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Ways to Ensure Proper Fitting Attire
Kaibigan Letter, Wear Your Proper Fit for a Positive Body Image
The proper fit with our wardrobe can boost our confidence, our mood and perspective about our bodies and ourselves. Why is finding the right fit so difficult? Retail sellers rarely include exact measurements in their merchandise description and each brand can use varying measurement standards to determine a size for their items. An American size 6 is a European size 38 yet the fit may be more of a size 4. Fabric and blends, cut and how you care for them will affect how a clothing will fit you. Here are ideas for ensuring a proper fit:
Measurement
· Know your numbers and try on items. Measure for yourself accurately rather than pricking yourself wondering “Am I a 4 or 6 or 8 size?” Take your own measurements and apply them to sizing chart measurements as a starting point while keeping in mind that the brand, fabric and cut may affect the actual size that fits well on your frame. A medium petite size may fit a petite frame better than a regular size in pants and coats, but may not necessarily be the case with other garments. Measurements can be guides, yet trying clothes on and moving in them will better inform you if they fit you properly.
· Compare your measurements to great-fitting clothing that you already own as additional guides on your proper fit. Measure the best fitting garments already residing in your closet. Remember that certain sizing can also be open to interpretation due to what particular fabric blend they’re made of. For instance, cotton and wool pieces may shrink in the wash and you’ll find that item fitting a little snugger in places. Caring for your clothing correctly goes hand in hand with using the right measurements to buy.
· Stick with brands that offer to work with your body. Figure out what stores you trust to fit best and find the brands you know you can keep coming back to for great clothing options that are right for you.
Befriend a local tailor/seamstress and shoe cobbler
No clothing or shoe will be the ‘perfect’ fit for you off the rack. Sure, there will be some that feel and look nice on you. Your body though changes over time. The time of day and activities affect how your feet swell. Menstrual cycles, medical conditions, medication, and certain foods can cause bloating that affects the fit of our clothes. It’s easier to alter clothing if they are looser because there is more fabric that the tailor/seamstress can take in or remove. Clothes that are tight or already hug your body will have little or no excess material to work with unless it’s shortening the length. Invest in alterations so that your clothes fit your body as it is right now. Clothes can showcase your body when it’s in the appropriate length for your body and it hugs you in your sweet areas without constricting your muscles or breathing. Shoe cobblers can stretch a shoe’s width, repair damages and discoloration. They can also shorten heel straps if they’re not grasping your heel as you walk.
Having the right bra size is healthy
Our breasts are made up of soft tissue and continuously squeezing them the wrong way will disfigure them and cause pain. Like with any clothing, badly fitted bras can affect your breathing and can cause skin abrasions and irritations. Bra types also can help with specific activities, such as sports bra for high impact sports or movement is more supportive than a t-shirt bra. Get measured regularly, perhaps annually and when you’ve experienced changes in your physique, and try on the bras to know how they fit. Like with clothing and shoes, brand sizes will differ. You feel physically comfortable, and you’ll have a positive mindset about your breasts while they’re properly supported by finding the right cup size and bra size that fits your body age.
Shoes
When you wear a shoe that fits your foot properly, not tight and not loose, it provides a good platform for your foot to support your body. Shoes should support your feet. Your feet shouldn't have to support your shoes. The way you walk in shoes that don't fit properly will not only affect your feet, but will also affect other parts of your body, like your knees, back, and neck. Keep in mind:
· A size in one brand does not equate to the same size in another. When buying new shoes, one should buy shoes that fit comfortably. Measure your foot's length and width with a Brannock Device when you buy new shoes. A Brannock Device is the standard foot measuring tool used by footwear designers and manufacturers. Use these measurements to find a proper fitting shoe and always try on and walk around wearing the shoe.
· Heels are designed for fashion; they are not made for comfort. A larger sized heel will still force the distribution of weight onto the ball of your foot and compact your toes into a small space which will still lead to the progression of bunions, especially when you are predisposed to having them.
· Wearing shoes that don't feel right can lead to other painful medical conditions, such as arch pain, neuromas, and Achilles tendonitis. Wearing a shoe that is too tight will hurt your feet and lead to foot ailments, such as blisters, bunions and calluses. Wearing shoes that are too big will alter the way you walk, and cause your heel to repeatedly slip out of the shoe with every step. You contract your toes with every step to hold the shoe onto your foot. The repetitive contracture of the toes further contributes to the formation of bunions and hammertoes.
· You could wear a sneaker in a half size up. The reason for this is that our feet tend to swell because fluid accumulates due to gravity with prolonged standing and weight baring activities. Buying a sneaker that is slightly larger than your foot allows for better circulation which minimizes swelling. If one foot is slightly larger than the other go for the bigger size.
· Consider the kind of socks you plan to wear with your shoes. Thicker socks take up more space, causing less room for your feet to swell into or move in comfortably.