Was wondering if anyone had any suggestions regarding a rough size breakdown ratio for maternity t-shirts. My current thinking (which is based on a thumb suck of note!) is S:M:L:XL = 3:5:3:2
It is for the South African market so I would assume we would be closer to europe than america in average size.
Any assistance and or feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Brian, that's a great question. As I mentioned before, the Maternity t-shirt market seems to be pretty untapped, so it would be hard to give a breakdown for that market.
By the very nature of "maternity", I would guess that going heavier on the larger sizes would be a good idea.
Maternity does not mean fat. Just FYI, in all maternity clothing, you continue to purchase your regular pre-pregnancy size so the breakdown would be exactly the same as other shirts for women. I wouldn't use a juniors breakdown since we're not talking about teen pregnancy.
Andrea, I see this is your first post. Welcome to the forums! He didn't say maternity meant fat. I think he was just trying to tell the op that if they were going to sell maternity shirts that they would have to be bigger than the normal size an unpregnant person would wear, hence the need for a maternity shirt. Since this is an untapped market, I'm guessing the op would have to buy larger sized t-shirts to use for maternity shirts. Then, they could relabel them if they wished to reflect the same size the person would normally wear. He was just saying that the op needed more larger shirts than normal. Rodney, please correct me if I'm wrong.
Again, Andrea, welcome!
I think he was just trying to tell the op that if they were going to sell maternity shirts that they would have to be bigger than the normal size an unpregnant person would wear,
As I said, if you are selling "maternity" shirts, there is no size difference. You can't simply buy a large regular shirt and call it a small in maternity, that's not how it works. If you wear a small, then you are a small even when you are 9 months pregant -- because you are buying maternity clothing that is designed to accomodate a pregnancy.
Maternity clothes are not simply larger sizes than their counterparts. If a pregnant woman wants to buy a large size shirt when she is normally a small, she can already do that. Most won't because a large shirt on a small pregnant woman looks absolutely sloppy and wrong.
If you are ordering maternity items, you do NOT want to assume that everyone is a large and extra large just because they are pregnant. If someone was a small before, they will most likely STILL be a small.
If you are ordering maternity items, you do NOT want to assume that everyone is a large and extra large just because they are pregnant. If someone was a small before, they will most likely STILL be a small.
That's actually a pretty interesting take. I hadn't thought about it that way and my wife has been pregnant twice.
If you are ordering maternity items, you do NOT want to assume that everyone is a large and extra large just because they are pregnant. If someone was a small before, they will most likely STILL be a small.
30 + years ago when I was pregnant with my first - a girl. My mother told me to buy a size larger in maternity than I wore normally. (Sizes ran bigger then they do now I think.)
I gained 20 pounds and the maternity clothes fell off me because they were way too big for me to wear. With my second - a boy, I gained close to 70 pounds and I had to borrow moo-moo dresses from a friend to be clothed at all - my maternity clothes were too small after the first 5 or 6 months.
My tummy went out (I could not reach the sink to wash dishes either) but I couldn't buy larger sizes in maternity tops because the rest of me was too small to keep them on - I tried some on and they fell down around my tummy and that is not how I wanted to wear my shirts in public
It's not really my take on it, it's just how the maternity clothing industry is sized by all maternity retailers. I'm just trying to save you the mistake of ordering 20 L and XL maternity shirts when the breakdown shouldn't be any different than normal sizes.
Andrea,
Thanks for enlightening us guys! Like Rodney, I too have 2 kids. When my wife was pregnant I never really thought about it being the same size. Now that you have pointed it out, it does make alot of sense. Bigger belly...not necessarily bigger body! I'll remember that. I'm sure you were thinking "dumb men!".
As I said, if you are selling "maternity" shirts, there is no size difference. You can't simply buy a large regular shirt and call it a small in maternity, that's not how it works. If you wear a small, then you are a small even when you are 9 months pregant -- because you are buying maternity clothing that is designed to accomodate a pregnancy.
Maternity clothes are not simply larger sizes than their counterparts. If a pregnant woman wants to buy a large size shirt when she is normally a small, she can already do that. Most won't because a large shirt on a small pregnant woman looks absolutely sloppy and wrong.
If you are ordering maternity items, you do NOT want to assume that everyone is a large and extra large just because they are pregnant. If someone was a small before, they will most likely STILL be a small.
You have to realize there are lots of men on here probably.. which have no concept of being pregnant, or have never shopped for maternity clothes =) LOL
But yes, I can 2nd her.. this is not a notion or idea.. Maternity clothes are designed to fit a pregant belly/chest - If you wore a small... you still wear a small... Now keep in mind.. some people do go up ONE Size.. because you swell up.. so even if you werent pregnant and swelled up - you wouldnt fit a small, you may be a medium.. BUT.. for the most part.. You purchase your PRE pregnancy size.. So a small is a small.. a large is a large... Regular t-shirts would not be maternirty shirts just by making them larger.. the actual design and the way the items are sewn/made are different and in mind for pregnant bellys =) I did wear TONS of my hubbys t-shirts when I was prego.. but It does look sloppy, like you have a huge baggy top around the shoulders n such.. but the belly was tight, It is comfy.. but not something you would wear if you wanted to look "cute" or "nice" in any way...
Ok - I'm done rambling.. you silly guys.. =) Its funny to think about the things we take for granted knowing or learning about.. I wonder how many "guy" things we women just never realized =)
In my quest for maternity shirts and figuring out sizing ratios I have found that observing retail store size quantities is a good source of information. Stores in my area indicate that very few pregnant women wear XS or S, M is a little more popular, L is by far the most in-demand, XL is about the same as M (maybe a little less), XXL and plus, though not very in-demand, there is a need for the sizes. Store personnel are a good source of info. and info. from on-line stores can be gathered based on which sizes sell out first. I know these methods aren't very scientific, but they may help.
__________________ Bella Pregnant chicks need cool shirts too
I think the front of the T shirt should be designed to accomodate the big belly. The maternity tees have to be different size from 7th to the 9th month.
Yes it needs to be designed and not go one size bigger.
Maternity T-Shirts - Size Breakdown 
