We did measurements today and it was absolutely the best measurements sessions I have had in my life.
This is a combination of many things
1. I redid the measurement sheet to be in an easy to measure order (I left one measurement off, but it is sort of obscure)
2. I worked with my advanced students on patterning a bodice from each other's measurements, so they could see first hand what each one meant
3. I did a session with my beginner students on how to be a scribe for measurements, and since they were interested, went over each measurement, and had the advanced students measure them.
4. Since we had done the tutorials, I was able to let one of my advanced students measure, so we could measure 2 at a time. Next semester, I think the other one will be ready as well, so we can do three at a time if we have enough scribes
5. We did measurements at callbacks, so stage management handled the actors filling out their measurement sheets and making sure we saw everyone, so we did not have to worry about calling late actors or keeping people moving along.
Usually measurements is three to four nights of absolute torture- it is after my day job, with untrained students, at the same time as rehearsal. I tend to get tired and start taking ridiculous measurements.
One question for anyone out there about men's pants measurements- I can totally tell by looking at someone what size pants to buy him, but usually both the natural waist (high waist) measurement and the measurement where they wear their pants is too big. The lower measurement usually by about 2". I would think this was just about the "baggy pants" trend, but I experienced someone today who was clearly a 30, and was wearing size 30 levis, who measured 31 at the natural waist, and 32 where he wears his pants. I usually solve this for designers by writing down my guess, but if they go by my waist measurement they consistently buy the wrong size! Help!
Do you buy pants in person? Can you actually measure the pants, rather than going by labeled-size.
ReplyDeleteIf you order online, maybe develop a "conversion chart" for brands you buy a lot?
The big problem is that I don't usually do the shopping. The designer or designer's assistant does the shopping, and they are using my waist measurement. So, if what I have measured for the waist does not match the size on the pants, they blame my measurement. I am assuming that the other people they work with are magic, and somehow know how to convert in their head to give the designer what is needed.
ReplyDeleteSince I work with college students, they pretty much only range in size from 28 -36, and I have much more luck just looking at them judgeing their size. The men who are larger have tended to know what size pant they wore.
I think I will have to tell the designer just to make sure they measure the pants instead of going by the size on them.