Lolita Sizing: How to Read a Chinese Measurement Chart
Almost every fitting problem with an indie Chinese piece comes from the same mistake: treating the size letter as the answer. Ateliers size by measurement, and the same "M" from two makers can differ by several centimetres. The chart is the specification; the letter is a label.
Measure yourself first, in centimetres
You need four numbers for most Lolita garments: bust at the fullest point, waist at the narrowest, hip at the fullest, and shoulder across the back from joint to joint. For a full-length OP or a skirt, add the length you want from waist to hem. Measure over the underwear you would actually wear with the piece, keep the tape level, and do not pull it tight. Write the numbers down in centimetres — converting from inches at every step is where errors accumulate.
Read the chart, not the size letter
A chart usually gives either a fixed measurement or a range. A range means the garment stretches or adjusts to it, and the top of that range is a maximum, not a comfortable fit — sitting at the very top of a bust range in a boned bodice will not be wearable for an afternoon. "Free size" or "one size" means one fixed set of measurements, so check it like any other size. Where a piece is fitted or structured, aim a little below the maximum rather than at it.
Shirring, boning and lacing change the answer
Construction decides how much the number can move. Back shirring adds real give and widens the workable bust range. Lace-up panels let you take a bodice in or let it out by a few centimetres. Boning does the opposite: it holds a fixed circumference and will not yield, so a boned corset or bustier has to fit at its stated measurement. A petticoat changes nothing about fit but does change hem length, because volume lifts the front hem — allow for that when you pick a skirt length.