Origin of Standardized Sizes
Before the Industrial Revolution, tailors sized articles of clothing individually to the wearer, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Women simply took their measurements and sent them to a tailor, who created dresses and other articles of clothing to the customers' specifications. In the early 20th century, it became possible for garment manufacturers to mass-produce clothing. Individual sizing then proved to be unfeasible for the average consumer, and pre-sized clothing started being sold. The present women's clothing sizes come from a NIST study conducted from 1948 to 1952, and in the 1980s, the NIST altered them.
Measuring for Clothing Sizes
A series of measurements determine women's clothing sizes: bust, waist, hip, under-bust and back length. Yarn Standards explains these points of measurement. Measure your bust at the fullest area of the chest, just under the arm. Your waist measurement should be around the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above the navel. Hip measurement falls at the widest part of the hips, around the buttocks. The under-bust measure, used in bra measurements, falls just underneath the breasts. Finally, the back length runs from the base of the neck to the waistline.
Difference in Sizes
Although body measurements receive a number for general size, these sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Internationally, sizes vary. For example, according to Online Conversions, a standard size 10 in America converts to a size 12 in the United Kingdom, a 40 in France and a 13 in Japan. These differences in measurements come from the variety in overall sizes among a country's population. A Small size in America equals a Medium size in most European countries. The smaller the number in clothing sizes, the smaller people feel like they are.
