So You Think You Know Your Dress Size?

 You are hitting the boutiques for a spot of Saturday shopping and have set yourself up well for a perfect try on session. There is nothing like shopping for the new season with a a couple of your most style savvy friends who will tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth while unflinchingly staring down any 18 year old sales consultant who is doggedly trying make a sale by telling you what she thinks you want to hear.

You have your mental checklist down pat after years of practice -

• Low GI snack and water. Shopping is an endurance sport. [tick]
  

• Sensible seam free knickers. Recommend one size bigger than you normally buy for the smoothest fit possible [tick]

• Sexy, well fitted bra. You will look better in clothing and you won't frighten the sales person who accidentally pulls the curtain back too early. If this situation occurs, the sexy bra will draw attention away from the sensible knickers and give you time to yank the curtain closed. [tick] 

• Shoes that are easy to slip on and off. A dress no matter how pretty can never look good if you have your jeans gathered around your ankles because its a hassle to take your shoes off!  [tick] 

You are off to a good start and  things are going very well. The first items you try on are a little loose around the waist and bust making you feel on top of the world. You are thinking that the five sweaty gym sessions you did last week are already paying off.  Life is good, that is until you venture into the next store. As before you head for the styles that catch your eye and load the fitting room rack with size 10's because thats what size you are, right? It is not until you try unsuccessfully zip up the third item with flesh defiantly spilling out out over the top that you realise something is up. It is not possible to put on weight in the 2 minutes it took to walk out of one store and into the next but that's how it seems. You are suddenly a size 12 and your day is in crisis....

Is this story all too familiar to you?  If it is, then you must be shopping in Australia. Australia is yet to standardise it's sizing so depending on whether you are shopping for youthful fashion forward labels or more grown up brands, you are going to have to go through a fair bit of trial and error.

While most of us know what size we would wear in our favourite label, it can be very confusing trying to establish what standard size we really are as the sizing templates vary so much from label to label. To help you determine your size we have provided a size chart for you below as a rough guide.

	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Bust	80cm	85cm	90cm	95cm	100cm	105cm
Waist	60cm	65cm	70cm	75cm	80cm	85cm
Hips	85cm	90cm	95cm	100cm	105cm	110cm
Australia	6 (0)	8 (1)	10 (2)	12 (3)	14 (4)	16 (5)

When you shop online at meshh.com you will find some variation in sizing between labels as you would in any of your favourite boutiques. As a guide, see below for a general fit and profiles of our favourite labels but it is always a good idea to ask for more detail if you are unfamiliar with a label or it is the first time you have purchased. We are very happy to provide more detail to help you successfully choose the right item.

Otto Mode takes it's inspiration from high end designers, travel, music and everyday life. It is always forward looking and a step ahead of emerging trends. Lengths are generally shorter than some of our other labels and the bust size slightly more petite.  Most popular with our 18 to 30's but completely wearable for anyone who loves fashion and knows how to work it! (Sizes 8-14)



Sadie is our core label providing our customers with affordable, quality wardrobe staples eg. slim fit jeans, jackets, tees as well as seasonal highlight styles. For fit, affordability and quality you can't overlook Sadie. The sizing sits somewhere in between our other two labels mentioned here and is extremely popular with all customers. Their mid rise slim fit jeans are becoming hotly sought after for their superior fit, styling and price at just $109.95.




Vanessa Tong Timeless embodies the characteristics of todays real woman. It was created for women who value style over high fashion, affordability and comfort over designer price tags. Fits are more suited to women rather than girls with more generous bust, waist and hip measurements than our younger labels. Always stylish, never boring! Most popular with our late 20's to mid 40's as a guide. (Sizes 8-14)