Like most clothing shoppers on Ebay, I have been plagued by the worry that a garment is poorly measured, wrongly sized, or just won't fit upon arrival.  This guide was written to help alleviate some of the stress associated with buying and selling clothing.  This guide can be applied to all kinds of clothing for women, INCLUDING VINTAGE!  For assistance in vintage shopping, see the last three tips of this guide!  I hope this proved helpful to someone.

Sellers.  Make it clear how you measure your garments.  Use a picture if necessary.

For example, this is how my friends and I provide measurements:

1. We lay the garment FLAT.

2. We measure with measuring TAPE.

3. We double bust, waist, and hips ONLY.

Here is an example of a sizing guide.
It is thumbnail size so sellers can MAKE THEIR OWN appropriate graphics.
Pictures help a buyer better imagine the fit of clothing in their mind.

Buyers, in order to get the best fit, always be brutally honest about your body.

In some cases, even removing an extra inch can be disastrous. If you are unsure about your current measurements OR fluctuate easily, measure yourself with a string before making a purchase.

However, sometimes it is unwise to directly compare clothing measurements with body measurements. If the garment in question is NOT meant to be tight or form-fitting, you should first attempt to compare the item with a similar clothing item already in your possession.  Furthermore, it is typical to allow appropriate "give" in most clothing.

Give:

• Allowing for extra inches in a garment's measurements in order to give the wearer comfortable breathing and moving room.
• Varies depending on the type of clothing article.
• Not necessary for stretchy, slinky, form-fitting / body-hugging garments.
• Example -- jeans typically need an inch minimum for "give," thus resulting in someone with a 25 inch waist needing 26 inch jeans. The waists of some fitted skirts also require similar give.
• Example -- outerwear always requires several inches of "give" due to the multiple layers of clothing worn underneath it (an average of 4-6 inches).

Buyers, separate yourselves from generic sizes and use specific measurements instead.

Sizes vary by region, designer, factory, origin, and more!

• Example -- You probably wear two different pants sizes depending on the makers.
• Example -- Conversion charts suggest that a UK 6 is close to an American 0, but sometimes a UK 6 is much larger.
• Example -- Japanese shoe sizes typically only run in S, M, and L.  They are so broad that a JP S can range anywhere from a US women's 5 - 6.5!

The concepts of small and large have changed over time. 

• Example -- A US size 6 was once the "size small."  Today, it is a US size 2.
• Example -- Marilyn Monroe's once average frame now represents a very large US size 14.
• Example -- A vintage garment marked as a size 6 will now fit an extra small frame.

Used and vintage garments typically have sizes on their wash tags NOT associated with their true measurements.

• Example -- Used garments will stretch during wear.  This may or may not be significant.
• Example -- Vintage clothing will shrink just a little with overall washing (despite dry cleaning).
• Example -- Again, vintage sizes are drastically different than today's sizes, as highlighted above.