What Does Hh Stand For On Clothing?

The letters HH marked on clothing tags and labels stand for “half hips”. It indicates a standardized measurement used for sizing garments, especially kids’ clothes. The half hip measurement refers to the circumference around the body at a point halfway between the waist and hip.

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Definition of HH

HH stands for “hand and half” and refers to a unit of measurement used for clothing sizes. Specifically, it indicates the length from the tip of the middle finger to the wrist bone with the hand and arm outstretched. The length is then multiplied by 1.5 to determine the HH measurement.

For example, if someone’s hand length from middle fingertip to wrist bone is 8 inches, their HH measurement would be 8 x 1.5 = 12 inches. Thus, a garment labeled as HH 12 would have a 12 inch measurement from the shoulder seam to the cuff.

The HH sizing system originated in the mid-1800s as a way to standardize men’s shirt and glove sizes. It became a popular method for measuring and manufacturing men’s dress shirts during that era. Today, HH sizes are still commonly used for marketing dress shirts and outerwear targeted at men.

Origins

The HH sizing system originated in Britain in the late 19th century. At this time, clothing sizes were not standardized and people simply referred to sizes like “small”, “medium” or “large.” HH sizing emerged as a more systematic approach to measure men’s clothing sizes. The two H’s stand for “half” and “height.”

The HH measurement specifically refers to half the height of a person in inches. For example, if a man is 70 inches tall (5 feet 10 inches), his HH size would be 35. HH sizes typically start at 29 (for someone 5’6″) and go up to 61 (for someone 6’10”). This height-based system provided an easy way for tailors to take measurements and produce well-fitted garments for their clients.

So in summary, the origins of HH sizing date back to late 19th century Britain, where it was developed as a logical and simple approach for standardizing men’s clothing sizes based on height. This new system helped revolutionize the tailoring industry.

How HH Sizing Works

HH sizing is based on inch measurements of the neck and sleeve length. The first H stands for the neck measurement, while the second H stands for the sleeve length. For example, an HH size of 15-35 means:

The neck circumference is 15 inches

The sleeve length from shoulder to cuff is 35 inches

The neck measurement is taken by wrapping a measuring tape around the base of the neck where the shirt collar sits. The sleeve length is measured from the tip of the shoulder, along the arm, to the wrist bone.

HH sizing is common for formal shirts, business attire, and uniforms. It provides an exact fitting based on inches, rather than relying on generic size names like small, medium, and large. HH sizes are useful for ensuring a proper fit, especially for tailored dress shirts.

Comparison to Other Sizes

HH sizing is larger than most standard or average clothing sizes. For example, an HH shirt would generally be much bigger than a medium (M) or large (L) sized shirt from the same brand. The exact measurements can vary by manufacturer, but HH is consistently at the upper end of size charts.

Some key size comparisons:

HH is larger than XL or XXL sizes

An HH shirt is similar to a 3XL or 4XL
HH pants are equivalent to pants sized over 44 or 46 inches waist
HH corresponds to size 18-20+ in women’s plus size clothing

So in summary, the HH tag indicates an extra large or oversized garment, bigger than the average medium to XL clothing. HH caters to those needing extended sizing due to larger frames or body types.

Usage by Country

HH sizing is more commonly used in the United Kingdom compared to the United States. Many clothing brands that originate from the UK will use HH sizing, while US brands tend to use numerical sizing like Small, Medium, Large, etc.

There are a few reasons why HH sizing is more popular in the UK:

HH sizing has been used in the UK for decades, so it is a standard that British shoppers are accustomed to seeing.
Some theorists argue that body shapes tend to be slighter on average in the UK compared to the US, making HH sizing a better fit.
The UK high street features many fast fashion brands that carry HH sizes, normalizing it as a standard size option there.

So while HH sizes are available in the US through British brands, the sizing is overall less commonly used by American clothing companies and consumers.

Usage by Gender

The HH sizing system was originally created for men’s clothes in the late 19th century. Back then, it was rare for women to wear pants, so most garment sizes were catered towards men. The letters “HH” stood for half hips or half hams, referencing a man’s body shape.

However, as women began wearing more pants and unisex clothing, especially in the 1960s and 70s, the HH sizing system expanded to include women’s sizes as well. Although it originated as a men’s measurement, HH is now a unisex sizing system used for many types of bottoms including pants, shorts, and skirts.

Both men and women can find their hip measurement in inches and use the corresponding HH size chart to find the right fit. Most clothing brands today use HH as a unisex sizing convention, making it easy for all genders to find their size.

Usage by Age

HH-sized clothing is primarily designed for and worn by adults. While some brands offer HH sizes in children’s and teen’s apparel, this extended sizing is less common in kids’ lines.

Most clothing manufacturers that offer HH sizes target their products at adult men and women over 18 years old. The average heights and weights that require HH sizing are not typically reached until after puberty and growth spurts during the teen years.

Within the adult HH market, middle-aged and older consumers are an important demographic. As people age, they often gain weight and find a need for larger clothing sizes. HH caters well to this population who can no longer fit into standard plus sizes.

Younger generations of adults in their 20s and 30s make up a growing segment of HH shoppers. With rising obesity rates, more young people require extended plus-size clothing. HH meets the sizing needs of this demographic.

While not as common, some teenagers may require HH sizing depending on their individual height and weight. Specialty teen retailers occasionally offer HH sizes to accommodate this subset of their customers. However, HH sizes predominantly target adults.

Brands That Use HH

Many popular clothing brands use HH sizing on certain items, especially those geared towards men. Some examples include:

Levi’s – The iconic jean company uses HH sizing across many of its men’s jeans styles, including the famous 501 and 550 models. HH sizing allows men to conveniently find well-fitting jeans based on their waist and inseam measurements.

Brooks Brothers – This preppy, classic American clothing brand uses HH sizing on its men’s pants and jeans. Brooks Brothers offers men’s pants in a wide range of HH sizes to accommodate different body shapes and heights.

Ralph Lauren – Many of Ralph Lauren’s men’s chino pants, dress pants, and jeans are sized using the HH system. This includes their Classic Fit and Custom Fit pants. Using HH allows men to find the optimal Ralph Lauren pants based on their unique waist and inseam size.

Bonobos – Known for selling pants that fit, Bonobos men’s pants are available in HH sizing. They offer an extended range of waist sizes and inseams to help men find pants with an exceptional fit. Bonobos also provides free alterations on all pants.

Carhartt – This popular men’s workwear brand uses HH sizing on many of its durable pants and jeans, including the Loose Fit and Dungaree Fit jeans. The wide range of waist and inseam combinations helps working men find optimal fitting Carhartt pants.

Future Outlook

The use of HH sizing is likely to continue declining in the future, but will remain in use for some time. Here are some of the pros and cons:

Pros:

HH sizing is familiar and still used by many major clothing brands and retailers.

For very large or tall individuals, HH sizes may be one of the few size options available.
Some big and tall specialty retailers primarily use HH sizing.

Cons:

HH sizes are less standardized than other sizing systems.
Many retailers are phasing out HH sizes in favor of more standardized sizing.
Consumers today tend to prefer standardized sizing systems they are familiar with, like numerical sizes.

The rise in online shopping makes standardized sizing more important for returns.

While the use of HH sizes is declining, they still fill a niche for some retailers and very large customers. But the overall trend seems to be toward standardized sizing replacing HH over time.