I worked closely with Threads Contributing Editor Kenneth D. King as he wrote a comprehensive book on fitting. His goal in putting together Kenneth D. King’s Smart Fitting Solutions (The Taunton Press, 2018) was to teach the reader how to accurately identify key fit issues before jumping into making pattern adjustments.

Kenneth recommends a helpful method for diagnosing fit issues: photographing yourself in ready-to-wear garments from your wardrobe. These clothes send messages, usually in the form of wrinkles, that can help identify how your shape differs from standard sizes. As an unexpected bonus, the photographs may reveal your personal style.

Editor’s Note: This article highlights some of Kenneth’s foolproof techniques for solving issues of fit. For his complete explanation of how to read the wrinkles, decipher the message, and fix the fit issues, you can purchase Kenneth’s book at the TauntonStore.com.

We took candid photos of several volunteers wearing clothes from their closets, and made an interesting discovery. Each woman’s clothes told similar stories about her fit issues and body shape, no matter what the garments’ silhouette or style. The photos also showed each volunteer’s predominant style preferences. It did not take many examples before we could tell which areas consistently called for alteration to flatter the individual’s figure.

You can try this experiment yourself at home. As you peruse the photos of our…