Ladies' Fitting Room

Leave it to Aunt Hill to introduce an easy, shameless size guide that works for tops and bottoms on all body sizes and shapes.

• Use a cloth measuring tape to determine the biggest measurement around your chest, the smallest measurement around you waist, and the biggest measurement around your hips.
• The help of a friend (even a grandkid on a chair!) is most useful for this small task. Use a mirror if you are by yourself to ensure that the tape is horizontal with the floor all the way around on each of the three measurements.

 It's not likely you will find your exact measurement on this chart. Like The Price is Right, you want to find the closest measurement to yours without going over the number on the chart. 

Start with your Waist

Don't worry that the number on the chart is larger than your actual waist size. Take note of the colour that the maximum measurement in your range is on. This is your Waist Colour

 

For Shirts, Jackets, and Other Tops

Locate the colour of the range that best describes your chest measurement. Locate the point on the chart where the Chest Colour and Waist Colour meet. This colour (either your Waist Colour, Chest Colour, or both) is your size for tops throughout Aunt Hill.

 

For Leggings, Skirts, and Other Bottoms

Locate the colour of the range that best describes the measurement around your hips. Locate the point on the chart where the Hip Colour and Waist Colour meet. This colour (either your Hip Colour, Waist Colour, or both) is your size for bottoms throughout Aunt Hill.

 

For Dresses, Onesies, and Other Full-Body Apparel

If your Top and Bottom Colours are the same, then your size for dresses, and so on, is also that colour. If your Top and Bottom Colours are not the same, then the colour you use as your guide is influenced by two main factors: your shape and the shape of the garment. If the shape of the garment is fitted on the top with lots of room on the bottom, select your Top Colour for your cart. Conversely, select your Bottom Colour if the garment is fitted on the bottom and loose on the top. 

 

Notes on the Perfect Fit

Prêt à porter can fit like designer clothing when we are clear about a few facts. To begin with, not all clothing designers have all shapes of woman in mind all the time. Fortunately, today's fashions show less bias in favour of the hour-glass or the spaghetti-shape than they used to, so we all have good chances to find a great fit "right off the rack."

The length of the garments, your height, and the length of your arms are not considered in the chart. For this reason, you will find a measurement that indicates the hem length, sleeve length, and so on in the sizing so that you can determine if the garment for you is knee-length, capri cut, a 3/4 sleeve, and so on.

It's always easier to take away than it is to add, so when in doubt, order a size up. Most people can hem a skirt, pants, or sleeves, but if the time eludes us or the adjustments needed are more complicated than machinery or know-how permits, we can take clothing to the local seamstress. These professionals aren't just for weddings anymore!

Keep in mind that a great piece of clothing not only fits well, but shows off your best attributes too. To highlight what you'd like others to notice or make something look bigger, wear lighter colours in that area. Wear darker colours over the parts you'd like to appear smaller or erase from sight. Use patterns and images to draw attention away from one area and to point it towards your finest features.

Above all, choose the clothing that suits you and leave the fads to the kids.