What is more important when it comes to your clothes, size or fit? Size is just a number, but fit is about comfort, and particularly when it comes to uniforms, for many people comfort is king. But getting the right fit in a uniform can often be as difficult, if not more so, than choosing the right fit from a fashion retailer.
“The right size isn’t always the right fit,” says Lara Mazzoni, founder of fashion fit technology company Bodi.Me. “There are huge emotional and physical benefits to wearing clothes that fit comfortably and make you feel good, but achieving that perfect fit might mean choosing a different size in different garments. If you are purchasing clothes online, or selecting from a uniform range, it’s difficult to choose the best size if you have no guidance about how a garment will fit.”
Size-Me 4.0
Bodi.Me is addressing this issue with the latest iteration of its Size-Me solution. Based on a database of more than 350,000 body scans and the latest in AI algorithms and machine learning, Size-Me has been helping wearers choose the best size based on a series of simple user datapoints since it was first released in 2014. But until now, the software has only provided a ‘best size’ recommendation. Now, Size-Me 4.0 has added a new element – a sophisticated 3D visual FIT recommendation of how a particular garment will fit across a range of sizes.
The new version was developed for a large uniform contract using a non-standard size system, opening up the possibility that many wearers would select the wrong size. To avoid the huge financial, logistical and environmental costs of a high returns rate, the client asked Bodi.Me to reconfigure its size recommendation tool to enable wearers to interact with the tool on a more personal level and provide more detail on fit.
One of the key changes is the addition of a 3D avatar generated from the information entered by the user. The wearer enters their height (weight is optional), and the size they wear in either a bra or shirt and trousers, including the fit they prefer – from tight to loose. This generates body measurements and the 3D avatar, which the user can edit to better represent their body shape. The fit of each item in the uniform range is then shown on the avatar. For example, for a skirt, the avatar would show how a certain garment would fit around the waist and hips in any given size.
Want it tight around the waist but loose at the hips? Just scroll through the sizes until you find the combination that suits your preference.
The really clever part, however, is how granular the tool is, taking into account a large number of variables in garment style to provide the fit indicators where it matters for that particular style, whether it is a pair of slim-fit trousers or a loose-cut dress. The result is a much more personalised recommendation that prioritises a user’s ideal fit rather than simply a size.
“We introduced the option of entering a fit preference in Size.Me 2.0,” says Lara. “While this influenced the size recommendation provided by the tool, the wearer was given no additional information about how that size would fit. It was still fundamentally a size recommendation engine, whereas this one is all about the fit.”
Lara adds that the addition of the 3D avatar aims to help overcome one of the biggest challenges facing uniform providers and their clients, and that is how emotive the number is when it comes to people’s attitude to sizing. “People want to be a certain size, and it is not uncommon for wearers to select a certain size from a uniform range just because that is the size they want to be. If it doesn’t fit, you have unhappy wearers and garment returns.”
Like any other ordering process, Size-Me 4.0 relies on the honesty of the user when entering their data. But because this data generates a 3D body shape, users can also quickly see whether this avatar actually looks like them. Hence the ability to edit the inputted data and add actual body measurements, if desired, to refine the results. Combined with the visual fit indicators, it is hoped that this will help wearers overcome their attachment to a number on a label in favour of finding their best fit.
At present, Size-Me 4.0 is undergoing a pilot rollout with the initial client, but Bodi.Me intends to make it available to all uniform customers once the testing process is complete. Lara adds that it is fully customisable to a client’s requirements. “All the iterations of Size-Me can be modified to provide the level of sophistication required, and Size-Me 4.0 will be no different. For example, a customer might want the fit indicators but feel that the 3D avatar would make wearers uncomfortable. Or they may want a different set of initial questions. We can personalise the system to provide the perfect fit for every customer.”
Size-Me 4.0