146/ Resale Roundup: Extended Sizing
Fresh selects + search tips + brands to look out for.
In the decade that I’ve been a personal stylist, I’ve worked with women of all shapes and sizes: from size 000 to 22, 4’10” to 6’2”, A- to H-cup, and waist-to-hip ratios between <0.6 to >1.0.1
If your body shape falls outside of readily available sizing and cuts, it can challenging to find clothes that you love and feel good in. As a stylist, it’s not only my job, but my sincere want to find solutions for you and help you feel your best. I once had a size 20 client who told me “I gave her her life back” and that honestly made my entire career. It’s why I do what I do!
For this Resale Roundup, I’ve focused on sourcing sizes 14+ which is more time consuming than searching for straight sizes, but certainly not impossible!
Here are few tips to get started:
It’s important to know international size conversions: US16 = UK(AU, NZ)20 = FR48 = IT52 = DK46 = JP19 (some Japanese brands use a size 0-5 scale). I can’t you tell how many times I’ve come across “US14” or “XL” in a listing title and the garment’s label reads IT40 (i.e. US4). Sometimes it’s because sellers aren’t fluent in sizing. Other times, the seller is suggesting that the garment fits a range of sizes. You’ll come across a lot of this, so have a sizing chart handy.
More experienced sellers, including major platforms like TRR and Vestiaire, are more likely to list correct sizes. Even then, I’ve seen FR and IT shoe sizes mixed up so many times, and DK sizes being listed as EU(FR) sizes. With independent sellers on eBay, Etsy, ThredUp, Vinted and Poshmark, it’s a total crap shoot. More often than not, sizing is not accurate. And then there are cultural factors — I love Japanese resale sites, but their definition of what is SML is different than in North America.
Therefore, knowing your measurements and the garment’s measurements is KEY. If a garment’s measurements aren’t listed, or they’re unclear, or they seem contradictory, don’t be afraid to ask the seller for them (and for photos). You can’t always rely on the label size because pieces may have shrunk or been altered. Key measurements for bottoms are waist, hip, rise and inseam. For tops, measure your shoulder, bust, waist and torso/garment length.
If you have a garment’s measurements, you’ll be able to visualize clothes beyond their intended purpose, thus broadening your options. For example, you can venture into menswear, play with “oversized” fits, or style dresses as shirts.
A good place to start your search is to plug in brands that reliably make garments in sizes XL/14 and above. As a starting point, I direct my clients to some of these brands: