Even within the same wardrobe, you may find yourself reaching for different sizes depending on the garment, the brand, the fabric, the cut or simply the look you want to create.

That's because fit is influenced by much more than the size on the label. Fabric, stretch, ease (the extra room built into a garment for comfort and movement), cut and the intended silhouette all make a difference.

Then there's something even more important: you.

We're all proportioned differently.

You might have a fuller bust and narrow waist. A smaller bust and broader chest. Rounded hips or straighter hips. A defined waist or a straighter torso. Longer legs and a shorter torso (or the opposite).

Two women can have very similar overall measurements and still find that the same garment fits each of them differently.

And that's perfectly normal.

This is one of the simplest ways to make a better size choice.

Buying a relaxed oversized shirt? Pay particular attention to the bust, shoulders and intended amount of ease. Your waist and hip measurements may be much less important.

Choosing fitted pants? Look closely at the waist and hip measurements, the rise, the fabric and whether it has any stretch.

Buying a flowing skirt with an elasticated waist? You may have considerably more flexibility than you would with a structured skirt.

Looking at a fitted dress? Bust, waist and hip can all become important, and you may need to choose the size that accommodates the area where you need the most room.

The garment matters just as much as the size label.

This is also something we think about when designing our own Desert to Ocean pieces.

Rather than thinking of each size as one exact number, many of our designs are created with enough ease to comfortably work across approximately one to two Australian sizes, depending on the individual style.

For example, a Small might be designed to suit approximately an AU 8–10 in one particular style. The cut, fabric, amount of ease and intended silhouette all influence that range, which is why we always recommend starting with the measurements and individual fit notes for the piece you're considering rather than relying on the size label alone.

We like this flexibility because bodies rarely fit neatly into one predetermined size. You may be an 8 through your shoulders, closer to a 10 through your bust and have completely different proportions again through your waist and hips.

That little bit of extra room within a design can help you find the fit that works for your body and the way you want to wear the piece.

It also means there may be some crossover between sizes and that's intentional.

You might comfortably fit both a Small and a Medium in a particular style, but each gives you a different look. The Small might sit a little neater, while the Medium gives you more ease, movement or slouch.

Neither is necessarily the "wrong" size.

This is where your measurements, the garment's fit notes and the silhouette you're trying to create become much more useful than simply asking, "Am I a Small or a Medium?"

We want our sizing to give you a starting point, not put you into a box.

This is where sizing can become part of styling.
The size that technically fits your measurements isn't always the size that will create the silhouette you're imagining. Depending on the design, you may be able to size up or down to change the way a piece sits, drapes and moves on your body.

Take a relaxed pair of pants. Your usual size might give you the intended fit at the waist, but you might prefer to size up for a more relaxed, low-slung look, sitting a little lower on the hips with extra slouch and movement through the leg.

Or you might do the opposite. If a style is deliberately oversized and you prefer a cleaner, more tailored silhouette, sizing down may give you the look you're after.

The same applies to shirts. You might choose your usual size for a relaxed everyday shirt, size down for a neater silhouette, or size up because you want to wear it open over bathers as an easy overshirt.

Neither choice is more "correct."

You're simply using fit to create a different look.

Before choosing your size, ask yourself:

Where do I want this piece to sit? How much ease do I want? Do I want it fitted, relaxed, oversized or slouchy? How am I planning to wear it?

Sometimes the answers to those questions are more useful than the size label itself.

Of course, not every garment can be sized up or down in this way. A structured waistband, fitted bust, fixed shoulder, rise or non-stretch fabric can limit how much flexibility you have. Always check the garment's measurements and fit notes first.

But where the design allows it, don't be afraid to use sizing as a styling tool.

Don't automatically choose the smaller one or the larger one.

Look at the garment and think about the silhouette you want.

If it's intentionally oversized and you'd prefer a neater silhouette, sizing down might give you the fit you're looking for.

If you'd like a little more slouch, ease or movement and the construction allows for it, sizing up may create the relaxed look you're after.

If it's structured through the hips or bust, you may be more comfortable choosing the larger size.

If the fabric has stretch, you may have more flexibility.

And sometimes the answer is simply that a particular cut isn't the ideal match for your proportions. That's useful information too.