Fit Is What Stays Put

FIT

Four movements, four places to watch. If nothing moves that should not, the size is right.

A knit and a pair of jeans that fit standing still in front of a mirror tell you very little. The size is right when the parts that should stay put, stay put, while you do the ordinary things a day asks of you. Here are the four movements we use and the one spot to watch in each.

Reach: the Shoulder Seam Stays

Put the knit on and reach one arm up as if taking a jar off a high shelf. The shoulder seam should lift with your arm and settle back on the bone when the arm comes down. A seam that slides down the upper arm and stays there is a size too large. A seam that pulls toward the neck and the knit tightens across the back is a size too small. On a cardigan, do this with it buttoned.

Bend: the Neckline Stays

Bend forward from the waist as if picking something off the floor. A wrap-front top should stay crossed with no gap opening at the bust. A henley should not pull open at the placket. A crew neck should stay at the collarbone rather than falling forward. A neckline that moves in this position is usually a top that is too large through the chest, not one that is cut low.

Crouch: the Waistband Stays

Crouch down as if tying a shoe. On low-rise denim this is the position that matters, because the back of the waistband is under the most strain. It should stay where it was when you stood up, or move by a finger’s width at most. A waistband that drops and shows the small of the back is a rise that is short for your build; the fix is a pair with a higher rise, not a larger waist. A waistband that bites at the front in a crouch is a size too small.

Walk: the Hem Stays

Walk across the room in the shoes you will wear with the pair. A wide-leg hem should swing and clear the floor without catching under the heel. A straight-leg hem should rest on the shoe with one soft fold at most, not a stack. On the longline short, the hem should sit at the same place on both legs when you stop, which tells you the rise is right for you. A hem that drags is a length question, and a hem that rides up the shin with every step is a leg cut narrow for your calf.

Between Two Sizes

The two halves of the outfit answer this differently. A knit has give, so if you are between sizes and want it close to the body, take the smaller size; rib and pointelle will stretch to meet you and come back. Denim has very little give, so take the larger size and let it settle: a waistband that is snug on the first day loosens by the third, while one that is tight stays tight. A top and a pair that pass the four movements here and fail them at home can go back for the other size at no cost under our Return & Refund Policy. The flat measurements for every size are on each listing, and the sizing answers in our Frequently Asked Questions explain how to read them.

Thank you for shopping with us, and for leaving the house in a knit and a pair of jeans you did not have to think about twice.