The first question people have when it comes to fashion, according to the Attire Club survey and the people we’ve styled over the years is how clothes should fit. And that is a right question to have at the top of your list, since fit is indeed the most important thing when it comes to clothes, followed by fabric and color.
The basic rule of thumb when it comes to clothes is that the things you wear should be your exact size. Contrary to popular belief, the right size basically means that they should not be too tight or too loose, you should be able to move freely in them, while they feel a bit snug on the body.
Derived from this point is the question of what you can wear if you are in-between sizes. Most people don’t really fit into a precise size and thus have quite a bit of trouble finding the right clothes.
While it is a challenge to wear clothes that fit sometimes, there are a ways to doing it even if you are in-between sizes.
Tailor
The best option for those who don’t really find clothes in their size in stores is to have them made by a tailor. This way, your chart size doesn’t even matter: the tailor will make the clothes according to your exact size and the clothes will look great and fit very comfortably on your body.
Go a size higher
Making custom clothes can get expensive and time-consuming. If you can’t do that for one reason of the other, when you are buying clothes, you can buy clothes that a size bigger. The ideal would be to have them just adjusted by a tailor, but if you can’t do that, you should always go a size up, not down, as otherwise your clothes will strangle you, feel really uncomfortable and look bad too.
Different brands, different shapes
What many people don’t know is that brands don’t always use the exact same sizing charts. Therefore, you should try on lots of clothes before deciding you can’t find the right one. For example, before you buy a pair of pants, you should try at least 25 pairs on in your size, with different styles and cuts.
The shape of the clothes is also very important. Try on a lot of clothes and you will discover that the same size will fit you differently depending on the cut of the garment. For example, tapered jackets will be sometimes extremely snug on your body, while a loose-cut jacket will fit just right, even if they are the exact same size and from the same brand.
Stretch materials
Materials that stretch a lot are generally synthetics and should be avoided. However, there are some blends that are stretchy and that are worth trying For example, look or a pair of jeans that features a cotton-spandex blend. This will be fitted, but it will also adapt to your body pretty well and thus look good and feel comfortable.
Pro tip:
One will often find clothes described as “one size fits all”. Just by the name of it, you can tell that this is not something that really works. People have different body types, so making a garment that adjust itself to any size is not realistic. Clothes should fall on your body and give it a frame, not stretch like a piece of plastic on a new couch.
There are things you can do if you don’t fit into a predermined size. Finding a good tailor, wearing stretchy materials or looking into a larger variety of clothes will most certainly help you wear better clothes.
Fraquoh and Franchomme
Further reading:
The different types of suit fits
How a good polo shirt should fit
How should a shirt fit? A complete guide
P.S. We want to hear from you! What do you wear when you are in-between sizes? What are your main fit problems? With which items have you had the most issues? Share your feedback, questions or thoughts in the comments below! For more articles on style, fashion tips and cultural insights, you can subscribe to Attire Club via e-mail or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!