Size charts are never the same.
One company makes their pieces extra slim another wants the customers to have a loose fit, they dictate the measurements and the fit. So in the end there is no real standard of sizing. Every company has it’s own, that’s why it is important to use your measurements when purchasing clothing or sewing patterns. Normally, the measurements dictate the needed size.
Vintage pattern companies have a whole set of different scales for sizing. For example, junior sizes are slightly different than teen or miss, but there is some crossover. Most adult sizes are miss or ladies, but it does not mean you can’t resize a child or teen style. In the end it’s about fitting the style to your body.
The twenties size table reflects the fit. No waist size is needed or listed. Clothing fit starts at the loose hip and is formed to the small bust. Miss sizing is for the petite frame and younger female. Junior sizing is for the teen or taller child. Miss or Junior sizing is highlighted in bold in the following tables.
understanding the table
The tables will usually have the bust, waist and hip measurements for each size. If a measurement is missing from the table, it is usually unnecessary for the fit. For example, the 20s had no fitting at the waist, the width being the same as hip, so this measurement is not listed. Sometimes a table also includes length of the piece or back length, as a reference. These measurements vary depending on the style, it makes sense to always test the length of the pieces to your body before cutting.
ease makes the silhouette
Although all pattern pieces include “ease”, the measurements in the chart do not. ease makes the silhouette, it is the needed extra width for movement in the finished item. That’s why figuring the size increases through the chart measurement is the preferred way, not the pattern pieces.
remember pattern pieces will always be slightly larger than the measurements listed in the table to accomodate ease.
a look at the modern
The following example is a H&M size chart from 2025 for woman & petite sizing. The petite, or miss sizing, has a smaller hip circumference and shorter back length (not shown), about 3/4″ but this is also not standardised.
NewMcCall ©1926 size 14 closest to the H&M womans size 2, useful for blouses but the hip is larger, corresponding to a 4-6. A DuBarry ©1940 Ladies size 36 is similar to the H&M size 8-10 in women or petite sizing.
know your measurements, use your measurements.
Even today, measurement tables vary from one company to the next. A real standard does not exist, therefore it is not advisable to assume you have a certain size – measurements are the rule. Know your measurements, use your measurements. Information about alterations & resizing is a necessity, because of this. Anyone who wants to create wearable clothing should know some basics, please check-out the pattern resize post.
taking measurements
You can ask a friend, visit a seamstress or tailors shop or do it yourself. It is advisable to have a second person take your measurements though. if measuring yourself:
- stand upright but relaxed in front of a mirror
- wear shoes and under garments for measuring
- hold the tape close, but not strained, when measuring
- measure with one finger under the tape for bust
- take measurements double
To obtain accurate measurements, always keep the tape measure parallel to the floor when measuring the bust, waist, and hip. Measure the bust and hip at their widest points, and measure the waist at its thinnest point. Since the distances between these areas vary for each body, also note the lengths from the neck to the bust, neck to the waist, and waist to the hip, both front and back.
Other measurements to consider for a perfect fit are shoulder length, upper arm width, sleeve length, wrist width, favorite skirt length. For pants & shorts the crotch depth, lower waist width, thigh width, leg length are good measurements to have. For skinny pants knee width and foot width are great measurements.
resizing your pattern
Finally, resizing is a necessity, especially when it comes to vintage sewing patterns. Since these are perishable things, easily destroyed. It is often difficult to find a pattern in the size you need. It can also be your measurements are not conform with the patterns, so resizing is a must.
- start with a pattern copy with the seams removed
- find & calculate the measurements
- draw out your resizing lines
- resize piece and redraw
1: to prep your pattern for resizing you will need to draw out a working copy of the original pattern with all the construction markings, but cut the seams off (remove seam allowance). If the pattern has many pieces, you need to tape the pieces together for full, working pieces. For example, you would tape the yoke of an art deco sleeveless top to the upper bodice section at the center front, creating a blouse front from neck to hem. After this, you can calculate the measurements needed.
2: take your bust, waist and hip measurements for needed width. Optional measurements are neck width, neck to bust point, neck to waist, shoulder width & arm measurements. To measure skirts, you can take the length from the waist to the hem. You should also measure the crotch depth, knee, ankle, and side length from the waist to the ankle. You can find the pattern measurements on the pattern envelope or instruction sheet; if these are missing, check similar dated patterns. Please avoid measuring the pieces directly as an alternative option, as they always include ease. Finally, divide the measurement difference into 1/2 and 1/4 amounts. Pattern pieces come in 1/2 or 1/4 sizes. 1/2 means the front & back pieces are each half of your measurement. For a front pattern piece that is cut on a fold, use your 1/4 measurement.
3: you draw resizing lines vertically for width and horizontally for length. Generally, you draw three lines for each. you center points on the neckline, shoulder, armscye, and side. In addition, you place two points—one at the shoulder and one at the arm curve. This ensures proportionate up/down scaling.
4: to resize, you can either add (slice and spread open) or subtract (fold on the line) to find the difference. To subtract, you crease along your line folding away the amount & taping it closed. To increase, you need to slice the lines & seperate the pieces perpendicularly to the amount needed. Tape these pieces to a large piece of paper, which you can later use as your new copy. Once you resize the pieces, create a new copy with all the necessary construction markings and pattern information, just like before.
this is a skill, you learn it by doing it. since this is a topic that should be studied on it’s own, i will be making a seperate post.