Simple Tips To Guarantee Your Clothes Fit Properly
Let’s chat about something we’ve all faced: clothes that just don’t fit properly. It’s a common issue for women, especially for us ladies over 50. Our bodies have changed, and getting the right fit can become more of a challenge. Unlike most men, we’re less likely to get things tailored, so finding the right fit from the start is key. Today, I’m sharing how to tell if your clothes don’t fit properly, whether you’re shopping or assessing what’s already in your closet, and what to do about it.
First things first, if you’re doing gymnastics to zip a pair of pants or at risk of dislocating a shoulder just to pull something over your head, it’s probably too small. I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve been there and done that. And if you can’t move freely without feeling like you’re in a straightjacket, that’s another red flag. We can no longer rely on the size written on a tag because brands don’t use the same sizing system, much to our frustration.
The Blouse and Shirt Dilemma
We’ve all been there. You find a top that’s almost perfect. The color makes your skin glow, the style is perfect for your silhouette, and the price is awesome. But if it’s gaping, riding up, restricting your movement, or showing every lump and bump (and let’s face it, we’ve all got those), it’s not the one for you.
If you see horizontal lines pulling from the underarm or neckline, it’s a telltale sign that the top is too snug across the chest. Even jersey shirts and blouses with spandex can do this, so don’t take it personally. You may hate to do it, but going up a size can also make you look slimmer.
Gapping is enemy number one for me with a button-down shirt or blouse. and I am not even well-endowed! Even with my modest bust, I struggle with this because I have a broad back. If this is an issue for you, look for tops with a button that aligns with the fullest part of your chest. If the button is above or below this, you can try going up a size, but be careful it doesn’t turn into a tent around your shoulders.
The rule of thumb is that long sleeves should hit just past your wrist bone. For set-in sleeves, the shoulder seam should sit right at the top of your shoulder. If it’s drooping down your arm, it’s too wide unless it’s a dropped shoulder garment.
For sleeveless tops, aim for an armhole that’s just right – deep enough to hide your bra but not so tight it creates lines across your chest or back. If you’re petite, you will get a better fit in the petite section because everything is scaled for you, and tops have shallower armholes.
If everything else fits, but your blouse still has a small gap between the front buttons, this Hollywood Fashion Tape may be your answer. It’s an easy-to-apply, undetectable fabric tape that holds the opening closed… until you decide to remove it. It’s also helpful for fast wardrobe repairs like fallen hems, bra straps that slip and show, etc. I recently used it to hold the excess length of the shoulder strap on my expensive shoulder bag that kept sticking out!
Getting Pants to Fit Just Right
- The waistband should have enough room for two fingers. If there’s a gap at the back but everything else fits, don’t worry. That’s an easy fit for a good tailor, or you can simply use a stretchy belt like this to snug it up.
- Seeing horizontal lines or “whiskers” from the crotch means they’re too tight, and you need to size up. It’s easier to take in a waist than add fabric to the seat and thighs.
- If you’re sporting a camel toe, those pants are definitely too snug, never mind the discomfort. (A camel toe is when your pants are so tight that the outline of your genitals is on display).
- Check those side seams and front pleats – they should lie flat. Gaping pockets add unwanted width and signal a poor fit.
Pant length can vary with style. For more details, check out How Long Should Your Pants Be?
Finding Your Perfect Bra
- If your cups runneth over, it’s time to size up. All your breast tissue should fit comfortably in the cup.
- Gaps or puckers? The cup’s too big.
- Are straps slipping off or digging in? That’s a sign your bra doesn’t fit right.
- The center front should sit flat against your ribs. Let the bra do the heavy lifting, not the straps.
I always recommend getting a professional bra fitting once a year. Trust me, it’s a game-changer!
Proper Fit For Shoes
Now, let’s talk shoes. Your toes need space to wiggle, so look for a roomy toe box. If you’ve got bunions or hammer toes, knit and flexible woven fabric are your friends. If the heel is slipping, your shoe might be too narrow or long. There are plenty of inserts and pads to fine-tune the fit, but if they’re too short, your feet will suffer. Choose a different style or go up a size.
You may also enjoy –The Best Shoe Hack You Never Knew
Which clothing item gives you the biggest headache when it comes to finding the right fit? Is it jeans that gap at the waist? Blouses that pull across the chest? Or maybe it’s shoes that pinch your toes? Share your fitting frustrations in the comments below. Remember, we’re all in this together, and sometimes, the best solutions come from our shared experiences!
Thanks for reading, and remember to wear what makes you feel confident.
Well Jennifer, you have opened a great forum today! At just over 5’1” and 139 lbs. even petite sizes are too long in the inseam. However, the waist is the problem. The size guides all show ten inches between waist and hips. Mine is five inches which makes the hips and thighs swim on me just so I can button the waist! Chicos jeans are the only ones I can wear. However, they seem to be making them longer as well. I size up on my button shirts or I can’t button them over my D cups. I hate padded bras as I look like a Bandy hen about to tip over front wise! I tend to buy size large knit tops for comfort and to avoid the stretch lines across my chest. Ribbed knits work well. Bad arthritis in feet requires a wide rounded toe boot, low heel, good arches and very soft insoles. I wear Easy Spirit Denise Austin Mel emove sneakers, Brooks Ghost Max sneakers and several styles in Skechers. I will be 80 in December but I like a stylish casual look that is comfortable and reasonable price. Thank you Jennifer for this really helpful information. You are the best!
Thanks Sydney!
Biggest problem for me even when younger and was toned, is having little if any
derrière. Now fast forward; having lost some height in my upper torso find high rise bottoms don’t fit properly so prefer mid rise or that without a waistband. -Brenda-
P.S.: Am still searching for a pair of straight legged jeans that I don’t have to alter.
Sounds like you are built like I am Brenda. I have no backside.
Shoes. I have so many foot issues, I am very limited in what I can wear.
I have the hardest time finding tops that fit. I’m petite and really nothing but petites fit me. Very few stores around here carry petites. It’s been a problem my whole life and my daughters too.
My issue is button downs because I have regular to marrow shoulders, a small ribcage and a large bust. I’m also best with a set in sleeve. So if it fits in the shoulder I usually can’t button it. Some of the new styles from J Crew and a bit more generous but not oversized so they work. I also have the shortest arms (and huge hands, I’m a T Rex!) sometimes even petites aren’t short enough. Ans I’m always looking for blazers and coats with no buttons or slits at the sleeve so I can shorten (if it isn’t a petite. )
That is frustrating!
Hands down my biggest fitting issue is sleeve length. I don’t think my arms are that short proportionally – I am also short-waisted. I hate sleeves that end closer to the base of my thumb than to my wrist!
Now that pants are returning to high-waist styles, I am also finding that fitting my waist and hips is a challenge.
Do you have any advice for folks who are dealing with weight loss and gain? My particular situation is, my thyroid went wonky a while back, I gained a bunch of weight. Thyroid got removed and after medication was regulated, have lost half the weight so far. (I did finally have to break down and buy a few essentials, like pants and some new shirts because things were SO baggy but haven’t done the whole wardrobe.) But then I quit smoking cold turkey this past July and have put 10 lbs back on so far and some of my new stuff doesn’t fit as well anymore. So I have a closet that ranges from embarrassingly baggy to a little large to a little too small. Not much in my closet fits just right at this point, but 1) I need a working wardrobe, enough to deal with my full-time remote work life, and 2) I hate to spend a ton of money on clothes right now when my weight hasn’t completely settled. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Amazon, Kohls, and Walmart are great places for reasonably priced, attractive clothes that will hold up pretty well. Buy a few basics in neutral (non-memorable) colors that fit you right now. The investment will be small and the payoff will be huge because you’ll look and feel better about yourself. Flucating weight is the pits. Remove all the too large and too small clothes to another closet or slide them to the back of the rod so you don’t see them. It’s easier to assess what you do have that works. I have been shocked by the great quality at Amazon and Walmart.
I have a generous rear end – pants that fit there are much too big in the front and gigantic in the waist. Selection in “curvy” cuts is very limited, and even these often have fit issues in the front and the waist
Luckily, you can get the waist taken in, which is your best option.
That does not help with the massive amount of extra material in the front of the pant
No it won’t, so I would continue try new brands until you find the best fit.
I think we all need to get in the habit of using a handheld mirror to look at the backside of our outfits in a full-length mirror — before leaving the house. So many times, I feel something fits and looks flattering, only to look at the rear view and find the silhouette is off, the pants are too short, the thighs too big, the shoulders ridiculously large, etc. Occasionally, I”m surprised by the opposite — an outfit I rejected actually looks better than I thought, when viewed in its entirety, from all sides.
Jennifer, thank you for this!! Last weekend, I bit the bullet and took a hard look at my closet. Many former favorite tops and bottoms that I loved, went to the donation bin. Had to admit those blouses, tops,jeans and shoes no longer fit, or looked great on me. They still looked good, still stylish, so I brought them to an organization nearby where clothes are displayed as in a high end store, and there are stylists to help women put together outfits for whatever their needs my be…..a lot of my friends donate to this organization. As for me, I’m going to be a bit more particular as to what I purchase……..
For me, finding jeans that fit is a nightmare! I have a short rise and most jeans come almost to my bra! I wore one brand that fit great for years but unfortunately, they were discontinued so I’m on the hunt for a new brand that fits. I’m 5′ 1″, 210 pounds (down almost 50), and will be 80 my next birthday. I’m not a big fashion hound but I do want to look presentable in well fitting, comfortable clothes.
The hardest thing for me is pants and jeans my top is small but I have hips and am petite so it is not easy to find pants that fit. I use JJill a lot because they usually fit. It would’ve nice to have other options but Talbots I find the waist to small when the hips fit.
Good morning Jennifer !
My challenge is always pants. Right now I’m a little chubby so I have extra weight in my tummy, that’s where I gain weight first. So if pants fit my waist the rest of the pants are too big. When I’m thinner my waist is smaller but if pants fit my waist the rear is still too big. As I get older everything has shifted….sigh.
Thank you very much for the ideas you always give us. I really appreciate your tips.
Always easier to take something in, is my moto….except shoulders
Hopefully your grandson will be like mine. When he playing summer baseball, we made the trip from SC to Ohio and New York (different summers) to see him play. He was a soon to be college graduate and still greeted me with outstretched arms and “Nana” as he came to give me a hug walking with his teammates. Keep cheering him and his teammates on and you may be adopted by a few of his teammates who aren’t as blessed to have parents or grandparents at their games.
Ah, that warmed my heart. Thank you Nancy xo
My biggest problem is a pant’s rise. I am 5’3″ and short-waisted. It is pretty uncomfortable to wear a high rise waist, because it leaves less than 2″ between the waistband and bra band. The other alternative is to have the waist at the right spot but then a bunch of fabric hanging at the crotch. Midrise fits at my waist – that’s my solution. It also accommodates a senior woman’s new waist measurement.
Smart option!
This is the best and most comprehensive overview of what exactly is proper fit that I have ever read. Thank you! I will say that my biggest struggle with current fashion trends is the return of deliberately oversized tops. I have broad shoulders and the dropped shoulder or heavily padded oversized shoulder does me no favors. I see so many great sweater dresses that would be perfect if not for their shoulder placement. Oh well, this too shall pass..
I’m not flattered by the dropped shoulder either. I find lower priced brands use it more or when they’re trying to cut corners.
I clicked on your post about shoe hacks for proper fitting…..did having the shoe heel height shortened really work and not mess up the arch or whatever of the shoe/boot? I would never have guessed/thought to try that.
I works really well. They only take off a small amount which doesn’t change the arch at all.
Hope you don’t mind me adding my two-cents here Jennifer but to give Robin an idea how to estimate the amount: a) place the shoe on a flat surface that has an edge (table or counter top for example) with its toe facing inward b) ‘slide’ the shoe forward until its heel meets with the edge c) then observe the alignment as anything below that, can generally be removed without affecting its arch.
-Brenda-
Great idea, Brenda. My cobbler was vary careful to only remove a little bit, but it helped.
Your suggestions have been particularly helpful to me. I was especially interested in learning about the value and intensity in choosing garments, versus only their hues. Could delve into it further for us? I prefer cotton, silk, wool, and cashmere over synthetics. The manmade fibers tend to be chilly in cold weather, and hot and clammy in summertime; not “breathing” very well for me LOL. Again, thanks for showing so many classic, attractive things for everyone!
That’s a great topic, I’ll work on it.
I have a wide back and small breasts. Finding bands are too snug, cups too large. Any brands that would accommodate for comfort? Sue M,
Same issue. I use non underwire only. This one is my current favorite.
My hardest fit as a petite lady is a blouse. The sleeve length is the problem. Usually the sleeve is too short, but next size up doesn’t always solve the problem. Thanks for the post.
Same here because my shoulders are broad.
Tops and blouses that are too tight across my chest. This drives me crazy and is so uncomfortable! I think this is my biggest complaint. Very good blog today!
It’s a real pain point for me too.
What a great post. You provided so many helpful tips. It’s particularly difficult to get rid of clothes you like and hope they will fit or look good someday. Chances are, that’s never going to happen. I need to clean out my closet, but dread it
I also enjoyed reading the comments from your followers.
It’s hard to let favorites go but I have never regretted it if the garment really didn’t fit well.
Armholes are made disproportionately larger as sizes go up. I can’t wear sleeveless tops because they show several inches of bra under my arms.
Which is crazy! There is no rhyme or reason for why brands do these sort of things.