Fashion Incubator » Fit and Sizing http://www.fashion-incubator.com How to start a clothing line or run the one you have, better. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:36:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Japan: The obesity police http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/japan-the-obesity-police/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/japan-the-obesity-police/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:29:36 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10745 illegal_tobe_fatIt's illegal to be fat in Japan. For reals. Okay, there are a few caveats. More specifically, you can't be fat if you're over 40.
Concerned about rising rates of both in a graying nation, Japanese lawmakers last year set a maximum waistline size for anyone age 40 and older: 85 centimeters (33.5 inches) for men and 90 centimeters (35.4 inches) for women.
I can't imagine how they'll enforce it. The article mentions offenders will get counseling; the companies they work for will have to pay more into a health fund for the elderly. Hmm. Where is Teijo when we need him? I'm sure he will explain in more detail. So maybe you think the Japanese are being unreasonable but they could be more so. The IDF (International Diabetes Federation) recommends 35" waists for Japanese men and 31.5" for Japanese women. What I want to know is if the law applies to tourists. It goes without saying that this would never fly here... See also: How Japan defines fat.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/japan-the-obesity-police/feed/ 25 What does a 1″ or 2″ grade mean? http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/what-does-a-1-or-2-grade-mean/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/what-does-a-1-or-2-grade-mean/#comments Thu, 12 Jan 2012 23:33:01 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10697 Pop Quiz: grading necklines -and as it has come up before, I thought to dispense with it for once and all time. Namely, what do we mean when we say we have a 1 or 2 inch grade (or however much)? This is not so easily summarized because it seems ambiguous if one doesn't understand the underlying references. I'll try to explain the primary tenets of grades which are:
  1. A grade describes sizing changes for the major fitting attribute only.
  2. Application of the grade is proportionate.
  3. Grading is a logarithmic scale. Or should be.
Defines major fitting attribute: Generally, when we say something has a 1" grade, we mean that the major or defining attribute of the garment will grow or shrink that amount. If the item is a blouse, it is understood that the bust measure will grow or shrink 1". If the item is a pant, it is understood that either waist or hip is the primary fitting attribute. It is also possible they both are, it depends on the company.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/what-does-a-1-or-2-grade-mean/feed/ 8 Pop Quiz: Grading necklines http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-grading-necklines/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-grading-necklines/#comments Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:02:49 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10684 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/pop-quiz-grading-necklines/feed/ 23 Review: Theory of Garment Pattern Making http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/review-theory-of-garment-pattern-making/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/review-theory-of-garment-pattern-making/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:14:22 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10511 The Theory of Garment-Pattern Making, W.H.Hulme, has been very influential in my development. I have two of his four books with another on the way. I was lucky enough to buy the third with diligent searching. I doubt it would have been available for me to buy if the seller had spelled the title correctly. Which is by way of explanation that Hulme was (presumably deceased, I don't know) one of those seminal thinkers few authorities will tell you about, or know to tell you about (so how authoritative are they?). Hulme has affected the thinking of -surely- Aldrich, Bray, maybe Cooklin but no one that I know of on this side of the pond. At the same time, I'm not certain how much of what Hulme wrote really is new but undoubtedly, one truly great contribution was curating. He separated wheat from chaff to organize an archaic and arcane body of knowledge into an accessible format for study and analysis. And study you will if you get this slim volume.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/review-theory-of-garment-pattern-making/feed/ 15 Why larger sizes cost more or Size is nothing but a number http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/why-larger-sizes-cost-more-or-size-is-nothing-but-a-number/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/why-larger-sizes-cost-more-or-size-is-nothing-but-a-number/#comments Fri, 04 Nov 2011 01:44:55 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10278 a recent comment:
Please explain to me why lines that sell the exact same clothes in a 6 to a 20 charge more for the 16-20. In my example it is the exact same style and brand (pinup style clothing which tend to fit plus sizes well). PLEASE help me understand as I find it entirely perplexing!
The answer to this question may seem intuitive but the context is that she read Why existing manufacturers don't add plus sizes in which we said the costs of adding on a plus size line were considerable, on the order of adding another division. Since the manufacturer she mentions already tacks on larger sizes to the standard sizes they offer, I can see she has a point. It goes without saying that Lisa is new in these parts because she has not learned I cannot tell you the time without also explaining how to build the clock. Thus opens this discussion circuitously in which I explain that size is nothing but a number. ]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/why-larger-sizes-cost-more-or-size-is-nothing-but-a-number/feed/ 18 How to remove sleeve cap ease pt.2 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-remove-sleeve-cap-ease-pt-2/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-remove-sleeve-cap-ease-pt-2/#comments Fri, 23 Sep 2011 23:10:27 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10054 sleeve_body_measures_chartContinuing from part one, the first step is analysis which is done objectively and subjectively. Objectively is measuring so you know where you are. The second is somewhat subjective in that your eye must gauge the objective measures. Objective: I draw a little chart before I start to map the differences. The chart for this style is shown at right. The measures of the front sleeve and front body are pretty close; the sleeve is 1/16th smaller than the body. If the sleeve is a hair smaller, that is fine. I have a colleague who shakes her head over these discussions, she can't believe we even debate the point. She cuts all of her sleeves to be slightly smaller than the armholes they are sewn into. But I digress, 1/16th is nothing to worry about at this stage.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-remove-sleeve-cap-ease-pt-2/feed/ 10 How to remove sleeve cap ease http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-remove-sleeve-cap-ease/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-remove-sleeve-cap-ease/#comments Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:57:31 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=10049 how to reshape armholes. Reshaping armholes is the first step to a nice fitting sleeve. It is only once the armhole is shaped to fit a human body and the normal range of motion (see pgs 166-168 of my book), that the sleeve can be reshaped -because as I've mentioned, sleeve cap ease is bogus. The latter amounts to a work around to compensate for a poorly designed sleeve and armhole. Truthfully, well designed sleeves are difficult so I can understand why they're given short thrift particularly in value priced lines. In suits and coats though, it becomes more critical regardless of price point. In the forum I updated the ongoing thread with a screen capture of the new armhole design. A picture of the result -courtesy of my new software (doesn't this look so much cleaner?)- appears below. There is also a slightly larger version of the image. smaller_armhole_before_after]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/how-to-remove-sleeve-cap-ease/feed/ 14 What is a gusset? pt.2 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/what-is-a-gusset-pt-2/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/what-is-a-gusset-pt-2/#comments Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:15:08 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=9902 Tuesday's entry make me want to step back from this just a bit- to revisit some earlier topics on this site. With respect to Tuesday's entry, a lot of confusion could be cleared up with a re-reading of the camel toe entries, particularly this one because wad and camel toe are but two sides of the same coin. Really, they are. Then I find I should have followed up with an old entry in which I posed the question, what is a gusset? (which was inspired by this thread in the forum) but I wasn't wholly satisfied with the comment responses (to the blog entry). It seems there remains a bit of disagreement as to what a gusset is. For many people, a gusset can be a join piece that really doesn't do much more than move seams to a different location. For example, many would describe the crotch piecing in women's panties to be a gusset. In my perhaps erroneous thinking, this is an extension or bridge piecing, joining the front to the back. We cut the crotch separately -if you think about it- more as a way to improve fabric utilization than a fitting function. Perhaps removing the seam also provides a bit of comfort too but it doesn't extend the range of motion which I think is implicit in gusset definition. As I've said previously, I think
A gusset is an insert of fabric bounded on all sides that serves to extend range of motion or fabric area. With this definition, the crotch of a panty isn't a gusset because the crotch isn't joined on two sides, only the front and back. The extension or trim edge (albeit functional) on a diaper is basically the same thing.
]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/what-is-a-gusset-pt-2/feed/ 19 Fitting the gusseted jean http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/fitting-the-gusseted-jean/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/fitting-the-gusseted-jean/#comments Tue, 16 Aug 2011 23:24:23 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=9893 gusset_jeansI bought a pair of jeans with a gusset recently. I've been meaning to do that for a long time but only did it now because I have a customer making gusset jeans for men. It's good to do competitive analysis even though this doesn't really apply due to sex, just to get a feel for the range of options in the marketplace. Automakers do this all the time but worse (so called "tear downs") so you should too. I can't be very specific about the brand I bought because I don't want to be the cause of any unintended conclusions in the event I am misinterpreted and besides, they didn't ask for my opinion. It's a little different if a consumer does it rather than somebody like me with an arguably vested interest (technically, they'd hire me to fix it or consult with them to fix their grade). So the company is unnamed and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention the brand either. I've been much more specific on all counts here in the forum. If you like and assuming it would be educational, we can troubleshoot the causes of these problems here as long as we don't identify the company or cause any ill will. For what it's worth, even though I'm less than satisfied with the product's fit, I will continue to buy their products because they are a good value for what I need in a pair of jeans and plus, I don't have to go to a store to buy them.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/fitting-the-gusseted-jean/feed/ 18 Patterns must grow longer based on girth pt.2 http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/patterns-must-grow-longer-based-on-girth-pt-2/ http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/patterns-must-grow-longer-based-on-girth-pt-2/#comments Mon, 25 Jul 2011 20:55:48 +0000 Kathleen Fasanella http://www.fashion-incubator.com/?p=9787 the first entry, it is not universally understood that girth increases will require length increases in a grade. So, I made up one dress (1/4" woven gingham) and put it on both balls to provide a comparison. Below is a small version, see the larger file if desired. The black marks indicate 1". dressed_balls_comparison_sm It is not readily apparent owing to depth of field and differing positions when I took the photos but the hemline on the soccer ball is over 2" shorter than that of the football. Again (as this seems to be a point of confusion, this is the same dress on both balls. The photo above shows the two balls side by side to provide comparison but the photos were taken separately and then spliced into one.]]> http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/patterns-must-grow-longer-based-on-girth-pt-2/feed/ 20