Standard sizing is built around a set of body measurement averages, which by definition means it will not perfectly fit everyone. OFRIDA offers custom sizing for exactly this reason, and it is worth understanding how it actually works before you need it, rather than discovering the process for the first time under a deadline.
When standard sizing is the better choice
For most silhouettes in our range - the anti-fit and A-line dresses we cover in our dress guide, kaftan-cut kurtas, wrap styles - standard sizing already has generous room built in by design. These silhouettes are deliberately forgiving, and custom sizing rarely changes the outcome enough to justify the extra fee and lead time.
When custom sizing earns its cost
Custom sizing matters most on structured, fitted pieces where a defined waist or precise shoulder point is doing real work in the garment's construction. A tailored kurta like the Olivia A-Line Collar Kurta, with its more defined collar and body, is a better candidate for custom sizing than a loose kaftan silhouette ever would be, simply because there is more structure in the garment for a precise measurement to actually improve.
What the process actually involves
Custom sizing is available for an additional fee on request, and it works best with clear lead time before you need the garment - this is not a same-week service. Reach out through our contact page with the specific piece you are ordering and your measurements, and our team will confirm feasibility and timeline before you commit to the additional cost.
Measuring yourself accurately at home
The single most common reason a custom order does not fit as expected is an inaccurate starting measurement, not an error in construction. Measure with a soft tape, standing naturally rather than pulled in, and take each measurement twice on different days if you can - body measurements shift slightly day to day, and averaging two readings gives a more reliable number than trusting a single measurement taken once.
Custom sizing on appliqué and hand-painted pieces
Pieces carrying hand-applied appliqué, like those covered in our appliqué feature, need extra lead time for a custom order specifically because the embroidery work has to be planned around the adjusted pattern before construction begins, not added afterward. If you are considering a custom order on an appliquéd piece, build in more time than you would for a plain, unembellished garment.
The honest trade-off
Custom sizing costs more, takes longer, and cannot be returned or exchanged the way a standard-size order can, since it is made specifically to your measurements. It is worth it when a piece genuinely will not work any other way. It is not worth it as a default habit for every order - standard sizing, chosen thoughtfully using our silhouette guide, covers the large majority of what most customers actually need.
What happens if a custom order does not fit
Because custom pieces are made to specific measurements rather than a standard size run, a fit issue on a custom order usually traces back to how the original measurements were taken rather than an error in construction. This is exactly why we recommend measuring twice, on different days, before submitting a custom order - it is the step most within your control to get right the first time.
Custom sizing on co-ord sets
If you are ordering a custom size on a co-ord set, decide upfront whether you want both pieces adjusted or only one - a top that fits closely paired with a standard-size bottom is a completely reasonable choice if only one half of the set needs the adjustment. Mention this explicitly when you reach out, since a custom order defaults to adjusting the whole set unless told otherwise.
Custom sizing and returns
Because a custom order is made specifically to measurements you provide, it sits outside our standard return and exchange policy in most cases. This is worth weighing seriously before requesting custom sizing on a piece you are even slightly unsure about in silhouette or print - the standard-size version of the same piece carries far less financial risk if it turns out not to suit you.
A simpler alternative to full custom sizing
If only one specific measurement is off, rather than your whole frame differing from standard sizing, ask whether a minor alteration to a standard-size order is possible rather than requesting a fully custom piece. This is often faster and cheaper than a complete custom order, and worth raising as an option when you reach out.
Custom sizing timelines, realistically
Because a custom piece is planned and constructed individually rather than pulled from existing stock, realistic lead times run considerably longer than a standard order - plan in terms of weeks, not days, and build in extra buffer if the piece involves appliqué or a complex print placement that needs planning around your specific measurements. Ordering for a fixed date without this buffer is the single most common source of disappointment with custom orders across any small-batch brand, not just ours.
Communicating measurements clearly
When you submit measurements for a custom order, include not just the numbers but any relevant context - whether you prefer a closer or looser fit than standard, any specific area you want more room around. A measurement alone tells us what your body is; context tells us what you actually want the garment to do, and the second piece of information often matters more to the final result than the first.
A final word before you request custom sizing
Ask yourself whether the issue is genuinely about measurements, or about a silhouette that simply is not right for you regardless of size. Custom sizing solves the first problem well. It cannot solve the second, and our silhouette guide is a more useful starting point if you suspect the real issue is fit preference rather than fit accuracy.
Who custom sizing is genuinely built for
Custom sizing exists for the customer whose measurements sit meaningfully outside our standard size run, not as a premium upgrade for someone who fits standard sizing well but wants a marginally closer fit. If standard sizing already works for your body, the extra cost and lead time of a custom order rarely buys you enough improvement to justify it - save the option for when it is solving a real problem.
One more thing to know before you order
If you have ordered custom sizing from us before and it worked well, mention that history when placing a new custom order - your prior measurements and any adjustments made the first time around are useful reference points that can speed up the process and improve accuracy on a second order.
Custom sizing for growing or changing bodies
Pregnancy, recovery from an injury, or any other period of genuine, temporary body change is one of the more common and reasonable uses of custom sizing, since standard sizing is built around a static set of measurements that will not accommodate change over the weeks between ordering and delivery. If this applies to you, mention the timeline explicitly so measurements can be taken with that change in mind.
What custom sizing does not change
A custom order adjusts fit, not design - the silhouette, neckline, and construction details of the piece remain as designed. If what you actually want is a different design element altered rather than a different measurement, that is a separate conversation from custom sizing and worth clarifying with our team before submitting an order.
A short glossary for this process
Standard sizing: our regular size range, built for the majority of body types without adjustment. Custom sizing: a made-to-measurement order, built individually and priced with an additional fee. Alteration: a smaller, targeted adjustment to a standard-size order rather than a fully custom build. Knowing which of these three you actually need before reaching out saves time on both sides of the conversation.
When genuinely needed, custom sizing is worth the wait, and when not needed, standard sizing chosen carefully using the guidance above will almost always serve you just as well, at a fraction of the cost and lead time, and with the full flexibility of returns and exchange still intact if it does not work out. Read the sizing guidance on each product page carefully before you order, since that alone resolves most fit questions without needing to go further before ordering anything custom at all.