Measuring and sizing vintage items. Because vintage clothing in some cases is handmade and that generally sizes do not conform to modern sizing from the high street multiple clothing chains ,comparing the actual measurements of the garment and comparing to you own +/or one of your own garments that fits you well is advisable. Where we use a size category it is to give a general indication. We measure our garments in inches using a soft tape held taut by measuring each area horizontally and vertically.This is done with the garment laid flat and slightly taut as it would be on the body. The measurements that we take for each garment:

Shoulders: Shoulder to shoulder tip,seam to seam with the tape laid flat.
Bust/Chest: Front and back from underarm seam to seam.
Sleeves: From shoulder seam to the end of the cuff.
Sleeve width: Seam to seam at the biceps x 2
Length: From shoulder to hem.
Waist: Seam to seam x 2.
Hips: From the widest point across 7 inches below the waistline x 2.
In-step/In-seam: From crotch to bottom of the hem.

UK sizes: 8 10 12 14 16
Bust: Inches: 32″ 34″ 36″ 38″ 40″ cm: 81 86 91 97 102
Waist: Inches: 24″ 27″ 29″ 31″ 33″ cm: 61 66 71 76 81
Hip: Inches: 35″ 37″ 39″ 41″ 43″ cm: 89 94 99 104 109
Europe: 36 38 40 42 44
USA: 4 6 8 10 12
Japan: 7 9 11 13 15