Alright folks, don your thick skin: this is going to sound negative but I don't mean it as an attack, but rather as a suggestion or request.
I've noticed that most style blogs, forums and the like are plagued by a common problem, to wit, the lack of perspective when commenting on fit. If you click through Dappered Threads, AAAF, SF or any of the major style blogs, you'll see fit show up constantly (duh). That's great, but without context it means nothing.
If your friend asked for help moving "stuff" you wouldn't automatically tell him "oh we can just put it all in the back of my pickup" would you? What if his "some stuff" is one of those obnoxiously long picnic tables, a huge couch, a fridge, and a pool table?
Here's what I'd like to see. For any comments about the fit of a upper body garment, include the following measurements:
Height
Weight
Neck
Sleeve
Arm circumference taken at the mid bicep, mid forearm and wrist.
Chest
Waist
Shoulder
For any comments about lower body garments, include the following measurements:
Height
Weight
Waist (since the pants waist doesn't always sit around your actual waist, you realistically should take 3 measurements: actual waist, a bit below actual waist and low rise waist)
Inseam
Leg circumference taken at 3 or 4 places: 3 places - mid thigh, mid calf, ankle / 4 places - upper thigh, lower thigh, mid calf, ankle
I realize that it takes time to take these measurements, but if you're going to participate, you're already taking time out of your day to do that. Why not take 15 minutes, knock out all the measurements and just save them for easy access so you can just post them at the bottom of any post you make about fit?
I also understand that the leg arm circumference, leg circumference and waist measurements (for pants) are certainly non-traditional. I think you'll also agree that they are essential to consider when judging how a garment fits. The terms "slim fit", "tailored", "tapered", etc SHOULD give a reasonable understanding of what we're looking at, but the truth is that those words are less than useless. Sure, you can tell that LEC tailored shirt should be slimmer than a regular fit, but what does that mean? Technically you could call my car slow if you put it up against a drag racer, but I bet you the cop isn't going to go for that argument after I fly by him doing 90 MPH.
The point is this: when it comes to clothing, being as exact as possible matters. If you have to order online, it matters even more. That's not to say that specifics don't matter if someone can try something on first. After all, they still will need to drive to the store and then choose where to spend there time from there (time is also a finite commodity folks).
Relativity and vagueness have no place when it comes to clothes (despite what most clothing manufacturers seem to think). I suggest we operate with that understanding going forward.
Comment