Fit & Sizing
Does It Run Small or Large? The Boutique Sizing Guide
Boutique brands do not publish size charts, which is why ordering feels like a coin flip. Two measurements fix that permanently.
Sizing Quick Answers
- Does boutique clothing run small?
- It depends entirely on the brand, which is why there is no single answer. Easel runs large and most people size down. Umgee is relaxed but true to size. Zenana, Dear Scarlett, and Andree by Unit are close to standard.
- What two measurements do I actually need?
- The flat bust and the flat length of a garment you already own and love. Lay it flat, measure armpit to armpit and double it, then measure shoulder seam to hem. Keep both numbers in your phone.
- Should I size up or down in stretchy fabric?
- Down. Jersey and knit fabric gives where it needs to. In a stiff woven, do the opposite and size up, because there is no give to borrow.
Why Boutique Sizing Feels Random
There is no legal standard for clothing sizes in the United States. A medium is whatever each company decides it is, and every wholesale label uses its own fit model.
On top of that, these brands sell to shops rather than to shoppers. Their websites are ordering portals for buyers, so there is usually no consumer facing size chart anywhere to find.
The result is that you are shopping blind unless the shop gives you real numbers. That is fixable and it is on us to fix, not on you to guess.
A medium is not a measurement. It is a marketing decision. Numbers are the only thing that transfers between brands.
The Two Measurements That Replace Every Size Chart
Do this once, tonight, and you will not guess again.
- Find the top you love most. The one that fits exactly how you want things to fit. Lay it flat on a bed, smooth out the wrinkles.
- Measure armpit seam to armpit seam. Straight across, not along the curve, then double it. That is your real bust measurement in garments.
- Measure shoulder seam straight down to the hem. That is your preferred length.
- Repeat for a pant if you want. Waist flat across, inseam from crotch seam to hem.
- Put all of it in a note on your phone. Now ask any shop for the same flat measurements of what you are considering and compare.
Flat measurements compare across every brand on earth. Size labels compare across nothing.
Brand by Brand Fit Notes
| Brand | How it runs | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Easel | Runs large, oversized by design | Size down one. Size down two in boxy tops and t-shirt dresses. |
| Umgee | Relaxed but true to size | Your usual size. Down one if between sizes. |
| Zenana | True to size | Your usual size. Seamless pieces use S/M and L/XL ranges. |
| Dear Scarlett | True to size or slightly generous | Your usual size. Down one if you want less ease. |
| Andree by Unit | True to size with a soft drape | Your usual size. |
| Very J / She and Sky | Generally true to size | Your usual size. Check jumpsuit torso length. |
| Fantastic Fawn | True to size, jackets roomy | Your usual size for layering room. |
If a brand is not listed, ask us. We would rather measure it than have you guess.
The Fit Problems That Cause Most Returns
Almost every return we see is one of these five, and four are not a size problem at all.
- Torso length in a one piece. A jumpsuit or romper has to fit shoulder to crotch. If it pulls when you sit, the body is too short on you. Sizing up in width will not fix it.
- Inseam versus height. A 30 inch inseam puddles at five foot two and crops at five foot ten. Same garment, different problem.
- Fabric transparency. People call this a quality issue, and it is really a weight issue. Ask before ordering light colors.
- Shoulder seam position. If it droops onto your arm on a fitted style, the pattern is cut wide for you. A smaller size fixes it even if the bust fits.
- Armhole depth. Too deep and a bra shows from the side. This is the most common complaint about sleeveless tops and it has nothing to do with your size.
Styles That Forgive a Guess
If you are ordering something and you are genuinely unsure, pick a shape that fits a range. These do.
- Smocked bodices. Elastic shirring across the chest fits several sizes in one garment.
- Tie and drawstring waists. You set the fit yourself, and the waist sits where you want it rather than where the pattern says.
- Wrap styles. Adjustable by construction.
- Jersey and ribbed knits. Stretch absorbs a size of error either way.
- Adjustable straps. The single most useful feature on a jumpsuit or romper if your torso is long or short.
Avoid guessing on fitted wovens, button fronts across the bust, and fixed waist seams. No give to borrow from.
Sizing Questions We Get Every Day
Does it run small?
Depends on the brand. Easel runs large and you should size down. Umgee, Zenana, Dear Scarlett, and Andree by Unit are close to true to size. Send us the specific piece and we will measure it flat and tell you.
Do they run large or small?
Most of what we carry runs true to size. The clear exception is Easel, which is deliberately oversized, so most people take one size down and sometimes two in the boxier styles.
What is the Easel clothing size chart?
Easel sizes small through extra large, with a small typically fitting US 2 to 6, medium US 8 to 10, large US 12 to 14, and extra large US 16 to 18. Easel builds in several inches of ease, so most people size down.
Should I size up if I am between sizes?
In stretch knits, no, take the smaller size. In stiff wovens with no stretch, yes, take the larger one. The fabric decides this, not the brand.
How do I find a jumpsuit that fits if I am petite?
Look at the inseam number rather than the size. Under five foot three, a 28 inch inseam or a cropped style works without hemming. Anything longer should be hemmed, which costs about twelve to twenty dollars and transforms the garment.
What if the size I ordered does not fit?
Check our return and refund policy for the current window and process. We would rather get the size right the first time though, so ask us for flat measurements before you order and we will measure the real piece.
Send Us the Piece and We Will Measure It
Give us the item you are looking at and your two numbers. We will measure the actual garment flat and tell you which size to take, before you spend anything.