Vintage clothing is always in demand, and in good condition, retro fashions can be extremely valuable. The biggest problem those interested in vintage fashion run in to while looking for their next favorite piece of apparel is sizing, and the discrepancies that exist between vintage sizes and the sizes we’ve come to know today. Due to today’s vanity sizing standards, in clothing made 30 or more years ago, your size may actually be 4 to 6 sizes greater than it is now. For instance, if you’re wearing a dress size 6 today, your size in a vintage dress of a similar cut may be anywhere from a 10 to a 12.
So, how can you compensate for these size discrepancies and find those vintage fashions that will fit you like a glove? It all starts with knowing your measurements. While the sizes may have changed, the measurements remain the same, and you can completely disregard the size on a piece if you know your own measurements and have a measuring tape on hand to see if they match up with the article of clothing you’re interested in.
Different articles of clothing will require different sets of measurements, and some of these measurements are:
- Dresses – When measuring for a vintage dress, you’ll want to measure your bust, waist, and hips. The bust is measured by wrapping a measuring tape across your body at the fullest part of your bust, the waist is measured across the center of the waist, and the hips are measured at your hips’ fullest point.
- Playsuits and jumpsuits – Playsuits and jumpsuits are measured similarly to dresses, but with the addition of inseam length, and arm length if the outfit is sleeved. For measuring inseam length, use a measuring tape to measure the inner leg from top to ankle, and to measure sleeve length, start from the armpit and go to the wrist.
- Pants and trousers – Pants and trousers are measured using the waist measurement and the inseam measurement.
- Shirts – Shirts for both men and women are measured in similar ways. For a men’s shirt, the chest, neck, overall length, and sleeve length all need to be measured, while women’s shirts require measurements for bust, overall length, and sleeve length.
Keep Your Own Measurements Handy
When searching for vintage fashions at estate sales, you should always have your own measurements on hand or memorized to know just what numbers you’re looking for in any particular piece. While going for a size between 4 and 6 sizes greater than your current size is commonly pretty accurate, nothing will be more accurate than knowing your measurements and comparing them to those on the garment you’re interested in.
At Heritage Estate Sales, we want you to be able to take full advantage of all the beautiful fashions found in our estate sales all throughout the Los Angeles area. To learn more about shopping for vintage fashion, check out one of our estate sales today.