After 26 years of patternmaking, here's the truth about latex sizing — what to measure, what to expect, when to go custom, and the three mistakes first-time buyers always make.
Latex sizing is the single most asked-about thing in this material, and the single most misunderstood. The instinct most first-time buyers have — go a size up because latex is "tight" — is wrong, and so is the opposite. This guide gives you the real method patternmakers use, the math of how latex actually fits a body, and the three signs you should commission custom instead of buying off the rack.
Buy your true size, not a size up. Latex stretches in every direction and is engineered to sit flush to the body. A piece sized correctly feels like compression, not constriction. If you're between sizes on the chart, size down for ready-to-wear (the stretch will accommodate), and go custom or made-to-measure if you fall significantly outside the chart in any single measurement.
A pair of jeans is sized to contain your body — the fabric doesn't stretch, so the pattern is cut with ease (extra room) built into it. Latex is the opposite. It's sized to conform to your body — the material itself supplies the fit through stretch.
That changes the math. In a fabric garment, the chest measurement of the garment is typically 2–4 inches larger than your actual chest. In a Vex latex garment, the unstretched chest measurement of the garment is typically 4–6 inches smaller than your actual chest. The latex stretches to meet your body and creates a tension fit. That tension is what produces the second-skin effect.
This is why a perfectly fitted latex piece feels different from a perfectly fitted dress. You're meant to feel the material on you — not in a restrictive way, but in a present way. Like wearing a high-quality compression layer.
Take these in front of a mirror, wearing minimal clothing (a thin bra and underwear is ideal), with a flexible tailor's tape held snug but not tight. Record all measurements in inches.
Around the fullest part of the bust, with the tape parallel to the floor. Don't pull. Wear the bra you'd wear underneath the piece — that affects the measurement.
Around your ribcage directly below the bust. Critical for bustiers, corsets, and any underwire piece. This is the measurement most people skip and most designers actually need.
The narrowest point of your torso — usually 1–2 inches above your belly button. If you can't find it, bend sideways: where your body creases is your natural waist.
Around the fullest part of your hips and rear, typically 7–9 inches below your natural waist. Tape parallel to the floor.
Total height, head to floor, no shoes. Affects torso pieces and obviously catsuits and pants.
For a fully custom commission, we'll ask for additional measurements — bicep, thigh, neck, inseam, and others depending on the piece. But these five tell us whether the standard size chart will work for you.
Ready-to-wear pieces are graded to fit the following body measurements. Match your measurements to the column, not your usual dress size. Vex sizing is closer to true measurement than US dress sizing typically is.
| Size | Bust | Waist | Hip |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 32–33" | 24–25" | 34–35" |
| S | 34–35" | 26–27" | 36–37" |
| M | 36–37" | 28–29" | 38–39" |
| L | 38–40" | 30–32" | 40–42" |
| XL | 41–43" | 33–35" | 43–45" |
Each Vex product page lists piece-specific sizing notes — some designs run snugger or looser than the standard chart depending on the cut. Always check the product page chart, not just this general one.
Size to the larger measurement. The other dimension will be fine because the latex stretches. Example: 35" bust (S/M boundary), 27" waist (clear S) — order S.
Order made-to-measure. The 70% surcharge buys you a piece graded to your body. You'll have a much better fit than splitting the difference on ready-to-wear.
Order custom or made-to-measure. Don't try to make the chart work — latex doesn't fit well when one measurement is significantly off, even if the others are dead-center.
Three signs you should commission a custom or made-to-measure piece rather than buying ready-to-wear:
A ready-to-wear Vex piece on the right body looks beautiful. A made-to-measure piece on any body looks couture. That's the gap your money buys.
The most common instinct, the most expensive mistake. A latex piece sized too large bags at the joints, wrinkles at the natural waist, sags at the bust, and loses the visual signature that made you want latex in the first place. If your measurements say medium, order medium. The latex will accommodate small fluctuations — that's what it's designed to do.
"I'm a size 8" tells us almost nothing. US dress sizing has drifted dramatically over the last 30 years and varies between brands. The only reliable input is actual measurements. Take five minutes with a tape measure. It's worth it.
For any piece with structure at the bust — bustiers, corsets, underwire bras, structured tops — the underbust measurement determines the entire fit. People who measure only bust and waist consistently end up with corsets that don't sit right. Don't skip it.
A piece sized to your current measurements will continue to fit through ordinary body fluctuations — 5–10 pound shifts, hormonal cycles, post-meal variation. The latex stretches up to 200%+ before approaching its limit, so a piece that fits you today will fit you tomorrow even if today's measurements were taken on a good day.
For pregnancies, recovery periods, or any larger anticipated change, talk to us before commissioning a custom piece. We can build with future-proofing in mind.
Ready-to-wear pieces follow our standard return policy — listed on our website. If a ready-to-wear piece doesn't fit and is unworn, it can be returned for refund or exchange within the return window.
Custom and made-to-measure pieces are final sale, because they're built specifically for you and can't be resold. We mitigate this by doing extensive measurement review and sketch approval before production starts. Once we've agreed on the spec and you've signed off on measurements, the piece will be built to those measurements — but they need to be right going in.
For any uncertainty about sizing on a ready-to-wear piece, email us through the contact form before ordering. We can give you piece-specific fit advice based on your measurements.
Made-to-measure starts at the base price of the design plus 70%. Custom commissions start at $2,500. Both built to your exact measurements in our California studio.
