What Size Are You

As long as I can remember I have, like so many others, had a strong dislike for the shape and size of my body. As someone who has always been keenly interested in fashion, this disgust of my shape and size has been continually fueled over the years as I subconsciously compared myself to all that the fashion industry has portrayed to us to be beautiful and acceptable. Women with legs up to their neck, breasts that don't require restraint and waistlines that the belt can go around twice! They are people just like me only somehow society, or fashion or someone decided that their shape was a more acceptable one especially to display the latest designs on.

Who got to decide what body shape and size is acceptable ?

Who made us believe that we should fit into some kind of category, like being likened to a fruit or an hourglass?

Why do I accept the photos splashed across social media of women with their modified and filtered bodies, salon hairstyles and full face of make up, fake tans and designer clothes and let them make me feel inadequate to post a picture of myself, or sometimes just even be myself?

I am not against these women, but somehow they have become the acceptable standard in many ways. I also know that a lot has been done to ensure that more 'regular sized' and 'plus sized' models are used in the fashion industry and that is great although I wonder who got to decide what measurements conclude whether someone is plus sized?! Do they have their size plus some more size???

I know that this is not a new topic, but as I have been pruning activities from my busy life to make way for more of Gods plan to be realised (refer to my last 2 blog posts) this is an area that I feel compelled to look at.

It is not easy to offer handmade fashion for sale on the internet, and it is certainly a gamble every time you purchase clothing online as to weather it is going to fit. That is why my designs are mostly easy fit styles and have some amount of elastic in the waistline.

I am gradually coming to the acceptable conclusion that there are as many body types as there are people in the world!

It would be impossible to offer designs in every style and measurement to suit every person, but I want to be as flexible as possible.

My designs are what they are and I am not going to chop and change them around. That is why I am no longer dressmaking. I got tired of making one off garments which I never charged enough for to cover the actual time I spent making them fit individuals.

In my desire to assist you with getting garments that fit you, I would like to draw your attention to a little box which appears when you add a garment to your cart on my website. It says 'Add a note'

If you are in any way unsure about the fit of a style that you are ordering please add a note here. Add your measurements, especially your length if you consider yourself to be short or tall. Add any comments that you believe will help me make a garment which will fit you well. Maybe your legs are different lengths or you have a tiny waist in proportion to your hips, or you don't have a distinctive waistline or ........? Please let me know and if there is a way to adjust my design for example add some length to or shorten the hemline. I am happy to do what I can so that you feel great in your SuzziMaggs Designs.

Here is a basic measurement chart. Use a soft flexible tape measure for all measurements.

I would add to these suggestions a measurement from your underarm down your side to the desired hem of a dress or top that you are ordering, and the measurement from where you wear your waistband, down the outside (side seam) of your leg I like to take to the floor for pants.

When it all boils down we are all just our own body shape and we like to feel good in the clothes we are wearing. If we can find styles that we love that fit well they help make us feel more confident as we go out into the world.

Today, embrace your very own body shape and continue to wear the colours and styles that bring you joy!

Thank you for reading,

Love Suzanne

To receive $10 off your next order use coupon code: BEAUTIFULBODY Valid until 31.7.2021