So 10+ years after I first fell in love with vintage Japanese kimonos (see my previous post), last May I was finally on my way to Tokyo - super-excited! As it was a short week-long business trip rather than a holiday, I decided to just focus on searching for Japanese vintage goodies. I was also very excited that my bestie Nutti was coming over from Bangkok and spending the week with me. I had booked a beautiful traditional Japanese style house for us which turned out to be a much better option than staying in a more expensive, and smaller, hotel.
We spent a lot of time scouring the super funky Shimokitazawa for beautiful vintage treasures. We also tucked into some delicious Japanese food & drinks, like matcha tea with dango - super tasty rice flour & red kidney beans snacks on skewers - and I honestly believed I'd gone to sake heaven after drinking both warm & cold sake with dinner. After tasting such delicious sake I'm afraid my standards might have gone through the roof now & I'm in danger of becoming a sake snob...!
We bought lots and lots of gorgeous vintage kimonos, some of which are already in the shop and others which are arriving very soon. Here's Nutti modelling one for an IG post.
At the weekend we went on the monorail for more buying at the Tokyo city flea market - in some of the vintage sukajan we picked up. And later... rewarded ourselves with some delicious ramen!
Tokyo was truly amazing experience: a super clean city where everyone moves in a peaceful flow so that it doesn't feel like yo're in one of the most crowded cities in the world. People are very helpful and polite and so mindful of other's space. The mouth-watering delicious food and the whole Japanese vibe had me feeling like 'I knew that I would love Japan but just didn't know how much' can't wait to go back with Ro and our daughter Sruti who's also a bit of Japanophile. She loves Studio Ghibli, anime and all things kwaii (cute). We're making plans for a proper family holiday visiting Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka in the near future and we're very very excited...
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Please use the size charts below to help you determine your size. As sizing and cut can vary greatly between brands, use the charts as a general guide to compare sizes and the measurements for listed item to ensure a good fit. If you need assistance selecting the right size, please contact us at info@meroretro.com or +44 (0) 207 6866807.
Women's Clothing Size Conversion (source: Wikipedia)
UK | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
USA | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 |
Europe | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 |
Japanese | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 17 |
Bust | 34" | 36" | 38" | 40" | 42" |
Waist | 26" | 28" | 30" | 32" | 34" |
Hip | 37" | 39" | 41" | 43" | 45" |
Shoe Size Conversion
UK Sizing | US Sizing | AUS Sizing | Europe Sizing |
2.5 | 5 | 3.5 | 35 |
3 | 5.5 | 4 | 35.5 |
3.5 | 6 | 4.5 | 36 |
4 | 6.5 | 5 | 36.5 |
4.5 | 7 | 5.5 | 37 |
5 | 7.5 | 6 | 37.5 |
5.5 | 8 | 6.5 | 38 |
6 | 8.5 | 7 | 39.5 |
6.5 | 9 | 7.5 | 40 |
7 | 9.5 | 8 | 40.5 |
7.5 | 10 | 8.5 | 41 |
8 | 10.5 | 9 | 41.5 |
8.5 | 11 | 9.5 | 42 |
Vintage Sizing and Measurements
Vintage sizing and modern sizing can be very different. Because of this, we provide detailed measurements of all vintage clothing to help you determine whether or not a garment will fit correctly. An assessment of the estimated modern size will be noted, as well as any sizes on the tag, but please refer to measurements to best determine fit.
A good way to determine fit:
* Find a similar item in your wardrobe.
* Measure it according to our measurement guidelines.
* Compare your measurements to those of the vintage item you are interested in.
* You're done. If it's a good fit, make it yours!
We do occasionally pin clothing to fit our models, so please read all measurements carefully. We do not accept returns for vintage merchandise that does not fit. If you have any questions about our sizing/measurements, please contact us at info@meroretro.com.
Measurement Guidelines
All bust, waist, and hip measurements are taken straight across while garment is laid flat. Please double bust, waist, and hip measurements.
Clothing
Shoulders | Shoulder seam to shoulder seam |
Bust | Armpit to armpit, and sometimes stretched for strapless or form-fitting pieces |
Waist | Measured at the smallest part of the waist |
Hip | Measured at the largest part of the hip, straight across |
Sleeves | Shoulder seam to cuff; for dolman sleeves, measured from collar |
Length | Top of garment, from shoulder seam to hem |
Rise | Taken from crotch seam to top of garment |
Inseam | Taken from crotch seam to ankle |
Swing | Taken across bottom hem of garment, then doubled |
Shoes
Length | Sole of shoe, from toe to heel, measured on the bottom of the sole |
Width | Measured at widest part of the sole of the shoe, typically at ball of foot |
Height | From bottom of shoes (including heels) to top |
Heel | Taken at the very back of shoe, from floor to top of heel |