Why Vintage Sewing Pattern Sizes Changed

A size 16 pattern with a 34-inch bust can look like a mistake if you are used to modern clothing sizes. With vintage patterns, though, the measurements on the envelope matter much more than the size number.

The same number can mean something different depending on when the pattern was made and which company produced it. Before you rule out a pattern as too small or too large, have a look at its bust, waist and hip measurements.

Comparing the label with your usual dress size will often leave you puzzled. Comparing the measurements gives you something useful to work with.

Pattern Sizes and Clothing Labels

Older pattern envelopes usually list the body measurements each size was designed to fit. A size 14, 16 or 18 belongs to that particular sizing chart, rather than being a direct match for the clothes you buy today.

The way to choose is still familiar: take your measurements and compare them with the envelope. It is worth doing this for each pattern, even if you have already made something in the same numbered size.

Ready-to-wear sizing has changed over the years. Vanity sizing, where smaller size numbers are used for larger measurements, is part of that story, but there is no single conversion that works for every brand or decade.

Sewing patterns and shop-bought clothes have not always followed the same sizing changes. That is why the number on an old pattern can seem so far removed from your usual clothing size.

Why a Vintage Size 20 Isn't Today's Size 20

A vintage size 20 should not be treated as a modern size 20. Nor is there a reliable rule to simply go up or down a set number of sizes.

Check the measurements printed on the individual pattern. The charts below are a useful starting point, but the pattern's own sizing information should come first.

Here is a perfect example:

Always Buy Vintage Patterns by Measurements

Have a tape measure to hand when you are choosing a vintage pattern. It will tell you more than the size on the front of the envelope.

Compare your bust, waist and hip measurements with those listed on the pattern before buying or cutting. You may find that your measurements fall across more than one size.

Do not worry if the size you need is different from the one you normally wear. You are choosing a starting point for fitting a garment, not a clothing label.

If you fall between sizes, consider where the garment needs to fit most closely and which alterations you are comfortable making. Choosing the larger size can leave room to take it in, but it is not a substitute for checking the fit.

Getting Used to Vintage Sizing

A vintage pattern is not wrongly labelled simply because its size differs from a modern one. It was made for the sizing system in use at the time.

Start with your measurements, check the envelope and work out where adjustments may be needed. Once you make that your routine, choosing an older pattern becomes much less confusing.

The charts below give a general guide to vintage sizing for women, men and children. Keep the differences between pattern companies, decades and garment types in mind when using them.

Vintage Women's sewing pattern size chart

Use these approximate historical measurements as a guide, not as a chart for every vintage pattern. Proportions and size conventions vary by decade and garment type, so check the individual pattern before choosing.

Size	12	14	16	18	20	40	42	44	46
Bust	76cm /30″	81cm /32″	86cm /34″	91cm /36″	96cm /38″	101cm /40″	106cm /42″	111cm /44″	116cm /46″
Waist	59cm /23″	64cm /25″	69cm /27″	74cm /29″	79cm /31″	84cm /33″	89cm /35″	94cm /37″	99cm /39″
Hips	84cm /33″	89cm /35″	94cm /37”	99cm /39″	104cm /41″	109cm /43″	114cm /45″	119cm /47″	124cm /49″

 

If you are struggling and you dont have a measuring tape at hand and do not know your measurements, we have created an International Pattern Size Chart to find your closest modern-day size equivalent in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the USA or Canada, using your bust measurement in inches or centimetres. Note: This is only a guide as everybodies measurements are different. 

Vintage men's sewing pattern size chart

Men's vintage patterns were commonly sized by chest measurement. These approximate historical measurements offer a starting point, but the proportions can vary with the decade and the type of garment. Check the measurements on your pattern as well.

Vintage childrens sewing pattern size chart

This chart gives approximate measurements for vintage children's patterns. Use it as a guide rather than choosing by age alone, and compare the child's measurements with those on the pattern. Historical proportions and sizing conventions vary by decade and garment type.

Size	Age2	4Age 3	Age 46	Age 58	Age 6
Chest	53cm / 21″	57cm / 22.5″	61cm / 24″	66cm / 26″	72cm / 28.5″
Waist	52cm / 20.5″	54cm / 21.25″	58cm / 23″	61cm / 24″	63cm / 25″
Height	95cm / 38″	104cm / 41″	116cm / 45.5″	128cm / 50.5″	140cm / 55

Before you choose, check the pattern's measurements once more against your own. The number on the envelope is a size label, not a promise of fit.

If you remember one thing:

Preferably, choose by measurements, not by your usual clothing size.