Toolbox / Sizing
Sizing
Right, let’s face it, for all the progress that has been made, there is still a toxic expectation around what shape our bodies “should” be.
We need to acknowledge the clothing industry’s role in perpetuating this unhealthy, diminishing culture. It’s on all of us to do the bloody work to shift it in whatever way we can.
Typically, our standard size range for RUBY & Liam is 4-20, and 4-28 for Liam Patterns. Please note sizing per style may differ due to availability. We also offer petite, standard and tall lengths in some of our much-loved pant styles. If you fall outside of this size range, we will custom make our pieces to any standard size for the standard retail price of the piece.
It takes a village!
The energy and care given by our fit models has been crucial for our fits to be tres magnifique. Thank you for your insights and enthusiasm xx. And also thank you for allowing yourselves to be vulnerable - it’s a big deal to get down to your knickers, wriggle into samples that don’t quite fit right yet, and then give us useful feedback while we are pinning underneath your armpit.
We also want to note that the learning and feedback loop hasn’t closed. We are grateful for the generosity of anyone who wants to share with us, either about pieces or experiences at RUBY - there is always room for improvement.
Size Guide
~~ This Size Guide is based on body measurements we fit to in the sample development process ~~
We know that it is almost impossible for you to measure exactly to the measurements in this Size Guide. We suggest selecting the size based on the closest measurements to you, and also to check out the ‘fit notes’ on product pages, which may recommend sizing up or sizing down based on the final fit of the garment.
How to measure
Follow these tips for how to measure from Emily, our General Manager + Liam Designer
- 1
Ideally someone else would wield the tape measure, as it is easier to get the measurements accurate. But if you prefer to do this as a solo exercise, make sure you do it in front of a full length mirror so you can watch what you are doing.
- 2
When the tape measure wraps around your body, it should be parallel to the floor.
- 3
The tape measure shouldn’t be too tight, like making a dent in your skin. And it shouldn’t be loose like it’s baggy. Think about it being like a well-fitting ring you wear on your finger.
Make sure you are wearing a bra, unless you never wear one. The bust measurement is the circumference of the widest point, with the tape going over your nipples.
This is the narrowest part of your waist. You shouldn’t be able to shimmy it up and down.
The measurement that trips a lot of people up! The “hip” is not the “hip bone”, it is the “booty”. Literally the widest part of your bum. When you hold the tape measure in a circle, if you shimmy it up and down over your bum it shouldn’t get any bigger. It can be helpful to turn side-on to the mirror when you do this as it’s easier to see the most sicky-outy bit.
RUBY Tape Measure
Keen to measure yourself but don’t have a tape measure? We will happily give you one to make sure you’re getting the right size for you.
RUBY TAPE MEASURE
Either pop into one of our stores, or use the promo code NEW_DIMENSION at checkout online or in store for a free RUBY tape measure.
SHOP NOWCUSTOM SIZING
We offer custom sizing in most current styles, should you be after a standard size which is outside the size range we currently produce.
If you wish to order a custom size, you will pay the standard retail price of the piece you are buying.
We currently do not offer custom sizing in knitwear or denim, as these styles are made offshore and require a higher quantity to be made, nor do we remake sold out styles.
Please note that this is subject to fabric availability and this is not a made to measure service.
Please email us at online@rubynz.com for more information.
Our Challenges
The thing about expanding your size range is, it’s just simply not as easy as saying "let’s make more sizes".
Things like grading, knowledge and supplier constraints are all factors we had to consider. It took months of work, research and refinement before we could offer our styles in sizes 4-24. Even now, we are still making adjustments based on customer feedback and clothing styles.
Here’s a few of our main hurdles we’ve had to jump over on our journey:
As sizes go up and down, the changes in measurements aren’t uniform, they vary from size to size. Because of this, our grade rules are not standard, they are, well, kind of funky. Some of our Makers refer to it as a "creative system".
For some pieces, we need to create entirely different patterns for different size brackets. For example, our Weirdly Slip and Uma Dress have different patterns to accommodate for bust shaping in sizes 16-24. Some styles also require different construction methods at each size to ensure they’re fitting the best, for example you’ll notice that our beloved Firebird Pant has elasticised waistband for sizes 16-24 so they fit the best no matter what size you buy. You’ll find any construction variations on each style’s shopping page under the ‘Size + Fit’ tab.
For many of our Makers, it has been their first time working on such a broad size range. Together, we have learned a lot to ensure that we are giving you the best possible piece to wear.
Ordering our newer sizes has been a learning curve for our planning team (Hello Kendall + Briar!) as we learn how to predict the number of units that will sell in each size for each style without historical sales data. This can lead to over or under purchasing and sometimes our Rubettes missing out. For example, our early insights show us that dresses are more successful in sizes 16+, but knitwear and tops seem to be less popular.
But really, what size am I?
Often, our Rubettes don't know their body measurements, or don't know how to measure themselves correctly. This means they may buy a size that is not meant for their measurements, but give feedback that the piece isn't true to size. To add another layer of complexity, how each Rubette likes their clothes to fit is personal to them.
There isn’t really a universal sizing standard. Many countries have different sizing charts, which can add to the confusion. For example, a size 10 in the USA is the equivalent of a size 14 in the UK. Also, different brands have different ‘standard’ sizing, depending on their region and customer type, so the way a size 14 garment fits may be different between brands. And most importantly, every body is shaped differently. An extreme example to illustrate this, is the difference in body shape between a ballerina and a rugby player. The two people might have the same circumference measurements, but their posture and the way the circumferences actually manifest on their bodies will result in the need for differently shaped garments.
(Tips on how to measure yourself, and our Size Guide, are above)
our plan
Despite the challenges, we are so here for our sizing journey.
Being able to offer our pieces to more Rubettes is important to us, and the feedback that we’ve received so far is all the validation we needed to know that increasing our size range has been the right decision for us.
We’re constantly learning, and always looking for ways to be able to expand our collections to be more inclusive. As always, we would love to hear from you if you’ve had a great experience with our new size range, missed out on something you want because we didn’t have enough or have any other feedback to share, please get in contact online@rubynz.com x
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