just thinking about buying myself some cords… recommendations?