Size Charts, Size Recommendations or Virtual Try-On?

Three tools, three different questions

A size chart, a size recommender and photo-based virtual try-on can complement each other, but they are not interchangeable. Start with the shopper's question rather than the label a vendor uses for its product.

This is a merchant decision guide from the founder of aisthetix. It is not a controlled accuracy comparison between suppliers. If you are still diagnosing low sales, begin with the fashion conversion guide; if returns are the issue, begin with return causes.

Size charts: what are the measurements?

A chart makes product or body measurement information available for the shopper to interpret. It needs clear units, measurement instructions and an explanation of whether the numbers describe a body or the garment itself. A generic chart may not explain differences between cuts in the same catalogue.

Start here when customers cannot find dimensions or do not know how to measure. Compare a garment they already own with a correctly described product measurement where appropriate. Our garment measurement guide explains that workflow.

The limitation is interpretation: having the numbers does not mean a shopper knows which fit they prefer or how a fabric will feel.

Size recommendations: which size should I choose?

A recommender uses shopper inputs and product information to suggest a size. Vendors differ in required inputs, product data, supported categories and treatment of fit preference. Ask to see how it handles missing measurements, unusual proportions, an unavailable recommended size and a deliberately oversized cut.

Evaluate the recommendation separately from any generated image. Check whether the supplier can explain what the recommendation means, how uncertainty is communicated and how performance is measured on your catalogue. No supplier's general success claim guarantees the same result in your store.

This category is relevant when selection between sizes is the main question. It does not automatically show how the garment will look on the individual shopper.

Photo try-on: how might it look on me?

Photo-based virtual try-on creates a visual preview of a shopper wearing a product. It can support a conversation about styling and silhouette. The image is generated, so inspect preservation of the actual garment, including its print, neckline, sleeves, hem and colour.

A convincing image does not prove exact measurements, stretch, drape, comfort or physical fit. Keep actual product photography, fabric information and size guidance available. If a tool also recommends sizes, assess that separate feature on its own evidence.

Choosing for an oversized streetwear collection

Imagine a merchant selling boxy tees and oversized hoodies. This is an illustrative selection exercise, not a customer case study.

• Use garment measurements and fit notes to explain the intended cut and distinguish chest width from circumference.
• Consider size recommendations when customers struggle to choose between sizes and the tool can represent the relevant product data and fit preferences.
• Consider photo try-on when the remaining doubt concerns visual styling or proportion, and test whether the preview preserves the garment's distinctive silhouette and graphics.
• Use real photos and video to demonstrate details a generated still cannot establish, including how the fabric moves.

A tool that changes a dropped shoulder into a regular shoulder may produce an attractive image but an unsuitable product reference. Judge against the garment you sell, not just whether the result looks polished.

Questions to ask before selecting a supplier

1. Which question does the tool answer, and which does it explicitly leave unanswered?
2. What shopper and product inputs are required? What happens when information is missing?
3. Is your category supported in the module you will actually buy?
4. Can customers complete the flow on mobile, and can they continue shopping without using it?
5. What happens to uploaded photos, and what consent and data-access requirements apply? Use the privacy checklist.
6. What are the subscription, included usage, overage, setup and support costs?
7. Can you measure purchases and returns without interpreting voluntary feature use as proof of causation?

From the solution category to a shortlist

For photo try-on on Shopify, compare aisthetix, GenLook and Antla in the selection guide. For size guidance, our Sizebay comparison distinguishes the product questions and the items requiring a demonstration or quote. Product names alone do not establish which modules are equivalent.

Keep the pilot narrow enough to inspect outputs and complete the purchase journey yourself. Define acceptable garment fidelity, required size information and a commercial measurement plan before launch. The evaluation guide separates an attributed sale from incremental profit.

Sometimes the right first decision is to fix a confusing chart or photograph a product more clearly. A useful comparison should help you reach that decision too.