Fit and Grading Lead
Tom Braithwaite
Tom trained as a pattern cutter and spent six years on Savile Row before moving into ready-to-wear grading. He joined QuidBuys in 2022 to build the size range out properly rather than scaling the top two sizes up and hoping.
Every style in the catalogue is graded by him across the full XXS to 3XL run, with the block re-drafted rather than proportionally scaled at the extremes.
What he writes about
Fit, grading, pattern construction, and how to read a size guide that is telling you about a body rather than a garment.
Areas of expertise
Written by Tom Braithwaite
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How to spot a well-made seam
Flat-felled, overlocked or bound: what each one tells you about how long a garment is meant to last.
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What a good buttonhole looks like
Thread density, bar tacks and whether the hole was cut before or after stitching.
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Why we grade every style to 3XL
Extending a size range is not a matter of scaling the pattern up. Here is what actually changes.
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What GSM actually means for a t-shirt
Grams per square metre is the single most useful number on a t-shirt spec, and almost nobody publishes it.
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Why your jeans stretch by lunchtime
Elastane recovery is the difference between jeans that hold their shape and jeans that need a wash by Wednesday.
