What Blouse Size Should I Get?

This question comes up all the time and so I thought I would try to walk you through some best practices for picking a blouse size and some case studies.  

So let's start with the basics. In geeeeeneral....

• Sizes 2, 4, 6 = Small
• Sizes 8, 10 = Medium
• Sizes 12, 14 = Large
• Sizes 16, 18 = XL
• Sizes 20, 22, 24 = 2XL
• Sizes 24, 26, 28 = 3XL

But this is very general and there are some other factors that play into this like shoulder and bust size. Here is a flow chart that I made up to help you decide which size would be the best choice for you. Start with what size your dirndl is and work your way down. (This flow chart is based on Rare Dirndl sizing.)   

What's the deal with German sizes? Here is the quick rundown on those:

• Size 32 = really freakin small.
• Size 34 = XS maybe a small... for a Rare Dirndl size 2
• Size 36 = basically a size Small
• Size 38, 40 = pretty much a size Medium
• Size 42, 44, 46 = most like a size Large
• Size 48, 50, = XL ish
• Size 52, 54 = basically a size XXL

You can kinda sorta take your American dirndl size + 31 to get your German blouse/dirndl size... for the most part. Again, every brand has their own sizing.

Below are a few case studies of actual customers (whose names I've changed) and how they came to choose their blouse size.  

Case study #1 - April:

• April is a size 6 Rare Dirndl.
• She wears a size Medium blouse.
• Why is zis? While April has a small waist, she has relatively broad shoulders and a fuller bust, so she fits more comfortably in a Medium. She can wear a small, but "feels a little squished".

• Sara is a size 18 Rare Dirndl.
• She wears a size XL blouse.
• Why is zis? She thinks it's a perfect fit! Not too tight and not too loose. Typically she wears XL or XXL tops, but since she likes her dirndls and blouses to be more fitted the XL is her ideal fit.

• Marie is a size 14 Rare Dirndl.
• She wears a size XL blouse.
• Why is zis? Marie prefers a blouse with a loose fit in general and hates tight elastic on her arms. While she can wear a Large, she prefers the fit on the XL because of her aversion to tight elastic.

• Uli is a size 10/12 Rare Dirndl.
• She wears a size Medium blouse.
• Why is zis? Uli can pull off both a 10 and a 12 Rare Dirndl depending on the style. She is a pear body shape and so the size Large blouse is a bit baggy on her petite bustline.

So there you go… a basic overview on sizing that I hope has left you with more answers than questions. If you are still unsure of what size to get… go for your best guess and if you don’t like the fit you can always return it for FREE!  

You are also welcome to email info@raredirndl.com or call the studio anytime.