HOW TO SHOP FOR YOUR BODY TYPE

Alphalete Athletics

Why is it soooo hard to find things that look good on me?!


Few things in life can top the high you get from online shopping. But, one thing will always kill the buzz… Duh Duh DUUUUHHHH… ordering the wrong size 😱. 

We’ve all been there. You frantically bought the super cute set that just launched because it was almost sold out, and you completely failed to check the sizing or reviews. When it arrived, you were extremely disappointed because it looks like it would fit your 15 lb dog better than you. And let's be honest, it really wouldn’t be a big deal if you didn’t have to drive to the nearest shipping center to return it. 

It truly is the stuff of nightmares. 

But, the good thing is, with a little bit of help from your fit guide fairy godmother, we can all avoid the drive-of-shame to UPS. 

Let’s start with the basics. 

How are things fit? 


Alphalete fits to the average body type of our average consumer. As we know, every body is built a little differently, which makes it nearly impossible to please everyone. By finding the average build of our consumers, we can produce clothes that fit the majority of our customers! Building out our sizing averages is honestly a lengthy and tedious process. We start with some detailed research into average measurements for everybody. Then, we measure and measure and measure and measure some more, until we get a ton of data from our athletes and customers. We also read product reviews, watch hauls, and talk with people to get a sense of how clothes are fitting on different bodies. Finally, with all of that data, we can adjust our size ranges up or down to better fit our customers. 

Speaking of our size ranges, we use alpha sizing. This means that we use letters ( XS, S, M, etc.) instead of numbers (2, 4, 6, etc.). Each size will have a range of measurements that fit it. For example, the size small waist measurement range is 27”-28”, and the medium waist measurement range is 29”-30”. Obviously, there are fractions between 28” and 29” so if you fall into that space, you can either size up or down! This explains why you can wear the same size as your friend and have the same garment fit each of you differently. If you are on the smaller end, things might fit a little looser compared to another person on the higher end of that size’s range.

How do I choose the right sizes and styles for me? 


Comfort 


First and foremost, we have to be comfortable in the clothes we are wearing. We truly are our own harshest critics. Forcing our bodies into clothes that are too small, or drowning in clothes too big does nothing but diminish our confidence and create unhealthy standards for ourselves. We deserve better than that! 

There is nothing bad about having to size up or size down to be more comfortable in the clothes we wear, especially in the gym. Your time working out shouldn’t be tainted by feeling uncomfortable in your outfit; it should be your time to just focus on yourself.

So, forget society's expectations telling you to be bigger or smaller, and just wear what feels best to you. 

Fabrics


Now, the biggest factors in determining how something is supposed to fit are fabric and intended end use. For a cutesy lounge set, we would pick a fabric that is stretchy and soft, and fit the pieces so they are wearable all day long. It's honestly so annoying to spend the whole day resting your tired muscles, just to break a sweat trying to peel off your high compression leggings at the end of the day. 

Then, when you are back in the gym the next day, making grown men weep at the sight of you repping their PR– you may need a little support throwing all that weight around. So, to keep you looking and performing your best, we pick a fabric that can withstand more movement and make the fit more compressive for some added stability. 

With all that in mind, there may be some fabrics or styles that just aren’t your cup of tea. That’s why it is important to refer back to your own body and your own preferences when adding new styles to your cart. It’s so easy to be influenced by beautiful faces on social media; that’s why we really don’t want you spending your hard-earned money on something you don’t absolutely love, when there are so many items that would be perfect for you. 

Body Types


Determining your body type can be a helpful tool when choosing what styles work best for you. When dressing for your body type, the general goal is to balance out your proportions. The five main body types are: pear, oval, rectangle, hourglass, and inverted triangle. To figure out what your body type is, you can visually analyze the proportions between your chest, waist, and hips. 

With activewear being mostly skin tight clothing, there isn’t a lot you have to think about when choosing something for your body type. Three things that will be helpful to look at though, are the necklines of tops and bras, the length of tops, and the cut of pants.

If you are an inverted triangle, for example, wearing halter necks or anything with really wide straps can accentuate the broadness of your shoulders. Or, if you are a pear shape, any tops that are super cropped or super long can draw attention to your hips. For a round body shape, a wide-leg pant will really highlight your slim legs. 

It’s also important to note that, especially with gym wear being so tight, other proportions such as torso length and height may affect the fit of your clothes more. It’s good to be aware of if you have a long torso/ short legs, short torso/ long legs, or are just taller in general. 

For example, if you have a long torso, leggings that are considered high rise may actually fit you more like a mid rise. If you have a short torso, mid rise may fit more like a true high rise legging would. 

With all that being said, how clothing looks and feels on your body will be unique to you! Let’s not forget that our bodies change, and for a lot of us gym-goers that is the goal. When you are hitting glutes three times a week with the intention of building a wagon, it is completely normal to have to size up to fit your peach into your favorite seamless shorts. 
Body_Types_Diagram

Size Guides


One glorious thing about online shopping is that most stores will provide a size guide. What a size guide is, is simply the measurements for that specific brand’s average size medium, small, large, etc.. 

The three most important measurements are bust, waist, and hips. To take your measurements, use a measuring tape and stand in front of a mirror, or get someone to help you. For bust, wear a bra without a lot of padding, hold the tape measure around your bust at the fullest point, and make sure that it is parallel to the floor. For your waist, the measurement will be taken roughly around the smallest part of your stomach, but to get the most accurate place, bend sideways like you are trying to touch the side of your knee; the point at which you bend is your natural waist. Wrap the tape measure around you, again making sure it is parallel to the floor. Finally, for hips, stand with your feet together, position the tape measure at the fullest part of your hips/glutes, and keep the tape measure parallel to the floor. If you don’t have a tape measure you can use a string, mark where it hits and then measure it with a flat ruler.

Now that you’ve taken your measurements, compare them to the size guide to get your ideal size range. Odds are that you won’t fit perfectly into one size. Your chest may be smaller than your glutes, or vice versa. Your caboose might be a size medium and your waist may be a size small. This is where you have to use that beautiful brain of yours and decide how you would be most comfortable in your clothing. Would you size up to a medium to fit your tush, or would you size down to a small for more compression on your nonexistent waist? 

Read reviews


One of the best ways to help you determine your size and what styles will work best for you is to read reviews! It’s important to take everything with a grain of salt, because when people write/ record reviews of products they are typically giving their opinions of the products based on their bodies. So, while your favorite influencer may not love the length of that new cropped tank, it may be perfect for you. Or, if someone reviews a new legging that they absolutely love because it’s super compressive, you may want to skip that one if you tend to wear more comfortable clothing. 

You may not be able to find someone with your exact body type for every item, but getting a general vibe for how the masses are liking something can help a lot. And we are all in this together, so post the video, write the review, and share with friends! You might inspire someone to step into the gym or try a new look. 🥳

Don’t take it too seriously 


There is so much pressure to look a certain way and dress a certain way, especially in gym culture. That’s why it is so important to stay true to you. “Yeah yeah, I know” (we all say in unison). But the gym is truly so much more enjoyable when we are comfortable in our clothes. What do they always say? Look good, feel good, lift good? The point is– wear the cute fits, try that new crazy color, be a trend setter, but most importantly, dress for you and your body– nobody else. (Ugh so cheesy!)

P.S. We hope you love all your new activewear, you cuties! 😘