The very first thing we pay attention to when choosing a garment is its color, cut, or the presence of various decorative elements that are pleasant to the eye. Nevertheless, what makes us look perfect in a given dress or pants is the size that fits our figure. When making purchases in a brick-and-mortar store, we have the opportunity of taking advantage of a fitting room to check the size that is the most comfortable to us. However, the situation becomes much more complicated when shopping online. What size to order? We will do our best to answer this question in the next part of this article.
Step one - measuring your body
To properly measure the size that is the right one for you, the first step is always to measure all the key parts of your body in an accurate and comprehensive manner. Use a tape for this purpose. What is more, there are certain rules and principles that should not be forgotten about, especially if we want to become happy owners of neatly fitting jeans, shoes, blouse, or skirt. Take measurements in your underwear, It may add approximately 1 centimeter to the final size, but it will certainly improve the comfort of the clothes that are to be worn during various occasions.
Stand in the natural position while performing the measuring-oriented undertakings. Do not assume strange poses and always stand in an upright position. Make sure the tape utilized is at the same level on all sides. It is worth remembering that an unevenly held tape may show incorrect outcomes that will later on translate into purchasing items of clothing that will be too loose or too tight. We are more than sure that all the readers of this article would like to avoid that.
How to read measurements?
Do also keep in mind that the tape taken advantage of should not stick to the body. By not following this rule, we may make all the measurements taken incorrect and not being in line with the factual state of our body. If the result is between two sizes, choose the smaller one, especially if you are looking for more fitted clothes. Items of apparel used for work, business meetings, or evening outings all fall into that category. If you are looking for something looser to be worn while at home or while meeting with close friends, do not hesitate and opt for larger size clothes.
It has to be also remembered that certain body types require particular clothing styles, for example - to hide imperfections and to make the body look thinner and more muscular. Experimenting with cuts, patterns, and decorative items is obviously recommended, but it has to be done in line with the guidelines of stylists or professionals who have been working in the field for a remarkable period of time.
Different country different size chart
What is more, you should not be afraid to take advantage of various size charts provided in both brick-and-mortar and online shops. They will undoubtedly make it much easier for you to choose the items of clothing that will be simply perfect for you. In most cases, a particular size chart is tailored to the needs and expectations inhabitants of a given country, basing on the most popular figure.
To provide you with an example - in Mediterranean countries, women are slightly taller than in the remaining part of Europe. They have more prominent chests and hips, which is why the sizes provided for them are bigger than those for customers from other countries. We may encounter a similar situation while being in France of purchasing goods from shops having their seats there. It is worth remembering that the difference between French and European sizes is typically about 2. In the Netherlands, the size table does not differ in terms of pieces of information provided and data contained therein from size tables available in other parts of Europe. We are also fully aware of the fact that sizes in the UK and the US can cause problems when choosing clothes. In Great Britain, the main unit of measurement is inches, hence the difference in comparison to other size charts. The scenario is quite similar when it comes to the United States, as the country was once a British Colony.