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Consistent Garment Fit

Alexis Daniels

MCS 429

Due May 14, 2015

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Introduction

There are many issues in the fashion industry today that concern a wide variety

of topics. Most are about big button issues that relate to trade laws, foraging countries,

or textile and fiber standards. However, there are issues that are smaller but just as, if

not equally, important when analyzing the big picture. One of those issues is garment fit,

not only the fit itself but the consistency of it. Garment that are deemed ill-fitting or less

than true to size are a major reason of consumer dissatisfaction leading to a loss in

sales. This sales loss can be easily resolved by better sizing and cutting practices,

better training for workers, and stricter standards for the better implemented early on in

the production process. It is important to find a remedy to this problem that affects

almost all retail stores at some point in order to keep customers happy and loyal, which

ultimately keeps the business going. In return for business’s doing well this will lead way

to them being more open to buy more often from these overseas companies that

produces true to size garments which will help that manufacturing company grow as

well. The effects from what seems to be a small issue could be listed all day and this

paper will go into further detail about it later. Consistent garment fit will greatly improve

the industry in several ways for a long term benefit.

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Review of Literature

One issue related to this problem indirectly is the particularly unrealistic small

size of runway models, which then leads to vanity sizing. As explained in an article on

just-style.com by Natalie Weathers, narrow images of women are consistently shown by

the media to the average woman who is bigger in size, does not fit this demographic,

and ultimately cannot relate to the women in these images. Because most women do

not match the size being portrayed and most retailers know this, they end up using

vanity sizes. Vanity sizing is the practice of assigning smaller sizes to articles of

manufactured clothing than is really the case, in order to encourage sales. This makes

women feel like they are smaller than they actually are and ends up causing confusion

down the line as all stores do not participate in this particular sizing practice and even

the ones that do are not limited to a universal “vanity sizing chart”, so to speak, ending

in a random range of sizes. Each company, manufacturer, or retailer can essentially

have any range of sizes labeled almost anyway they please. One can see how

confusing this can be for any customer that simply shops at more than one store, not to

mention that the average shopper usually shops at 10 different stores at the least. The

most common problem with inconsistent garment fit is that of women who actually know

their size but stores do not comply with a universal standard. This issue is just as

aggravating for these women and men as it is for the ones who are trying to find out

what their size is to begin with. One can only imagine how it feels to look for a specific

size they know to fit elsewhere just to find out that this size may be one or two sizes off

form the other store. This problem may seem small because of the fact that this is not a

major issue to a good percent of shoppers, for these shoppers they simply pick up they

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size they think is right and a size smaller or bigger, if not both, and try them all on

because they know there is a possible slight difference in standards for every store.

However, the benefits of eradicating this slight problem are much greater than the time

it saves just to ignore it. If the customer who does not mind picking up a few extra sizes

for safe measure to take to the dressing room did not have to anymore, they would be

much more confident to buy more from that store and less hesitant to buy things online

without the fear of having to return it and that is just the beginning of a positive step for

all retail stores.

Another major issue this problem creates is concerned with online shopping.

Online shopping has become a major part of the consumer experience due to

convenience and its somewhat hassle-free quality. Almost all retail stores have a

website that represents their store in some sort of way so that consumers can buy

clothing without ever leaving their home. The sizes on these websites, is where the

issue takes place. Due to the random range of sizes women are left to try and decipher

a sizing chart. Most people do not know their measurements let alone know how to

properly take their measurements. The average consumer does not want to take the

time to go get their measurements taken, the y simply want to know what their correct

size is and be able to pick that size out from more than a one or two of the many stores

they shop at. When it comes to online shopping most consumers order what they think

is there correct size, try it on when it gets to them and ends up having to return the

clothing due to improper fit. This leads to a loss in money for the business and a

potential loss in future sales because of garment fit. One solution recently being

explored for this problem is 3D modeling technology. 3D modeling technology right now

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is mainly being looked at to fix the problem of custom fit issues concerned with

customers submitting their own measurements. Once again the average person does

not know how to properly take their own measurements and most men don’t even know

where to begin to use measuring tape. New York-based startup Body Labs uses a

statistical mathematic approach to create an avatar through Body Kit technology as

reported by Lorraine Sanders in an article she wrote for Women’s Wear Daily. To create

this avatar either a body scan is performed a series of measurements that are easily

known offhand by the average person is entered by the customer.

In relation to society and ethics, a truer size across all retailers is a better option

for a lot of reasons. One being the false positives that vanity sizing gives some women.

Vanity sizing was ultimately put in place to make women feel smaller than they are but

is this really a good idea? As a society we say we promote all people to be happy with

whom they are and to be healthy at whatever size you are. The recent change in the

standard size for models is a great step towards getting rid or lessening vanity sizing.

As models of an unusually small size are part of the inspiration for vanity sizing, this

new rule that models must be of healthy size within their BMI range will eventually make

a great step towards accepting women of all sizes not just in the fashion industry but as

a society in general. Changing the sizing scale on the apparel at stores will not be easy,

it will take time patience, and probably some extra money in the beginning but the

benefits will greatly outweigh all of this. Any reputable company of a good size should

agree with this. Other retailers will not hop on board so easily due to costs and fear of

customer’s reaction to change but with proper promoting and active involvement with

the customers they too, may appreciate the benefits more than one would guess.

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Discussion

When it comes to the issue of garment fit I believe that the problem needs a good

deal of attention. Also as a consumer that shops at various different stores I think that I

understand the issue just as well as anyone else. The various sizing standards

throughout the industry has made it hard, especially for women to know their true size.

For these women who don’t know their true size, I believe their struggle is greater than

those of the women who know their true size but have a hard time translating their size

across different stores. They have the challenge of starting over more than half of the

time they enter a clothing store. One can only imagine how aggravating this is. Because

of this constant problem for them, it leads to a decline in potential sales. The more

challenging of an experience a customer has at a retail clothing store the less likely they

are to buy anything. This challenge could greatly be improved by better sizing

standards. These sizing need to be implemented at the beginning of the garment

making process in order to have a full effect at the end of the process as it reaches the

consumer. Meaning that practices need not only be made toward making sure garments

are made to the best quality possible to avoid things like a twist in the seam after being

washed but also towards making sure that every size 2, is actually a size 2 no matter

what store it goes to. I also understand that this might mean that there will be a need for

better trained employees overseas but I feel that this needs to be anyways for a number

of reasons other than just ill garment fit.

Truer sizing I believe will also lead to more self-confident women down the line

and for those who still lack it will be more motivated to get to the size they want to be.

Vanity sizing does more bad than good in leading women to believe that they are

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smaller than they really are. It also sends a message that their true size is something

they need to hide which goes against what we as a community say which is to be proud

of your body. I agree with most of the things I’ve read concerning the issue. The

process might be costly in the beginning but I think it will cost them more of a loss in

potential sales and returns. So by changing this issue the retailer has the ultimate ability

to increase their sales in the long run.

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Conclusion

This is arguably a small matter to some people but a big problem nonetheless.

By improving upon this problem we lead the way for many great things such as increase

in sales in-store and online, an improved society view on people of all sizes, and it is a

big step towards more honest and ethical sizing practices. The increase in sales will not

only help the stores individually but will help the economy/government with the increase

cash flow. As this problem affects women mostly, any women can attest to the

frustrations of ill-fitting garments and would be greatly relieved to get rid of this issue. I

know that implementing a truer sizing practice will not eradicate the problem for all

women but I feel that it is a great start in making an effort towards accommodating all

women even if their ultimate need is custom made clothing.

References

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Sanders, L. Body Labs’ 3D Modeling Technology Aims to Simplify Custom-Fit Clothing.

(2015 March, 31). http://wwd.com/markets-news/ready-to-wear-sportswear/body-

labs-3d-modeling-technology-aims-to-simplify-custom-fit-clothing-10104912/print-

preview/

Weathers, N. Sizing up garment fit issues. (2007 August 9). http://www.just-

style.com/analysis/sizing-up-garment-fit-issues_id98055.aspx