It’s Not Old It’s Vintage: How to Size Yourself in Vintage Garments
Whether you are new to vintage or you’re as enthusiastic about it as Wiley Coyote is about that road runner, there can still be that old age problem that rears its ugly new school head: the sizing.
Ultimate blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe is forever touted as gorgeously curvaceous size 16, but she was not a size 16 as we know it today. Many clothing manufacturers, including Darling clothes, have what they call the three Ss: Style, Silhouette and Sizing. Three important things, three very important things that have evolved over the past century. It is worth remembering that we are a lot taller (and possibly better looking) and are therefore bigger than we used to be, so we thought it would be best to give everyone the basic know how when it comes to sizing so you can get the size you need not the size that you think you should need.
How to Size your Vintage
Rule 1: (The most important): Remember it is about measurements over size.
Have you ever bought an outfit that is your regular size from your usual shop to find that trying that same size in a completely different store and finding you have to go up or down a size? Exactly. This is going to be more than likely the case when it comes to vintage wear. The clothing industry has always attempted to standardise this, but as it easier (for obvious reasons) to sell a garment with smaller sizing, the standard system is rarely often varied. Let’s take a look at 1940s size 16 stats.
So by the 90’s Ms Monroe would have actually been a curvaceous size 12, with such a great difference it is definitely worth noting how we’ve changed and apply it to your shopping.
Rule 2: Keep it in proportion.
Silhouette and styles from each decade have their own proportions .So check everything, waistlines, armholes, neck sizing and pretty much whatever you can measure. None of what you find will be imperfections, just the crucial difference between deciding whether than special outfit is a poor fit or just an unfamiliar cut.
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