"As anyone who has tried on clothing in a store knows, size is a relative thing." As a Fashion Industry Essentials student at Parson's New School via Yellowbrick, we were asked to head to a large retailer that carries several brands. We were then asked to try on many garments - making note of the sizes that fit us the best. After this, we were asked to choose an item that fit us the best and try on every identical item in that size, making a note of the difference between the garments. It is important to note that clothing is made with a 1/2" tolerance.

Mani at Nordstrom checking out ALL SAINTS

I headed to one of my favorite retailers, namely Nordstrom. As I began to try on pieces and grab two of the same size items, I did notice that each could be slightly different, despite having the same size on the tag. It appeared the 1/2" tolerance that the Fashion modules were talking about was indeed correct. I must admit, I was a bit of a skeptic as I had begun to think that clothes were made with precise perfection with assembly lines, robotics, and artificial intelligence.

The assignment asked us to publish a blog post, which is indeed the one you are reading here. As I tried on items, one brand that had a henley that fit me most like the brands I buy was All Saints. I found here with this brand that the items fit true to their size chart and even when I tried on 2 of the same size, they fit relatively the same, albeit on one item I did also notice the 1/2" tolerance. It just goes to show, that no matter what brand you favor, it might make sense to try that on first still. Usually, I am so in a hurry, I skip the fitting room, however, this exercise may change some things going forward.

I also asked AI to offer some insights on what other challenges the fashion industry has with sizing, and got this, " I can offer some insights into the challenges of sizing discrepancies in the fashion industry. Sizing inconsistencies are a common issue in the fashion world due to variations in brand sizing standards, different fit models, and manufacturing processes. It can be frustrating for consumers to find that their usual size in one brand may not fit the same in another. If you have experienced variations in sizing among seemingly identical items, you're not alone. Factors such as fabric, cut, and manufacturing techniques can all contribute to these differences. Additionally, brands may adjust their sizing over time based on customer feedback, fashion trends, or changes in production methods. To mitigate these challenges, some consumers prefer to try on items before purchasing or ordering from brands with consistent sizing. Others rely on reviews or size charts provided by the brand to make more informed decisions. The fashion industry needs to address these sizing discrepancies and work towards standardizing sizes across brands to improve the overall shopping experience for consumers."

I am grateful for being assigned something like this, as I probably have never given attention to sizing in this detail. As an artist in music, design has always been an important part of my life whether building and designing a home studio, designing a luxury sneaker or a fashion line called 'MIGLANI', and I am grateful for courses like Fashion Industry Essentials for these opportunities to learn and grow. Designing items for the end-user means one must pay attention to things like the 1/2" tolerance if you are making clothes.

011 - Fashion Industry Essentials - Fashion Sizes are a Relative Thing