Size guide
Every Kaia pattern is drafted from these body measurements, XS through 8XL. Measure yourself, compare, then choose — do not go by the size on your ready-to-wear clothes.
Body measurements
These are body measurements, not finished garment measurements. Every pattern adds its own ease on top, and each listing publishes the finished measurements for that specific design.
| Size | Chest | Waist | Hip | Upper chest | Back waist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 86.4 cm / 34.0″ | 71.1 cm / 28.0″ | 83.8 cm / 33.0″ | 81.3 cm / 32.0″ | 44.5 cm / 17.5″ |
| S | 91.4 cm / 36.0″ | 76.2 cm / 30.0″ | 88.9 cm / 35.0″ | 86.4 cm / 34.0″ | 45.1 cm / 17.8″ |
| M | 99.1 cm / 39.0″ | 83.8 cm / 33.0″ | 96.5 cm / 38.0″ | 94.0 cm / 37.0″ | 45.7 cm / 18.0″ |
| L | 106.7 cm / 42.0″ | 91.4 cm / 36.0″ | 104.1 cm / 41.0″ | 101.6 cm / 40.0″ | 46.4 cm / 18.3″ |
| XL | 114.3 cm / 45.0″ | 101.6 cm / 40.0″ | 111.8 cm / 44.0″ | 109.2 cm / 43.0″ | 47.0 cm / 18.5″ |
| 2XL | 124.5 cm / 49.0″ | 114.3 cm / 45.0″ | 119.4 cm / 47.0″ | 119.4 cm / 47.0″ | 47.6 cm / 18.7″ |
| 3XL | 134.6 cm / 53.0″ | 127.0 cm / 50.0″ | 129.5 cm / 51.0″ | 129.5 cm / 51.0″ | 48.3 cm / 19.0″ |
| 4XL | 144.8 cm / 57.0″ | 139.7 cm / 55.0″ | 139.7 cm / 55.0″ | 139.7 cm / 55.0″ | 48.9 cm / 19.3″ |
| 5XL | 154.9 cm / 61.0″ | 152.4 cm / 60.0″ | 149.9 cm / 59.0″ | 149.9 cm / 59.0″ | 49.5 cm / 19.5″ |
| 6XL | 165.1 cm / 65.0″ | 165.1 cm / 65.0″ | 160.0 cm / 63.0″ | 160.0 cm / 63.0″ | 50.2 cm / 19.8″ |
| 7XL | 175.3 cm / 69.0″ | 177.8 cm / 70.0″ | 170.2 cm / 67.0″ | 170.2 cm / 67.0″ | 50.8 cm / 20.0″ |
| 8XL | 185.4 cm / 73.0″ | 190.5 cm / 75.0″ | 180.3 cm / 71.0″ | 180.3 cm / 71.0″ | 51.4 cm / 20.2″ |
This range is a drafting baseline undergoing fit validation — sewn samples and patternmaker review are in progress across the size run. Choose from your measurements, and tell us if anything fits differently to the chart.
International size conversion
Kaia sizes are pattern sizes. If you are used to shopping in another system, this is roughly where you sit — but measure before you cut.
The block these are drafted on
Regular height block, drafted for a stature of about 175.3 cm. This is the Kaia standard KP-MEN-XS-8XL v1.0, built independently rather than reproduced from any proprietary table.
It is a starting block, not a guarantee of fit. Bodies are not standard, and no chart can be. Which is exactly why we publish the numbers instead of a vague S/M/L.
How to measure
- Bust — around the fullest part, tape level all the way round and parallel to the floor. Wear the bra you would wear with the finished garment.
- Waist — the narrowest part of your torso. Bend sideways; where you crease is your natural waist, which is usually higher than where jeans sit.
- Hip — around the fullest part, usually 18–22 cm below the waist.
- Back waist length — from the bony bump at the base of your neck down to your natural waist. This tells you whether to shorten or lengthen the bodice.
Keep the tape snug but not tight, and measure over underwear or close-fitting clothes. Getting someone else to measure your back waist length is far more accurate than twisting round to do it yourself.
Choosing between two sizes
- Tops and dresses — go by your bust, then adjust the waist and hip.
- Skirts, shorts and trousers — go by your hip, then adjust the waist.
- Between sizes? Each pattern is supplied for one size, so pick the size matching your largest relevant measurement and adjust from there — taking in a waist is far easier than adding what is not on the page.
- Still unsure? Sew a toile in cheap fabric first. It costs a couple of dollars and saves a whole cut of good fabric.
How the sizes step
The grade is stepped rather than linear, because bodies do not grow at one constant rate. Smaller sizes step 2″ at a time, the middle of the range 3″, and from XL upward 4″.
- XS → S — 2″ bust, waist and hip
- S → M — 3″ bust, waist and hip
- M → L — 3″ bust, waist and hip
- L → XL — 3″ bust, waist and hip
- XL → 2XL — 4″ bust, waist and hip
- 2XL and up — 4″ bust, waist and hip
Lengths deliberately do not follow that grade. Back waist length grows by about 18% across the whole run while bust more than doubles, because a taller torso is not what makes a larger size.
Height, not just width
Tall, Big and Athletic are separate height and drop blocks rather than a shrink or enlargement of this one, so they are not produced by grading. This standard is drafted for a regular height of about 175.3 cm.
Chest and waist converge as the sizes rise, and above 6XL the waist measures more than the chest. Choose from your own measurements rather than from the label.
Which sizes can I actually buy?
This chart is the body standard. The sizes offered for any given pattern are shown on its own page, and they vary: some constructions grade safely across the full run while others do not, and we would rather offer fewer sizes than offer one that has not been drafted properly. If a pattern you want is not yet in your size, tell us — it genuinely shapes what gets drafted next.