HYDERABAD: Finding that perfect pair of jeans, which hugs your body like it was tailored just for you, seems like a dream come true. Every brand has its own size chart and flaws -- while one accentuates your waist, it is too tight at the knees. The other has just the shade you were looking for, but forms an ugly ‘V’ which cannot be unseen.
This has been the case for decades with most apparel sold in the country. One brand’s small is another brand’s medium or large. At the end of the day, especially when we are shopping online, we end up playing a guessing game about our size. E-commerce sites throw at us US, UK and EU size charts, which most of us can’t even comprehend.
But what if we had a size chart of our own. One which was perfect for the Indian body type? This is exactly what happened recently -- the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), along with the Union Textiles Ministry, started a sizing survey. Designers and fashion influencers in Hyderabad love the idea and have a lot to say about this survey.
Archana, who owns the Archana Puneet label, says this size chart will end a lot of confusions. “The problem we are facing is that we have been following the US or UK charts. This works for footwear, but for clothes. US sizes are huge and broad, while European’s are taller. Indians fall in the average or medium size body type, which is a 10,” she says.
There are a lot of contradictions when it comes to Indian size charts. According to our demographics, probably the South has leaner people than the North, she says. “The survey would benefit those over 20 years. If Indian and international brands, which cater to the Indian market, follow the Indian size chart, it would be great,” says Archana.
Every brand in India, even the couture designers, have their own size charts which can get really confusing. Designer Ankitha Veerepalli says the survey would need a lot of research as our population is huge and diverse. “There was a similar survey conducted earlier. It was curve- and size-inclusive. The body type of the Indian woman is very different from the Europeans,” she says, hoping that the size chart includes specifics and does not remain an overview.
Fashion influencer Sharon Aiswarya can’t wait to use this size chart to pick out a perfectly fitting outfit.
“This will finally put an end to the struggle of finding the perfect fit. There has always been a discrepancy in sizes as each body is beautifully different from the other. When we shop for clothes online, we do not know how small an S is or how large an M or L is. If you prefer online shopping, I think you are in for a treat once India finally designs its own size chart,” she says.