For help with fitting you can also click to watch below.
YouTube video 'Clergy Talk with Lottie'
I would say that the fit on our classic pieces, are NOT skin tight, close fitting garments. They have some room in, so generally I find if you pick the dress size you would normally wear, you're going to be on the right track.
You can find measurements for each style in the style description, the measurements are the measurements of the tops. So to get the fit right for you, find a stretch top you like & compare to the measurement chart of each style. (Please don't measure your body as it's likely you're top size will come up too big for you, ALL measurements are stretch top measurements, NOT BODY measurements)
What do the different collar finished too like at the back? See picture below of our various back neck finishes. Our standard back neck is loops and heart buttons with a keyhole opening at the back. We can also do rounded coconut buttons, a fully closed back or a Tonsure verison. You can now also add depth into our collars our standard is 1inch depth, we can now do 1.2inches depth We don't currently stock the extra depth in plastic collar inserts so these won't come with a collar.
Collar Sizing:
You will need to measure your neck with a tape measure to get your collar size right. Collar sizing is in inches, we recommend measuring your physical neck at the bottom (this is a tight measurement, make sure no other clothing is obstructing the tape measure) & adding an inch for fit (e.g my neck measures 13" so I would order a 14" collar size). For more casual outer tops you don't plan to wear under things you could add 2 inches to your physical neck size for a more relaxed fit.
If you don't like the idea of heart buttons at the back neck closure you can ask us for rounded buttons or back fully closed.
Please also note don't be too worried about doing and undoing the button and loops at your back neck, we do find a lot of the clergy can just stretch the tops over their heads without having to undo the buttons.
Style advise:
See below I have drawn some basic outlines of our different styles with style names so you can get an idea of the different shapes we make. (we do also make a basic men's t-shirt and long sleeved top)
All our classic pieces croptop, bib, sleeveless top, t-shirt and sleeved top are all based off the same pattern, so all very similar sisters.
-The bib is used more by part-time clergy, if find yourself having to change roles on the go. It allows the buttons at the side to come undone and can be slipped over the head without removing any other cloths.
-The croptop however is a better fit than the bib for more full time roles, as the elastic will hold the top in place. This style is used for layering underneath your current clothing and we find this is be our most popular style.
- The sleeveless top is our classic first piece, I prefer this style as I am a cold kind of a person so I am always wearing thermal layers.
- The T-shirt and sleeved tops are sleeved variations of our classic, the sleeve seam is dropped slightly compared to the sleeveless top to aid room at the armpit.
-The tunic is what we call a 'v' shape being bigger at the top and fitted on the hips. It also has a sleeve seem that drops off the shoulder which gives a lot more breathing room in the chest area. (be advised the summer tunic has a wide dropped sleeve finish so lifting your arm could expose your bra at the side, in summer this does provide fantastic ventilation, but we can close the arm up an inch for you if needed)
-The A-line is much fuller and looser at the hips, I find fuller figured customers prefer this style. It also has a longer back than the front for extra bum coverage.
Tailoring: We have now updated our styles so you can tailor your garment using the "drop-down" menus on the product pages at no extra cost. Please note: additional charges will apply (£15 plus postage) if the top has already been cut and sewn and you request an alteration.
If you'd like to do a fitting, please book an appoinment through the 'contact us' page and let us know the size and style you're interested in trying on. We're open 10-4pm Tues-Sat, at Mill Farm, WR6 6SP.
Thanks Lottie
Our story
We started sewing with bamboo in 2015 and we haven't looked back. It's the most wonderfully soft fabric to sew, we love it and we're so glad our customers love wearing our pieces again and again.
We're a family owned small business, passionate about sewing, so we sew all our pieces from start to finish with our small team of talented people right here in the Worcestershire countryside.
"We can make anything from bamboo, I used to go round saying. I'm a lingerie designer so I started making knickers and now we make vicars tops as well. So yes, now we make knickers and things for vicars"
Love,
Lottie x