We know that you have also had trouble ever knowing what your clothing size is, because we have all had them. Going into a store is always an adventure, not only because of the infinity of products and fits on the market but also because when you have finally selected your garment, you must choose your size.
In principle, it should not be a problem to make the decision, you know yourself well enough to know at first glance if something is worth it or not. However, figuring out between the letters and the numbers that are labeled on the labels is like playing Russian fashion roulette, because in each brand they seem to dance making you doubt yourself. And the problem is not your body, but that size of hell.
Why does my size vary by brand?
As we said, your body is not to blame for you being size in a store and five minutes later, when you enter another location, your size has magically changed. The answer is simple: although there is a universal nomenclature, according to which sizes are divided by letters (S, M, L, XL, etc.) or numbers, there is no standardized size. For this reason, each firm establishes its own starting point –which are more or less similar between brands but never the same– and, from there, they scale the patterns to get the rest of the sizes. So your clothing size rarely matches.
Three tricks to find out what your clothing size is
Getting it right with the number or letter that defines your size is already complicated, but it is even more clear with the alphabetic or numerical code that defines them. The letters are relatively easy to understand: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large, etc.
However, if it is about numbers, there are different references: from 2 to 5 for the shirts adding numbers one by one to expand the size, those of the rest of the upper parts start from 36 and count two by two, from the 44 onwards applies in the American ones – also jumping two by two -, and in the case of pants you can find the European code that starts at number 36 or the American one, which starts from 28.
In short: either you have things clear or you can spend a whole day there doing accounts. Our recommendation is that you pass letters and numbers and apply these practical tricks every time you want to renew your wardrobe.
PARTS FROM ABOVE
If we leave the oversize cut aside, the key to finding your clothing size in the tops is on the shoulder, regardless of whether they are t-shirts, polo shirts, sweaters or shirts. To begin, you will need to find the point of union between the clavicle and arm bone. Right there the seam that joins the body of the garment with the sleeve should fall.
For shirts, also button the collar button. When closed, it should surround your own neck “hugging” it subtly, without tightening too much or being excessively baggy. The right measurement is that of a slack finger.
BOTTOM PARTS
To find out if a pair of pants fits you well, you should look at the waistband. When fastening it, this piece should fit into your waist, without being too wide – you don’t want to lose your pants – or too tight – because at some point you will have to breathe.
This trick works exactly the same with suit pants. In this case, you will also be given a hint by two more parts of the garment. On the one hand, the front. If you wrinkle around the button and the fly, it means you are too small. If you make bags and leftover fabric, it is big. On the other hand, look at the side pockets, they should never be peaked and shot out.
AMERICAN
To find the jacket that completes the suit we will apply three basic rules.
- First, the shoulder trick: find the junction point between your clavicle and the arm. That’s where the seam on the shoulder of your jacket should fall.
- Buckle it up. The button that closes (the first if it has two buttons and the middle one if it has three buttons) should be just above the navel to keep the correct proportions.
- Finally, the lapel must be glued to the collar of the shirt, with no space between them; if not, it means you are putting on a jacket that is too tight and pulling “to get rid of you.”
