How to read a size chart (and when to ignore it)
Charts are a starting point, not a verdict. Here is how to use them and the three cases where you should trust the tape measure instead.
Every product page that has a supplier chart shows it in centimetres with inches below, for that piece only. The reason it is per piece is that suppliers grade differently — a medium in one brand is not a medium in another, and pretending otherwise is how returns happen.
How to read it
Find your bust, waist and hip on the chart and pick the size that fits the largest of the three. If you fall between sizes, size up for woven fabrics and size to the smaller for stretch. If the chart lists garment measurements rather than body measurements, add the ease you want — usually 2 to 5 centimetres for a relaxed fit.
The chart is for the garment. The tape is for you.
— the studio
When to ignore it
Three cases. First, knits: they stretch and recover, so a knit chart is a suggestion, not a rule — trust the fabric description. Second, anything with an elastic waist or a wrap: the chart is a range, not a number. Third, if you are between two sizes and the piece is final sale, measure the garment you already own that fits the way you want and compare.
The reliable fallback
When in doubt, write to the studio with your three measurements and the piece you are considering. A person will check the chart against your numbers and tell you what they would order. It is faster than a return.
The honest caveat
Charts come from suppliers and are not always perfect. If a chart looks wrong — a size that is clearly too small or too large for the garment — trust the tape and write to us. We would rather correct a chart than have you wear something that does not fit.
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