The Lab - Why sizing down doesn't always work
and the math to support these claims
I am returned, I am rested and I am the tannest I’ve been in a very long time. Though I didn’t turn my work-brain off completely and still casually checked Instagram, I did lean hard into that Italian mindset of dolce far niente; the sweetness of doing nothing. I’m fully in that post travel space of trying to figure out how to bring the chillness of vacation into real life. Do we all go through this after time away?
Yet to the antithesis of that mindset and in true “small business owner” style, I am ready to amp things up again and dive back into the work. We’re a few weeks away from soft weekends at the shop before fully opening, fall/winter patterns are heading out to testers soon, prep for the next photoshoot is in full swing and 2026 patterns are basically fully baked.
And if that wasn’t enough, here we are with our next Lab swinging me right back into the thick of it (with enthusiasm of course).
While scanning the list of ideas we have for the Lab, I decided to tackle the topic of sizing down; particularly sizing down in garments that are purposefully made to be oversized with added ease. It’s a topic that’s been on my mind for a while because there’s a whole lot more to it than just simply making a smaller size to get a closer fit.
So let’s get into it…..
[If you’re reading this in your email you may need to click expand as some platforms cut emails if they’re too long but also, we love the Substack App!]
To get started we need to go back to pattern making basics and what happens to a pattern when we’re intentionally adding larger amounts of ease to create oversized or relaxed fit garments. Similarly to grading for plus bodies we don’t just make the close fitting base bigger; we consider the specific fit needs of the garment and the intended silhouette against a body and make considered adjustments from there.