How to read measurements in QC photos

Size charts on Chinese listings are often copied, rounded or plain wrong. The tape measure in QC photos isn't. Learning to read it is the fastest way to pick the right size.

Measure something you own first

Lay a top that fits you well flat on a table and measure it the same way warehouses do. Write down the numbers. Now every QC photo has something to be compared with.

Tops: pit to pit and length

• Pit to pit is the width across the chest, from one armpit seam to the other, measured flat. It decides how a top fits more than anything else.
• Length runs from the highest point of the shoulder (where the collar meets the shoulder seam) straight down to the hem.
• Sleeve is measured from the shoulder seam to the cuff. Drop-shoulder fits have a lower seam, so compare with a similar fit.

Trousers and shorts

• Waist is measured flat across the top of the waistband. Double it for the full circumference.
• Inseam runs from the crotch seam to the hem along the inner leg.
• Leg opening is measured flat across the hem.

Shoes

Warehouses rarely put a tape on shoes, but some photograph the insole next to a ruler. Insole length in millimetres is the most useful number: compare it with the insole of a shoe in your size from the same brand. Otherwise, check that the size on the box label and the tongue tag match what you ordered.

Reading the photo honestly

• Make sure the tape starts at zero and lies straight. A tape held at an angle adds a centimetre or two.
• Fabric that's bunched or stretched changes the number. Look at whether the garment lies flat.
• Allow 1–2 cm of difference. Handmade batches vary that much even within one order.

Use several albums

One measurement can be off. Open a few albums in QC Finder for the same listing and size; if they agree, trust them over the size chart.