Sizing in clothing pdf

This article and photographs may not be reprinted without permission of the author. Unfortunately, not all crossdressers have a wife or girlfriend who is the same size or even close enough so that one could guess the right size.

So finding clothes that fit may present a rather serious problem. Buying different sizes of clothing until one finds the correct size can be not only frustrating, but downright expensive. A size 8 dress from a designer in NYC can be a size 14 in a ready to wear dress. Consider finding someone to alter clothing to your specific requirements or custom make an item for a special occasion.

A B-width shoe is considered medium for women, a D-width for man. Lingerie sizes: To find your bra size, measure your chest up under the arms. For cup size a women measures the fullest part of the bust. Many men have fairly large pectorals especially if they are slightly overweight. You can pick your cup size to match your breast forms or by how much padding you want to put in your bra cups.

Mastectomy prosthesis silicone rubber , or molded sponge rubber pads are recommended. It is also best to buy the next size smaller, because the forms will fit better in your bra. Keep this in mind while developing the garment, as your garment measures will be exaggerated in comparison to your size chart. Follow me on YouTube for more educational videos! A size chart is a document that reflects the measurements for your size range within your brand.

Typically, your public size chart is characterized by 4 main measurements, bust, waist, hip, and height. However, depending on the type of garment you are developing, you may have other measurements that are important, like inseam for bottoms.

Your internal size chart will have more specific measurements to compare your garment fit to. In the fashion industry, there is no specific size standard. While it is important to pay attention to the size trends within your specific garment category, the way in which you decide to present your sizing is completely up to you.

Creating your own method of sizing can be a good way to build a community of loyal customers for your brand. Lululemon is a great example of this.

To build your size chart, you will first need to do some research on your competitors. Pay close attention to those brands which have good feedback about their fit and sizing. Keep in mind your ideal customer body type and how that plays a role in the development of your sizing guide.

Take that list and average out each measurement bust, waist, hip, etc. You now have a good industry average to start from. Make any small adjustments to better align these averages to your ideal customer and fit.

Your size chart can live as a simple table. You can build your table using your company branding or other creative details in programs like Word, Excel, or Illustrator. Click here for an in-depth walk through and learn even more about creating your own size chart for your fashion brand!

Grading is the difference in measurements between sizes in your size range. This standard grade will be reflected in your public size chart.

Your public size chart is simplified so that your customers can easily determine what size category they fall into. In reality, your grade is much more complicated than that.

For one point of measure, your grade could be different for every single size. Depending on the garment, it may be different between styles too. However, the more consistent your grading is between styles, the more consistent your fit will be. The grade must be adjusted for specific styles and fabric. Grading for petite, plus, or other unique size categories gets even more complicated, because the human body does not grow consistently.

For example, a smaller waist size does not mean a shorter height and a larger waist size does not mean a taller height. So, the grade must be adjusted to account for where the curves of the body are. ASTM International , along with other companies, provide extensive research on fit and body measurements, releasing an updated report every year. As you can imagine, the trends for fit and size evolve over time.

From this information you can start to make educated decisions about how to size your goods. As you work through development and sales, pay attention to the feedback you get from your customers.

Your size chart can change and evolve over time! So, listen to what your customers are saying and adjust as necessary. Developing a grade among your points of measure, as laid out in my tech pack tutorial , can make this process much simpler. Most of your garments will grade consistently, especially if you are working with the same type of fabric and styles.

From there, you can adjust slightly between styles. If you want to learn in-depth how to grade on your own , I have a full series on Fitting that you might find interesting!