General sizing advice

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deadgoodvintage

Registered Guest
Hi everyone,
I can't believe that I've been selling vintage for ages and have only just found this forum. Such a brilliant resource, I'm chuffed!

When I sell on eBay, I usually give a guide size in my item title (s/m/l etc). My estimates are usually just guesses (I've always been an xs/s so its hard for me to guess the other sizes). Recently somebody emailed me to say my estimate size was way off. So my question is Is there a resource that list size estimates, if not what do you class as small/medium/large/extra large?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks ladies and gents,
Kimberley
 
Hi Kimberley--so nice that you found us! I have used eBay's own buying guide for years, and I have found it to be generally very accurate. I have it saved to my hard drive, so I don't have at the ready the URL or a link to it, but if you check on eBay, you can find it. On occasion I'll double check against Overstock.com's sizing charts, or, if an item is a more contemporary label, you can often find the manufacturer's sizing guides on their websites (that's when I sell modern items, not vintage).

The biggest issue I find in sizing is that vintage was often designed for the "hourglass" figure and most modern figures have larger waists and/or hips in proportion to the bust. So it's best, I think, to give a range in your estimated sizing. Also, take into account the style/construction of the garment. If the waist, e.g., is a seamed & fitted waist, with no stretch or give, then I generally use that measurement as my guide when estimating sizing. It's usually easier to take in a dress through the hips or bust than let out the waist (depending, of course, on seam allowances and construction). The most important thing, though, I think is to always say in your listings that the customer should go by the garment measurements and NOT your estimated sizing to determine fit. They need to know their own measurements and body types.

Hope this helps!
 
i went and used a bunch of modern and vintage charts and made up my own.. Anne is wise though to state that you need to express the measurements vs size

here is my chart.. if you like it you are more than welcome to use it in your listings
 
Hi Anne,

Thanks for your reply! I trawled eBay and couldn't find the size guides anywhere :trashpc:
HOWEVER
The overstock.com one is great, I've got it bookmarked, thanks! To be honest I'd rather not include the guide size because people tend to use it rather than checking the measurements then throw a fit when it doesn't fit. Even though i always include detailed measurements i still get too many emails saying "Cn u tell me sz plz". Then I get disgruntled buyers saying "you said this was a medium, it is CLEARLY LARGE" etc. You just can't win lol. Sometimes its hard to keep your customer service head on when faced with ignorant buyers.

I have a disclaimer asking buyers to check their own measurements and to measure a similar garment that they own that fits well if they are unsure.
 
I also do not put the sizing guide in my listings; I use it for my own reference when guesstimating sizing. I think you pretty much have to at least say in your title or subtitle, Med/Lg or "XS/SM" or "Sm/Med" so you will get people looking for something using that designation. And by giving a range, you avoid (hopefully) somebody saying "you said it was medium, but it's large." And, also, there's not a whole lot of difference between a 10 and a 12--so it is up to the customer, not the seller, to decide if it is a 10 or 12 insofar as what they normally wear.

When buyers, even after viewing the measurements, insist on asking you what size, it's a good idea to simply say you can't give them a definitive size equivalent to modern clothing, and they must use the measurements to determine fit. It's one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't situations....
 
Jluthye: Great chart, thanks! I like how you've got U.S and U.K sizing on there, I'm based in the UK but a lot of my buyers have been from the U.S so thats really helpful. Kind of you to share!

Kimberley
 
Please please please use the smallest measurement as your size guide! I can't tell you how many listings I come across advertising a 40" bust -- only to find that the waist is 25"!!! Or the same measurements advertised as a L because of the larger bust size (when the garment isn't even intended to fit snugly at the bust! Ugh!)

A 25" waist is a SMALL by any standard (no matter WHAT the bust is!) and I just don't understand why a seller wouldn't understand that they'll just have upset customers by pushing the LARGEST aspect of the dress.

Anyway -- So glad you found us here! :)
 
I agree to not try to guess sizing in your listing, but to let the measurements speak for themselves. Also, late 40s and 1950s stuff might be tailored to the hourglass shape, but other eras are not. So something with a 30" might be on the high side of medium in one era, but it may be XS in the era of the shift or tent dress. I would put the verbage in there to remind people to compare garments to similar items they own.
 
good point ladies and Kristine you are sooo right,,, I clicked on an add last night and is said large with a 24" waist I was peeved lol... but didn't bid.

I usuall go by waist (or smallest size) I also try to give a guestimate as to the bust,,, many stuff Ive had may be 38 inches in the bust but a woman with a full C cup would make the fromt of the dress ride up :-)
 
thank you for compliment on chart,,, i am US based and 1/3 of my sales are international so I decided to do both and I list both Inches an cms in listings

It was a quick chart,,,, now that I have figured Excel out I am going to make a prettier one soon! That one was old school paint... hahaha
 
Originally posted by Jluthye
good point ladies and Kristine you are sooo right,,, I clicked on an add last night and is said large with a 24" waist I was peeved lol... but didn't bid.

I usuall go by waist (or smallest size) I also try to give a guestimate as to the bust,,, many stuff Ive had may be 38 inches in the bust but a woman with a full C cup would make the fromt of the dress ride up :-)
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. The bust measurement that works for a gal is the bust measurement that works for a gal no matter if she is an a, b, c, or jj cup. One of my pet peeves, that unless it is a bra or something with bra cups in it, where a seller makes the judgment of "don't wear this if you are over a certain cup size". If a woman is wearing the correct bra size, the darts and seams will lay where they are supposed to. She won't have ride up problems or look too revealed.
 
Just give clear, concise measurements- no faffing about trying to guess what size something is (s/m/l, etc) or using measurement charts as if you have customers that have my shape, NO measurement chart fits!! Plus, sizes vary from country to country and from shop to shop. I can be a XL in one shop and a M in another just because I have big boobs and a small ribcage and waist in proportion. :wacko:

No measuring flat and then doubling for things with fitted busts and darts either as this gives a false measurement but instead measure the inside of the bust following the contours of the garment. :USETHUMBUP:

This system works for me and I very rarely get returns of things not fitting (except if people don't measure themselves properly or if they wear modern saggy bras with a 50's darted dress that is supposed to be worn with a bullet bra but that is a whole other story...):rolleyes:

Lei
 
I totally agree with Lei on how to measure an item with bust darts or other ease through the bust area. I measure around the inside of the garment, all the way around, and state in my listing that's how I measured.

And sometimes it's not the waist that's the most restrictive dimension. I have several dresses that are very narrow through the hips. So I think it's important when you have a situation where a garment may "seem" to be a certain size range due to two measurements, but there's one dimension that simply won't budge from the next size down, you need to point that out.

My point in putting some sort of estimate in the title of a listing is that it may get overlooked if there is no reference at all to size. When I shop for vintage online, I search by size range (not specific size, but using the XS, Sm, Med, Lg, X Lg type of designation). Because I really don't want to be wading through a bazillion listings looking for "50's cocktail dress." I think most buyers try to narrow it down somewhat. Generally, I find that most items will fall within two size ranges... Not always of course, but often.
 
Thanks for all the advice (especially the one about measuring INSIDE the bodice for items with bust darts. I'm ashamed to say I've been doing that one wrong). I'm armed with information now and ready to rock.
 
I agree with Anne that the most restrictive measurement are the hips. In most decently made skirts, it may not be hard to take an inch or two out of the waist band or move a hook or button if the hips fit you, if the waist "almost" fits. Also, in 50s clothes it assumed you have an hourglass shape or will be wearing proper foundations and that could smooth you out in the waist too. Of course, if you have a few extra pounds, there are foundations that can trim your hips and derriere, but when it comes down to it, you can't reduce the size of your skeleton there and still walk! For the opposite problem - hooks and buttons can move to make it smaller and many silhouettes retain their shape if taking in an inch or two in the waist as well.

I see many very cute 60s skirts I have almost purchased but the hips are a tiny 32-33" - there is just no way, even if the waist is perfect for me that I will ever fit into that.

As far as how I search? I look for the type I am looking for (name of the type of garment, fabric, era, etc) but when it comes down to size, I search by bust/waist in 50s dresses or bust. I search for waist size (give or take an inch) in skirts and then wade through and see what fits or not. And that narrows it down enough. Suits - its all over the place on what i search. If its a 70s jacket, I can search the number size because I have tried enough jackets and worn enough blazers (as far as 70s blazers, not modern) to know what size I need if the seller is kind enough to write in what the tag says somewhere in the listing.
 
I agree with Suzanne about your chart Jennifer. I think your measurements are a little on the small side. I wear anything from a 2-6 depending on where I am shopping and the garment. I find that belts in particular are sized much larger and that 90% of Small belts don't fit me - even cinch belts.

I also agree that the hips are the most restrictive measurement. I have a small bust and waist but my hips are not quite as small - LOL.

I can no longer shop at Chico's either!

Linn
 
Yes according to ebay charts... i just looked it up..,,

I compiled it from many websites lice Nordstorms Macys Target and Overstock and averaged them out.

Just now looking at the ebay charts I am almost dead on (1" smaller in hips) until I hit the Large range then its like a size or 2 off!.... so an edit is in order :-)

but I do know sizes very greatly! I am an 8/10 sometimes 12 in cheaper clothing (10 Wal Mart, 8 target) and a small 2/4 in Name brands like Bananna republic, new york and company.... its CRAZY how there is no standard which is why measurements are best !!!!

Even better once I get bras figured out... there is supposed to be a standard yet they all fit different. I juggle between 2 cups and 3 waistbands sometimes lol...

Thanks for the heads up on the chart... I wanted to make a prettier one anyways heheh :-)
Jennifer
 
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