Pants Fitting: Grading Between Sizes (Persephone Pants)

January 14, 2020

"What size do I pick if I have a larger waist size than hip size and can I grade between sizes?"

I often get asked this, and the simple answer is yes indeed you can! Even though the Persephone pants have no side seams, you can still grade between sizes. You will be grading at the front of the pants as well as the back of the pants, disregarding the side body area. I recommend sticking with one to two sizes apart. You can also let out the back darts for more room if needed.

FULLER WAIST TO HIP GRADING

Example: 14 waist/10 hips. Start at size 14 at the waist front/back and move down to size 10 at the end of the front crotch extension as well as the back notches. Continue down the leg for size 10, unless your thighs match size 14, in which case you would grade out, starting at the front and back crotch point and moving down the leg. Cut size 14 waistband and fly pattern pieces.

If you need to grade from a smaller waist to hip size, this essentially works the same (in reverse). The only difference is that you might consider adding side body darts in addition to grading between sizes, especially if you are more than one or two sizes apart.

SMALLER WAIST TO HIP GRADING
Example: 10 waist/14 hips. Start at size 10 at the waist front/back and move out to size 14 at the end of the front crotch extension as well as the back notches. Continue down the leg for size 14, unless your thighs match size 10, in which case you would grade in, starting at the front and back crotch point and moving down the leg. Cut size 10 waistband and fly pattern pieces.

For the waistband and fly pattern pieces, choose the size based on your waist size.