Measuring and sizing

A size tag tells a buyer what a brand called the piece, sometimes decades ago. Measurements tell them whether it will fit. Get them right and buyers can check the fit before they pay, which should mean fewer "will this fit me?" messages, and you have clear evidence if someone later says the size was wrong.

Why measurements beat the size tag

A tag is a label, not a measurement.

• Brands and cuts differ. Two mediums from two brands, or a boxy tee and a slim one, can fit nothing alike.
• Decades can size differently. A tag written decades ago may not follow today's idea of a medium, so never assume it matches a modern size.
• Countries size differently. American and European pieces carry their own size systems, which may not read the same as UK sizes.
• Even platforms move. Vinted has changed how its women's size options line up with UK sizes (Women's UK numeric sizes remapped; check listings uploaded before 10 November 2025 (checked 28 Sep 2026, source 1)), so the size you pick from the menu may not read like the tag.
• The piece has had a life. Washing can shrink it, wear can stretch a neckline or waistband, and a past owner may have hemmed, taken in or cropped it.

Buyers can lay a piece they own flat, measure it and compare. Your numbers make that possible.