Should a size chart use body or garment measurements?
Choose body measurements, finished-product measurements, or both without asking shoppers to compare numbers that describe different things.
A shopper measures a 96 cm chest, finds 96 in the M row, and orders M. The parcel arrives too large because the table described the finished shirt, not the body it was designed to fit.
Body and garment measurements are both useful. The mistake is presenting one as though it were the other—or placing both in the same table without making the distinction impossible to miss.
Use body measurements to answer “Which size am I?”
A body chart maps a shopper's measurements to the label the brand intends them to wear. It is usually the more direct choice when the pattern already includes the intended ease and the fit is reasonably consistent across products.
Label it “Body measurements” and explain how to take each value. Bust, waist, hip, inseam, hand circumference, and foot length all need a location or method. A familiar word does not guarantee a familiar measuring technique.
Use garment measurements to answer “How will this item compare?”
Finished-product dimensions are useful for structured clothing, intentionally oversized fits, vintage cuts, or products where shoppers commonly compare an item they already own. They show the physical result rather than the body size the pattern targets.
State whether the garment was measured flat or around, buttoned or relaxed, and whether stretch was used. “Chest width: 52 cm, measured flat” is different from a 104 cm body chest even though doubling the first number produces the second.
Do not make shoppers calculate ease in their heads
Ease is the difference between body size and finished garment size. It can be positive for a loose shirt, small for a fitted jacket, or negative for a stretch garment. That difference belongs to the product's fit decision, not to unit conversion.
If the cut is central to the purchase, add a short note such as “relaxed fit” or “choose the larger size if you prefer more room at the hip.” Do not promise that one rule applies to every body or material.
Never place body circumference and flat garment width under the same bare heading. Change the label, split the table, or remove one of them.
Show both only when they serve different jobs
Two tables can help when shoppers need a recommended body range and enough finished dimensions to understand the silhouette. Put the body chart first for choosing a size, then the garment measurements for comparing fit. Repeat the unit and measuring method in each section rather than expecting the reader to carry context between them.
On mobile, several side-by-side columns can make both tables harder to use. Prefer the two or three garment dimensions that explain the cut instead of reproducing a technical specification sheet.
Choose with one question
Ask what decision the shopper should be able to make after reading the table. If the answer is “select the brand's intended size,” lead with body measurements. If it is “compare this product with something I own,” garment measurements may be more useful. When the answer is both, separate the jobs and name them clearly.