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Does
it Fit?
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*A monthly column devoted to helping women and
men be their best and most confident in any situation.
Topics include dress, body language, attitude and
etiquette
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Victoria
Seitz, PhD
Image Expert |
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"I
wear an 8," "I wear a 12," "I wear a 4." For some of us
this is true but for the rest of us we wear a range of
sizes. Since there is no standardized sizing in the apparel
industry and that more expensive clothing is bigger, wearing
a range of sizes is probably the best approach today.
Please, don't try to fit your body into a size, find a
size that fits your body!
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So
when it comes to fit these days its hard to tell whether you have
the right fit or not. For some its obvious that something doesn't
fit, but for others the answer is not clear-cut. Some of the major
pitfalls I see with women are 1) pants and skirts that are too
tight, and 2) blouses and tops that are too tight. Let me tell
you a story about one of these pitfalls that I encountered at
an international beauty company.
I was doing a consulting job and was met by a receptionist where
I feared for my life. Truly! The third button down on her blouse
was under so much tension I thought it would fly off and hit me
between the eyes. Moreover, the lingerie underneath wasn't too
pretty to look at either. Bottom line, when something doesn't
fit, whether it is too small or too big, you are drawing attention
to the problem. Here are some tips about fit that may help you
in achieving the right fit for you.
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1. |
Foundations:
Yes, that is the core of a good look. Take two measurements,
one at the rib cage, below the breasts and one around the
rib cage at the breast. The difference between the two sizes
will indicate your cup size. The first measurement gives you
the 32, 34 or 44 size and the second the cup size. A one-inch
difference is an A cup, 2-inch difference a B and so forth.
The middle of the bra between the breasts should lay comfortably
on the sternum. If you have large breasts get a support bra.
But having your breasts falling out of your bra, as my mother
once remarked to me, is not a pretty sight particularly in
a business situation.
Underwear should fit smoothly over the rear end and have enough
room for the legs. When the elastic is stretched to the max
and the skin is coming over the top, it's time for a larger
size. |
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2. |
Pants and Skirts:
Give yourself ample ease at the waist, hips and thighs. If
you have large hips or thighs fit those and then take in the
waist. Also, as we age, gravity takes affect and the buttocks
starts to drop, along with everything else. You will need
to make sure you have ample ease in the crotch area. For skirts,
when they start inching up, they want more room in the hips.
Also when the skirt starts to cup the hip, buttocks and shows
the thighs you need a bigger size. |
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3. |
Blouses and Tops:
Particularly knit tops, they shouldn't be clinging to your
bra and telling everyone what size you wear. If it's a buttoned
shirt or blouse make sure that it's pulling in the breast
area when buttoned. Also make sure that if it's a set in sleeve
that it lands at the end of the shoulder and that you have
ample ease in the armhole and in the back area. Length of
the sleeve should be around the wrist bone or a half an inch
below - this applies, of course, to long sleeve shirts, not
short or three-quarter length. When the cuff is close you
should have enough ease to allow a finger in. Also make sure
you have ease in the collar for two fingers if the style dictates
it. |
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4. |
Suit Jackets and Blazers:
For classic styles that hit at the hip area you will want
to make sure that the sleeve length is about a half to an
inch below the wrist bone. The jacket should cover the rear
end if it is a blazer style and should be able to close without
crunching up in the back, or spreading apart in the front.
For any jacket, short or long, single or double-breasted,
it needs to button comfortably allowing enough ease in the
back to move! |
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5. |
Pant and skirt length:
Pants are not meant to drag on the ground, and for work, miniskirts
are not the answer to climbing the corporate ladder. For straight
or a-line skirts, right around the knee is the most becoming
for most women. About two inches above the knee is fine and
comfortable too. If you have large calves, wear your skirts
at the knee since a hemline at the widest point will only
make them appear larger. For pleated or dirndle skirts, they
can be longer but for work ankle lengths are inappropriate.
For pants they should land where the heel and the upper leather
meet or slightly above in the back and have a slight break
on the top of the shoe. This will result in your pants being
tailored where they are about ¾" longer in the back than in
the front. Cuffed pants will be straight across and should
also have a slight break on the top of the shoe at the front.
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6. |
Belts: You should
be able to buckle the belt on the third hold from the end
of the belt. Anything less, consider a bigger size. |
These
are just some tips for the right fit. None of us are dress forms,
thank goodness, and so we may find a size that fits most of our
body but may need a nip and tuck somewhere. I always have to get
sleeves and hemlines taken up because they were made for someone
5'9", which I am not. So appreciate who you are and fit your body.
That's the best way to accentuate your assets and minimize your
liabilities in your total image.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
Victoria
Seitz, PhD is a professor of Marketing at California State
University, San Bernardino and is author of Your Executive
Image, AdamsMedia, Inc, 2000 and Power Dressing, DonJon
Publishing, 1991. In addition to teaching, Dr. Seitz was a fashion
coordinator for Burdines, Florida and in retail management for
Saks Fifth Avenue, Phoenix, AZ. Clients of Dr. Seitz have included
Abbott Laboratories, Northern Telecom, Texas Instruments, Yellow
Freight Systems, Sally Beauty Company, the United States Armed
Forces, Travellife magazine, YWCA and Accountants Overload, in
addition to law firms, hotels, newspapers, universities, banks,
credit unions, national and local community and professional organizations
nationwide.
To learn more about Dr. Seitz please visit her website at www.cbpa.csusb.edu/vseitz.
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