Note that the clothes you see in www.iheartmatilda.com are always measured laid flat.

The measurements shown are the approximate measurements from only one side, i.e. we do not measure the front AND then the back of the clothing.

Some clothes do not have the conventional measurements of bust, shoulders and sleeves, as the designs do not allow for such measurements.

Most of our sizes vary from small to medium to large. We offer a lot of free sizes; however, these ranges are not accurately determined.

We recommend that you measure yourself.

Here are some guidelines:

Ready-to-Wear

Best Fits                     Small-medium                 Medium-Large                  Large-XL                     XL-2XL

To be more accurate, the best way is to get a measuring tape. Start with:

 Bust: Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your   bust and drop your arms to the sides to measure.

Waist: Measure around your natural waist and keep the tape naturally loose.

Drop Waist: Wrap tape measure about 1-2” below your natural waistline.

Hips: With your feet together, measure on the fullest part of your hips.

How to dress your body type?

 Apple shaped Body frames have broader shoulders and smaller hips.

If you are apple-shaped then you are in good company ~ other famous celebrities such as beautiful Elizabeth Hurley and Oscar winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.

What to wear: Trousers and skirts that are straight. Avoid very fitted or tailored garments. Avoid mixing and matching many different colours. Choose monochromatic outfits, as the use of just one colour will create an overall impression of length that will focus away from your width. Tops should cover the hip area and be worn over tailored trousers that flatter slimmer legs. Shorter skirts also help to draw interest to your lower body region. Light coloured hosiery (preferably ‘nude’) will help focus attention on your legs.

What NOT to wear: Garments with a lot of upper body detail (wide collars and lapels, shoulder pads etc). Pockets should be avoided as often these can be unflattering and attract unwanted attention to the upper body. Avoid Capri or skinny pants.

Pear shaped Body types have larger hips and smaller shoulders with a waist that is larger than the shoulders.

Famous pear shaped celebrities include singer Baby Spice and Oscar nominated actress Kate Winslet.

 What to Wear: A-line skirts/wraps are by far the most flattering for ‘pears’ as they slim the hips and emphasise the smaller waist area. Short, tight skirts should be avoided as these will accentuate the tops of your thighs, and divert attention to that problematic area below the waist.

What NOT to wear: Avoid light coloured bottoms and stick to darker blues and browns which absorb the light. Tops should be fitted and focus the eye to your upper body (beautiful necklines, patterns and colours). They should not be baggy as these will cover your waist, and instead should finish at the top of your hips so that your waist is emphasised.

 Banana/Ruler Shaped bodies have shoulders, waist and hips that are the similar in width. A Ruler is waif-like and slim. If she gains weight, she will probably gain it in the stomach and bum, while her arms and legs stay thin.

 You share your shape with the likes of A-Listers Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow and Courtney Cox.

 What to wear: Wear styles that have detail on the bust and on the hips. Choose designs that have horizontal lines, adding dimension to your shape. Consider unstructured tailored jackets with wide shoulders and lapels, or jackets with small lapels that taper at the waist line. Pair contrasting colours on the top and bottom. Pair full tops with A-line or pleated skirts. Wear wide leg pant and team with chunky knits.

What NOT to wear: Avoid high or wide waistbands and block colours. Also steer clear of patch pockets, large plaids, checks or patterns with vertical stripes.

 Hourglass figures have balance shoulders and hips with a smaller waist.

This is the most sought after figure. If you have this then you’re lucky. Hourglass figures when they gain weight, tendency is weight is distributed all over the body.

 If you are an hourglass shape, you are in the company of Halle Berry, Kim Kardashian and the classic beauty Sophia Loren.

 What to Wear: Choose shirt waist dresses, tailored jackets, straight skirts and slim pants. Tuck in blouses. Well fitting princess seam dresses will add length and show off your shape. Wear straight skirts, tailored pants or pair full skirts with close fitting tops. Wear contrasting colours to show off your shape. You can also use vertical stripes to give an appearance of length to your silhouette.

What NOT to wear: Stay away from Empire dresses or tops, especially if you have a full bust. Also steer clear of full tops with full skirts, very wide pants and pieces made with bulky, heavy fabrics.