The Ultimate Guide to Garment Fit

Fashion is an art form but how often does it still seem to just look a bit wrong? I’ve fallen victim to the bad fit epidemic in the past, so I made it my mission to find out how to avoid bad fit altogether (or at least greatly reduce the chance of it happening). I realized what it means for something to fit well and from there I was able to make changes in the way I bought and created my own clothes. The way that a style is meant to fit when worn is pretty easy to understand and once you get familiar with a few fit tips then you’ll be looking and feeling your best.

What’s Garment Fit?

Garment fit is how well a garment’s measurements relate to those of the body.

How’s it Determined? 

• Trends and styles
• Fabrics and their characteristics 
• Current events
• Function
• Target consumer

Calculating Garment Ease and its Elements:

• Ease helps to establish silhouettes and their fit
• Ease is the difference between the garments measurement at that point and that same point on the wearer’s body 
• Two types of ease fit ease (wearing) and design ease (style)

Women’s Fit Ease Chart (Wovens)

Blazers

1. The shoulder seam should meet at the shoulder bone
2. Sleeves should cover the wrist bone
3. The blazer should not pull when buttoned (even when sitting down)
4. Armholes should fit close to the arms while still allowing movement 

Outerwear

1. Lapels should sit close to the neck
2. All closures that extend to the neck should fasten comfortably and easily
3. Torso should fit slimly while accounting for layers of clothing under it
4. Coat front should lay flat and free of wrinkles when fastened (wrinkles indicate that the fit is too tight)
5. The shoulder seam should meet at the shoulder bone 
6. Sleeve length should cover all under layers and can reach half palms length

Dresses

1. The torso should lay flat and should be free of draglines
2. Horizontal shoulder seams should sit across the shoulder (if it leans then the fit is not right)
3. Sleeveless dresses should not expose the bra

Button-Up Blouses

1. All seams should lay flat
2. Shoulder seams should meet at the shoulder bone
3. Armholes should be high enough to allow movement
4. The fabric at the torso should not be able to expand more than 2-4” from the body
5. Sleeve length should reach past the wrists and the sleeve fit should be close to the body while still allowing room for movement

T-shirts

1. Sleeve length should reach to bicep following the arm downward
2. The hemline should reach the beltline or extend but below it  
3. The collar should not be too restricting (head should fit through with ease)
4. The torso portion of the fabric should hang smoothly on the body
5. The shoulder seam should meet with the shoulder bone

Other

1. There should be no pulls or gaps at button front 
2. Arms should be able to move freely
3. Sleeveless tops: bras should not show 
4. The shoulder seam should sit at the shoulder line 
5. Collared blouses should fit closely to the neck while still allowing two fingers to fit when buttoned 
6. When a blouse is tucked in it should not rise when arms are lifted or when sitting down

Trousers 

1. The waistband should be able to fit 2 fingers inside of it to ensure proper fit
2. When standing, pants should be free of wrinkles/puckers/excess fabric 
3. Trouser hems should hang 1” from the ground, touching your instep and covering half the heel, or hang ¼” form the ground if it’s a floor-skimming style
4. Side seams should hang perpendicular to the floor

Denim

1. Choose a pair that is snug to allow for denim to naturally stretch

• *Do not dry jeans to help preserve their elasticity* 

Skirts

1. It should be possible to gather an inch of fabric at the waist when standing 
2. Skirt with slits should remain shut when standing still
3. Bias cut skirts should hang smoothly
4. The hemline should fall evenly all-around being free from any rising

Proper garment fit is important-  A good fit instills confidence, allowing the body to move without restrictions so that your clothing isn’t slowing you down at the gym, on the job or while you’re at home. Choose fabrics and styles that are suitable for your lifestyle and find all the materials you need to do just that at moodfabrics.com and get your pattern inspiration from any of our free sewing patterns at moodsewciety.com. Which pattern do you think will be the best fit for you?