Put most of a first order into the middle sizes, M and L, and keep thinner quantities at the two ends of the range. The women’s dress size ratio first order buyers ask us about most is exactly that kind of curve, and it can be adjusted once you have your own sales data.
Every style in our white label women’s tops, shirts and dresses range is graded from XS to 3XL. The minimum is 50 pieces per style, and you can split those 50 across sizes however you like. This post covers how to read a size chart for these styles, which measurements matter for each one, and how to choose a ratio when you have no sales history yet.
Which measurements matter for each style
A size chart lists body or garment measurements for each size. For woven tops and dresses, the fabric has little or no stretch, so the key measurements decide whether the piece fits or not. Not every measurement matters equally for every style.
| Style | Measurements to check first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Shirt | Bust, shoulder, sleeve length, body length | A shirt fits at the shoulder; a wrong shoulder cannot be fixed by the wearer |
| Blouse | Bust, body length, sleeve length | Blouses sit closer to the body than tunics |
| Tunic | Bust, hip, body length | A tunic falls past the hip, so hip width matters |
| Casual dress | Bust, waist, hip, full length | Length and waist position change how the dress looks |
| Skirt | Waist, hip, length | The waistband is the fit point |
When you list these styles for sale, give the garment measurements, not only the size letter. Shoppers compare numbers against a garment they already own, and that cuts down on size exchanges.
Reading our chart against your market
Our chart uses letter sizes from XS to 3XL. Size letters do not mean the same thing in every country, and a shopper in one market may expect an M to be wider or narrower than a shopper elsewhere. Before you order, compare our measurements with two or three garments that already sell well to your audience.
If your market uses numeric sizes, you can print those on your size labels instead of letters. Tell us the mapping you want, for example which numeric size each letter should carry, and we will label to your instruction. Labelling requirements vary by country and are confirmed at quotation.
The sample is the place to settle fit. Order a sample in one size, ideally M, and check it on a person whose measurements match that size on the chart. If the shoulder, length or sleeve needs a change, we confirm whether it can be done within white label or needs a private label quote.
Choosing a size ratio with no sales data
With no past orders to go on, a bell-shaped split is the safest place to start. Here is one way to split 50 pieces of a single dress style:
| Size | Pieces |
|---|---|
| XS | 3 |
| S | 8 |
| M | 13 |
| L | 13 |
| XL | 8 |
| XXL | 3 |
| 3XL | 2 |
This is a starting pattern, not a rule. Adjust it for your audience:
- Shift the curve up or down. If your audience tends to wear larger sizes, move the peak to L and XL. If you sell mostly to younger, slimmer shoppers, move it to S and M.
- Drop sizes you cannot sell. If you have never had a 3XL enquiry, leave it out of the first run and put those pieces into M or L.
- Keep relaxed styles narrower. A loose tunic or a shirt dress covers more body shapes per size, so you may not need every size from XS to 3XL.
- Keep fitted styles wider. A fitted blouse or a skirt with a set waistband needs a fuller size spread, because each size fits a smaller range of people.
Splitting colours and sizes together
If you order one style in two colours, the size ratio applies to each colour. A 50-piece order split 30 and 20 across two colours leaves fewer pieces per size, so the ends of the range get thin quickly. For a first order, many buyers keep the full size spread in their main colour and give the second colour only the middle sizes.
The colour split per style is confirmed at quotation, as it depends on fabric availability. Send your size and colour breakdown with your enquiry so the quotation reflects it.
After the first order
Track three numbers per size once stock starts to move: units sold, units returned for fit, and units left. After one season you will see which sizes sell out first and which sit. Shift the next order towards the sizes that ran out, and trim the ones that did not move. Reorders are quoted the same way, per style, and the size split can change every time.
What to send us
Send the styles you want, your proposed size split per style, the colours, and the market where you will sell. If you are unsure about the split, send the sizes your audience usually buys and we will help you shape the first order. You can read more about samples and minimums on our minimum order and samples page.