What is clothes length

Since the early s, studies have shown a marked increase in online clothing sales. As malls across the United States shutter their doors for good and retailers shift clothing sales online, having a clear understanding of what clothing measurements mean can help consumers make better decisions.

However, buying clothes online has drawbacks. Despite generous online return policies, trying on clothes in person offers benefits beyond the ease of trying clothes on in private, at-home. Long gone are the days when your size in one store was the same in another store.

In the United States, clothing sizes tend to be more general to accommodate a wide range of people. This is why American sizing depends more on sizes that range from Extra Small to Extra Large rather than European and international sizing, which usually depends on precise measurements. American companies typically offer clothing size scales on their website or in-store to help consumers translate sizes from Small to Large into specific body measurements.

Taking accurate body measurements is straightforward and easier than most people realize. All you need is a cloth tape measure, keeping the tape level and firm, but not too tight. Make sure to measure over bare skin or tight clothing, but never over loose clothing. In contrast, unisex sizing refers to clothing that can be worn by either women or men. Unisex sizing occurs when a label or clothing seller offers the same cut of a style in the broader size scale than typically offered for men or women exclusively.

Use this number to help you choose your next pair of great-fitting pants. Place the tape line well up under the arms, straight across the back, over the blades, and over the chest in the front. Insert a finger between the tape and body to insure proper ease. This measurement usually determines the coat size. In any case, what we show below are what we decided to be "normal" or average representations of sizes in general based on weights and measurements of the average medians got that?

Use it as kind of a guide or starting point, just remember that we get blanks from all over, and the vendors don't necessarily conform to the charts below. Also, "normal" sized stuff shrinks if not pre-shrunk so you have to allow for the shrinkage when ordering. A very few vendors "cut oversize to allow for shrinkage". This means that after shrinkage, they should fall into the appropriate size ranges, depending on that vendor's interpretation.

We mark those items with a "cut oversized" icon. When we realized, though, how much variation there was, we decided to measure everything we carry, before shrinkage, and you will see those measurements on all of our clothing - use that when you need to have a more specific fit, and don't forget to allow for shrinkage! Cotton shrinks! This fact is reported to have been discovered by the ancient Egyptians and has been confirmed by countless distraught women through the ages.

Sharp changes in temperature cause more shrinkage than gradual changes. High agitation washing machines cause more shrinkage than gentle hand washing. Preshrunk goods shrink less, but still shrink. Some big name T-shirt manufacturers call their T-shirts pre-shrunk, but they are actually only compacted, and have never been washed. Allow for the shrinkage!

In some garments, this means buying a size larger. If the item is "cut oversize to allow for shrinkage" then it will be big at first, and then shrink down to the size on the label.