Sizing is such a controversial area. Many a time I have had to advise a client that they are working with incorrect sizing data. I have worked as a freelance pattern cutter and grader for over 25 years and have regularly come across small design companies, who have asked me to grade their patterns, only to discover that they have no size chart of their own!

If you are starting your own clothing business, the first and most important thing to do is to decide on your sizing and then stick to it. For each pattern and collection you produce, your customers can then be confident that the size they select from your range of designs will always fit.

Vanity Sizing…

Now this is where a lot of the confusion occurs, many high street retailers adopt this method of sizing and this then leads to sizing misconception.

In the UK, and in many other countries, there is, believe it or not, standard sizing data available. Much of it is old and out of date, but it is generally available.

Many designers tend to use vanity sizing for their clothing range, this means that they size a garment, which by measurement would be for example a LARGE, and they apply a SMALL label to the garment. This makes the customer very happy as in their shop they fit into a SMALL! However in reality the customer is actually wearing a large (by measurement) but the label tells them it’s a small. The company then makes more sales as the customer is happy to be a small size.

This is a common method of sizing and there is much research out there if you would like to take a closer look.

I have worked for many a company that alter the label and it can be very confusing for the pattern maker. When the designer asks you to make the sizes one size larger than they actually are. When they ask you for a sample in a size 12, you then need to ask – a size 12 or your version of a size 12 which is actually a 14!!!!

Of course there is also something called ‘ease’ that can also be added to a pattern. Ease is extra allowance for movement, so the pattern cutter can add in extra and then a little extra again and this then makes the garment larger than it would be with a ‘normal’ quantity of ease. So you can see, it can be quite confusing and misleading.

My best advice when using a basic block, which would have been labelled with the correct size, according to actual body measurements, is to not be too hung up on the size the size chart tells you that you are (as it is likely larger than the high street size you take).

It is important to measure the body you are intending to fit and compare those measurements to the size chart you have. You will find some useful size charts in my members only area, simply subscribe for the password.

Don’t worry too much if the size chart tells you that you are a larger size than you thought you were, it’s more important that you select the correct block to start your pattern.

I have had many a customer that fails to measure themselves and selects a block, one they imagine will fit, and then finds that the garment does not fit, as they didn’t take the time to measure their body and select the block that was most appropriate to their own body measurements.

I had a little fun making this short video that I popped on my Facebook page

So, take a tape measure when you are working and hang it round your neck, I sometimes forget mine is there and go out with it on!

See you soon,

Nicola x