Ease

Ease is how much bigger a garment is than the body wearing it, at the same place: garment circumference minus body circumference. A top with a 100 cm chest on a 90 cm body has 10 cm of ease. It is the room that lets you move, sit, breathe and layer.

How much a garment needs depends on what it is and how it should fit. A fitted top needs a few centimeters, a regular coat close to 20, and a swimsuit less than nothing: stretch fabric can be smaller than the body and still fit, which is called negative ease.

On a size chart

A chart of body measurements already contains the brand's ease: its M range is the bodies the M is made for. A chart of garment measurements shows it. In Ruban Size's men's T-shirts template, the M is for a 96 to 103 cm chest and measures 53 cm laid flat, 106 cm around: 3 to 10 cm of ease.

The pattern companies Vogue, Butterick and McCall's publish ease allowances for fitted, semi-fitted and loose garments. Ruban Size takes the middle of each range and calls the three fits snug, regular and loose. In cm:

The full table, with shoes, belts, bras and knits, is in how much ease clothes need.

In Ruban Size

When a chart holds garment measurements, Find my size adds the ease for the garment type and for the shopper's "Fit I like" before comparing, and says so: "This chart gives the garment's own measurements: we added room for the fit you chose." If your cut is roomier or closer than usual, set your own regular ease under Room added to garment measurements in the chart's Fit and Find my size tab; snug and loose move with it.