Sarongs, Etc. - Fitting Guide

Buying clothing on-line is becoming more common. But, the pitfall of this type of shopping is that you cannot try on the clothing to make sure that it fits properly. So, it is more critical than ever that a buyer use measurement information to determine which size to buy. This page is designed to help you understand how to choose the correct size.

Determine Your Own Measurements

The key to a proper fit is to match your body measurements to the measurements of the garment you want to wear. Too many people try to fit into a specific size rather than letting the fit of the garment determine which size to buy. First, you should take your body measurements so that you can compare them to measurements given for the garments on this web-site.

Critical Fitting Measurements

Generally, the most commonly used measurements are the circumference of the bust, the waist and the hips. For a particular garment, one of these measurements may be of more importance for correct fit than the others. For example, the bust measurement would be the most critical measurement for a dress that is only fitted at the bustline. And, the waistline measurement is likely to be the most critical measurement for a skirt gathered at the waist. On this web-site, these critical measurements are labeled with an asterisk (*). For a proper fit, it is important to make sure that your measurements appropriately match this measurement.

Other Fitting Measurements

Each garment on this web-site has a full set of measurement information in a chart labeled Measurement Information. In addition to the critical measurement information, other measurement information may be included in the chart such as, the length of the dress from the shoulder, or the circumference of the bottom of the skirt. This additional information can be used to determine if the style of the garment fits your likes and needs.

Wearing Ease

One important factor to take into account when matching your measurements with data in a garment's chart is Wearing Ease. Wearing ease is added to a garment to allow a person to move freely and comfortably while wearing the garment. For most garments, you should allow for wearing ease when comparing your measurements to the measurements of the garment. Exceptions to this rule are garments with larger than normal armholes, stretch garments, halter-top garments, and strapless garments as these garments must fit closely to the body for proper fit. In these cases, do not add wearing ease to your measurements. Otherwise, allow for wearing ease by adding the following inches to your measurements before comparing them to the measurements in the chart.

Elastic Panels

For garments with elastic panels, two measurements are given: Unstretched and Stretched. Unstretched gives the garment measurement when the elastic is relaxed (not stretched). Stretched gives the maximum size of the garment measurement when the elastic panel is fully stretched. Your corresponding measurement should fit within this range.

The Comparison

When you compare your measurements, plus any wearing ease, against a garment's chart, generally, select the largest size where your measurements are less than or equal to the measurements given in the chart.

REMEMBER, to look good in a garment, a proper fit will make you look better than a particular size!!

If you have any questions about fitting before you buy, feel free to contact SarongsEtc.com.