Garment Technical Training – What is ‘Fit’

Frank Lomax - 25^th November 2000

A Definition of Fit?

• 1. The Manner in which a garment adopts the shape of the body over which it is placed – Comfort Factors.

  2. The Ease between the garment and the body taking into account the intended under garments during wear – Sizing Factors.

  3. The expectation of Fabric Reaction related to Fit. – Styling Factors.

Factors effecting Comfort in Upper Garments – Drafts

Balances

• • Length of Front Vs. Back – Vertical Balance

  • Width of Back Vs. Front – Lateral Balance

Angles

• • Garment Vs. Body Shoulder – Padding

  • Neck Point to Centre Front & Centre Back – Closeness

Darting

• • Shaped around the Torso Vs. Looseness from the Shoulder

Seaming

• • Multiple Seams Shaping to the Body Vs. Styling Only

Armholes

• • Small Vs. Large

  • Exact Vs. Safe

  • Elegance Vs. Movement

  • Narrow Vs. Broad

  • High Vs. Deep

Sleeves

• • Straight Vs. Curved

  • Narrow Vs. Wide

  • Long Vs. Short

Styling Effects which can Confuse Fit

• • Blouse Bigger than Jacket – Jacket Bigger than Coat

  • Under Garment Sleeves longer than Outer Garment

  • Blouse Neck Falling Backward Vs. Jacket Neck Forward.

  • Low Armhole inside a High Armhole

  • Large Cuff inside a Small Cuff

  • Relationship of Upper Garment to Lower Garment

Factors Effecting Comfort in Lower Garments – Draft

Balances

• • Front Vs. Back – (Skirt Vertical) (Trouser Vertical & Lateral)

  • Width of Back Vs. Width of Front (Skirt & Trouser – Lateral)

  • Hip Vs Stride (Trousers – Lateral)

  • Waist to Waist through the Fork Point (Trousers Vertical & Lateral)

Angles

• • Waist Line to Side Seam – Front & Back (Skirts & Trousers)

  • Waist to Maximum Hip – Front & Back Side Seams (Skirts & Trousers)

  • Waist to Maximum Hip – Centre Front & Centre Back (Trousers)

  • Inseam Vs. Out-seam – Maximum Hip & Fork Point to Ankle (Trousers)

Darting

• • Shaped to Body Line or Located for Styling

  • Darts Vs. Seam Shapes & Location.

Seaming

• • Body Shaped or Simple Lines for Styling.

Waistline Shape

• • Located to Body Waist or Lowered / Raised for Style.

  • Natural to Body Line – Straight or Curved

  • Parallel to Ground or Angled for Style.

Hang or Swing

• • Vertical, Tip to Front or Tip to Back

  • Clean Front Leg or Clean Back Leg Priority

Styling Effects which can Confuse Fit

• • Low Rise on a Bigger Waist (Skirt Lifts – Hip too big) (Trouser Lifts – Cross Fork now too high)

  • Garment Rise is lower than the Body Rise (Bunches when Sitting) (Crotch Seam Chafes Legs)

  • Short Back Rise is Clean when Standing – Back Waist stands off of the body when Sitting

  • Too many different Shape Characteristics in the same range (High Waist - Dropped Waist – Straight Waist – Curved Waist).

  • Hip of Skirt / Trouser bigger than the Jacket Hip.

Factors Effecting Sizing Garments – Blocks

• • Definition of the body to be fitted – The Body Measurements

  • Definition of the Garment Type to be constructed – (‘T’ Shirt / Dress / Jacket / Coat) – (Panty / Body Fit / Loose Fit)

  • Minimum Dimensions to be achieved within a Garment Type – (Close Fit / Loose Fit)

  • Effect of Ease or Tolerance on Finished Dimensions

  • Effect of Fabric Types on achieving Dimensions

  • Consistency of Applying Ease or Tolerance – by Proportion or Percentage

  • Neck To Neck or Armhole to Armhole Correlation – (Blouse to Jacket) – (Jacket to Coat)

  • Understanding and Accommodating the Body Rise.

Prerequisites for Controlling Fit

• • Know and Believe in the Body Measurements for the Target Customer.

  • Decide on Specific Target Market Groups – (Everyone) or (Miss & Madam) or (Mum & Daughter) or (WI & Executive) or (Standard & Plus & Petite)

  • Understand how each Customer Grouping Perceives Fit – How it should ‘Feel’

  • Decide the Size Ranges and Buy Into your Belief. – Use the Data Wisely.

  • Set Out the Product Groupings (Jackets / OverJackets / Coats) (Formal Trousers / Casual Trousers / Jeans)

  • Set out the Minimum Dimensions for each Product Grouping – (Decide, Agree & Stick to them)

  • Agree Fabric Types for possible use in each Product Grouping and determine the Maximum & Minimum effect on Sizing. (Specify Process Targets)

  • Segregate Range Planning into Customer Categories and Control - Don’t Mix the Market Groupings in the same sales area.

  • Have as many Groups as you can Realistically Manage but make sure they all fit the Target Customer (Miss Jean is different to Mum Jean)

  • Try and Limit the Design Related Fit Characteristics in each Customer Grouping

Benefits of Using ‘Block Patterns’ to Control Fit.

• • Establish the Comfort Elements within each Block

  • Define the Expectation of ‘Ease Over the Body’& of Fabric Action and Control.

  • Blocks provide a Consistent Basis for Comfort and Sizing.

  • They Control the Effect of Styling Fundamentals (Inset Vs. Raglan) (Jean Vs. Trouser)

  • Control the effect of different Seaming on Fit – Use Multiple Panel Blocks.

  • Blocks are owned by the Retailer and Used by the Supplier.

  • Blocks control the Buyer, The Designer and the Manufacturer.

  • Blocks Control the Manufacturing Fit Standards and Minimise Costs.

Disadvantages of Using Block Patterns

• • The Blocks have to be Correct and of Excellent Fit

  • Problems in a Block tend to move from Style to Style.

  • Ensure that the Size Grading Fits the Customer Group.

  • Worry about the Accuracy of such as Armscye Width Grading

Conflicts coming from Manufacturing

• • Patterns Constructed and Controlled to Manufacturing Methods (Jigs / Dart Sewers / Press Shapes)

Customers Perception of their Body and Body Size.

• • Time of the Month

  • Girdles & 'Push Up' Bra’s.

  • Clothing does not Relate to the Body inside.

  • Body is not Standard but its Good Enough.

  • How do Stance and Posture effect Fit?