Let's be honest for a second! How many times have you secretly adjusted your underwear/panty because it is riding up, pinching the skin or digging into your waist?
Fit studies show that 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra and panty because they rely on guesswork when making their purchases. But wearing the wrong panty is not just uncomfortable; it might also cause health issues. Wearing tight pants presses against your abdomen, which can cause digestive issues; tightened fabric also traps sweat and rubs against your skin, which can lead to rashes, skin irritation and yeast infections.
Finding your correct panty size is not a lot of work; it just takes two minutes of your time. Let's grab a measuring tape and find your perfect size.
2 Quick Steps to Get Your Real Numbers
To get a very accurate measurement, use a flexible tailor's tape. When taking measurements, stand up straight, keep your body in a relaxed position, and breathe normally. Keep the tape gentle against the skin, but don't pull it too tight; it might give you the wrong measurement.
Step 1: Measure Your Waist
Wrap the measuring tape around your natural waistline, which is the narrowest part of your torso; (the natural waistline is usually above your belly button). When measuring, keep the tape comfortable, not too tight, not too loose. This particular measurement is very important to find the correct size for our entire collection.
Step 2: Measure Your Hips
The next step is to measure your hip size; this is the widest part of your bottom. For most people this is about 6 to 9 inches (15 cm to 23 cm) below your true waistline, depending on how tall you are. Make sure the tape is perfectly level to the skin all the way around.
If your number lands between two sizes on the chart, always choose the larger size. When you sit down or do any physical activity, your body expands. If your underwear doesn't have room to expand with you, it might cause discomfort and leave deep red marks on your skin.
Quick Tips: The Do’s & Don’ts of Measuring
Getting a perfect match comes down to how to handle the measurement. Even a small measuring mistake might give you underwear that is too loose or pinches. To make sure your measurement is accurate, follow these simple steps:
The Do's
-
Always use a soft tape measure: You need a flexible measuring tape that can go around the body easily. Do not use a construction tape or any other stiff tape that cannot wrap around the body tightly, as it will give you a measurement that is too large.
-
Strip down to your thinnest: When taking your measurements, make sure you are wearing your thinnest underwear. If you try to measure over thick dresses like jeans or leggings, you will add an extra number to your measurement.
-
Stand up normally and relax: Stand up straight and breathe comfortably. Do not suck your stomach or hold your breath to make the number smaller.
-
Keep the tape level and flat: Make sure the tape is perfectly flat all the way around the body. If the tape gets sagged, twisted or slanted, your final numbers will be wrong.
The Don'ts
-
Don't pull the tape too tight: When you are measuring, the tape should sit flat against your skin comfortably; it should not squeeze. If the tape is digging into the skin or making the skin bulge around the tape, you are holding the tape too tight.
-
Don't measure right after a meal: Our body naturally expands or bloats after we eat or drink. To get your true measurement, try taking it before you eat breakfast.
-
Don't assume your size is the same everywhere: Just because you are wearing the medium size of one particular brand, it doesn’t guarantee the same medium size for another brand. Every brand uses a different size chart, so before purchasing, always check the brand size chart.
House of Zelena Panty Size Chart
Match the Style to Your Body Architecture
Everyone’s body is different, and we all carry our curves in different places. Because of this, a panty style that looks great on one person might constantly pinch on another. Choosing a panty style that matches your natural body shape stops most common problems. Here is how to find the perfect style for your unique shape:
1. The Pear & Apple Shapes
You have a pear shape if your hips and thighs are wider than your shoulders and waist. You have an apple-shaped body if your upper and lower waists are wider than your hips and shoulders. If you wear low-rise panties, they will constantly slide down or roll down every time you sit down.
You might need mid-rise or high-rise hipsters. These style panties sit higher on your torso and they have a higher fabric grip. This extra coverage and grip stops the waistband from sliding or rolling down.
2. Rectangle & Inverted Triangle
If your shoulders, waist and hips are roughly at the same width, you have a rectangle shape. You have an inverted triangle shape if your shoulders are wider than your natural waist and hips. The problem is, if your hips are too straight, the fabric has nothing to hold on to; it quickly loses its grip and slides out of place.
If you are facing this problem, you need boyshorts, because boyshorts feature a straight cut rather than a traditional triangle shape. Because of this unique shape, they tightly hug hips and lower bottom uniformly and lock them in place, giving you a completely smooth fit.
3. Hourglass Shape: All-Rounder
You have an hourglass shape if your chest and hips are roughly the same width and your waistline is significantly narrower. While most of the panty styles fit your body shape, the issue is finding the panty that does not pinch.
You can wear any design, but hipsters and high waists will highlight the natural body shape. Look for styles with a lot of stretch, so they move with your body.
4. Sweat, Rashes, and Chafing
Many underwear brands use cheap synthetic fabric like polyester. Polyester acts like a plastic bag; it traps all the heat, sweat and moisture. This causes your inner thighs to rub together and can create rashes. Even worse, trapping moisture might also cause yeast infections.
You need fabrics that breathe easily and styles that physically protect your skin. Choose fabric with very high breathability like cotton, modal, or fabrics made from bamboo (bamboo cloth).
Final Thoughts: Your Body Deserves Better
Next time when you are buying a pair of pants, think about how many hours in a day you spend adjusting your underwear. It is the closest clothing item to your skin, yet the most ignored one in the wardrobe. If you are constantly adjusting or dealing with red marks or skin rashes, your body is informing you that you need to change your underwear.
Finding your true size and a panty that matches your natural body is not about appearance; it is a basic necessity for your daily health, confidence and comfort.
