Data for standard sizes was taken from soldiers, and according to the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, certain common ratios found in the measurements allowed for the “first commercial sizing scales for men.”
On the other hand, women’s transition to ready-made clothing did not occur until well into the
1920s. With the rise of the urban professional class, women were spending much less time at home and convenient ready-made clothing became “modern and fashionable.” Though some argued that mass production of clothing would result in a loss of individuality, there was enough support for the convenience and affordability to overcome that concern. Without the use of personal tailoring through the whole process of garment creation, poor fit remained an issue—especially for women. As the article from the National Institute of Standards and Technology notes, though, the solution to this problem came in 1937, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture developed a standardized sizing system. As the decades progressed, so did the fashions. Factories took over the duty of making military uniforms, and eventually women’s ready-made clothing became more available as well. Today, men and women