Ask Hannah!

What is the dress size i should wear? and skirt size? I am a 28 waist.

Sizing is one of the more frustrating parts of building a wardrobe  The truth is you will never know what size you truly are.  It depends on the store.  Some stores think I am a size 20 (I don ‘t shop there anymore), most stores think I am a size 12.  I own many dresses from Dress Barn and most of them are size 12 and they fit perfectly but there are the random size 12s from Dress Barn that don’t fit.  It’s super fun.

Knowing your measurements is the best way to shop.  The “boy clothes” to “girl clothes” conversion isn’t linear, it’s a stupid arbitrary and random mess.  Generally speaking it’s about a one size up translation.  In boy t-shirts I am a medium, for femme t-shirts I am a large.  Sometimes.  In some cases I am x-large, mostly due to my shoulders.  You can’t always use your boy sizes as a guide because a boy shirt is different than a dress.  A boy shirt is mainly about chest width, but a dress is bust AND waist.  Some of my dresses zip up perfectly around my hips and waist but have a hard time going beyond my bust because my shoulders are a little wider than my middle.  It’s not at all humbling.

Find a measuring tape (not the tool kit kind, the ribbon kind) and take your measurements for different parts of your body:
-Waist measured at your belly button
-Bust measured at nipple height with or without forms/padding
-Chest measurement taken just under pectoral muscle (2 to 3 inches below nipple)

The whole small/medium/large sizing is not helpful at all.  If I am shopping and I see a dress is a medium, it probably won’t fit.  Most places seem to think a medium is a size 8-10.  If a dress is sized large it *probably* will fit as large seems to be 12-14.  

If you are buying online look at the store’s sizing chart to see what they use to determine how they size their clothes.  If you are shopping on Amazon look at EVERY size chart before you buy.  Since Amazon sells clothes from a lot of different retailers there will be just as many size charts as there are options.  Don’t use the Amazon size chart, use the designer’s size chart.  Reading the comments and reviews is also helpful.  Often times people will mention if the outfit runs small or large, or true to size.  The most helpful reviewers will provide their own size and give feedback on whether or not the sizing chart is accurate or waaaay off.  

Shopping is very trial and error.  It’s one reason I say that crossdressing takes time, money, and patience.

Love, Hannah  

Have a question for me?  Oh yes you do.  Ask me here!