FAQs
THE STUFF YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO KNOW
Buying clothes online can be a bit shit.
You can't touch the fabric. Sizing is wildly inconsistent.
Every brand says their quality is “premium”.
Returns policies can require a law degree. And we've all bought something beautiful only to wash it once and wonder what the hell happened.
We get it.
So this is where we answer the questions we'd want answered if it were our money. No marketing spin.
No hiding the annoying bits. If we've missed something, ask us.
SIZING & FIT
How do I know what size I am?
Online sizing is a pain in the arse. A size 12 in one brand is a 10 somewhere else, and apparently we're all just meant to know what “relaxed fit” means.
So we don't expect you to guess.
Every product page has the actual garment measurements, our fit notes, model height and size, plus anything else relevant to that particular piece. Grab something from your wardrobe that fits the way you like, measure it and compare.
Still unsure? Email or message us before you buy. Tell us your measurements, usual size and what you're looking at. We'd much rather help you choose properly than have you deal with a return afterwards.
I'm between sizes. What should I do?
Don't automatically size up. It depends on the garment - fabric, cut, waistband, bust, ease and how we designed it to sit.
Read the fit notes on that product first. If you're still stuck, ask us. This is literally our job.
What if it doesn't fit?
Then it doesn't fit. You haven't failed the pants.
You can request a return within 30 days. Keep in mind that return postage back to us is your cost, so use the measurements and fit notes and ask us if you're unsure before ordering. We don't want you buying impulsively and hoping for the best either.
Why don't you show every size in the professional campaign?
Because the sampling process is expensive, and we'd rather be transparent about that than make up a prettier reason.
Our founder is a size 8, so development samples are currently made in a size 8 and fitted on her throughout sampling. Making extra samples in several sizes purely for a photoshoot can add hundreds of dollars to every style before we've sold a single one.
We use everyday women and mums in our campaigns rather than traditional contracted models, because we want the clothes to feel like they're being worn by the people they're actually made for.
We also know you deserve to see Patsy on more body sizes. We're working on getting finished garments out to women in different sizes for real try-ons, social content and website imagery. It doesn't always fit the professional-shoot timeline yet, but it's something we're actively improving.
QUALITY, FABRIC & PRICE
Will it shrink?
We've all bought the pants that fit perfectly, washed them once and suddenly they're three-quarter pants. We hate that too.
One of the reasons our manufacturing costs more is that our factory pre-washes the fabric before it is cut and manufactured. That's a step that can be skipped to save money. We don't skip it.
Our factory also carries out rigorous testing. Natural fibres can still move a little - they're natural fibres, not plastic - so always follow the care instructions for the piece. But avoiding the one-wash-shrink disaster is something we take very seriously.
How should I wash it?
Check the care instructions for that particular garment. Different fabrics need different things, and we'd rather give you the right advice than one generic rule for everything.
Our philosophy is simple: good clothes should be lived in, not treated like museum pieces - but treating the fabric properly helps it stick around.
Why are your clothes this price?
Patsy was never meant to be cheap shit, and it was never meant to be wildly expensive just because we could get away with charging more.
We pay more for a factory and fabrics that meet our quality standards. We produce in small runs. We pre-wash fabrics. We test. We reject things that aren't right.
Could we charge more for the quality we're making?
Yes. We've deliberately chosen not to. The whole point is to sit in that middle ground: really bloody good clothes, with personality, at a price that is still accessible to normal women.
We've been burnt by cheap clothes. We've also been burnt by very expensive clothes that weren't worth the money. Patsy exists in the space between those two things.
Where are your clothes made?
In China, in a small factory we've worked with for ten years. And we're not going to dance around the China part because we don't believe a country name tells you whether a garment is good, bad, careful or careless.
For the entire ten years, we've worked with the same contact, Jen. He has helped build Patsy & Clyde into what it is today. He knows our standards, he knows how fussy we are, and he knows what we will and won't accept.
It's a small manufacturer with small minimums, not a giant fast-fashion production machine. We paymore to work with them because, after years of sampling and manufacturing, they have consistently produced the highest-quality work we've found.
They pre-wash our fabric before cutting and manufacturing, carry out rigorous testing, and we've had very few quality problems over a decade together.
We genuinely explored Australian manufacturing too. Our experience taught us something important: “made in Australia” isn't automatically a guarantee of better quality. We choose our manufacturing partner based on the quality of the work, the relationship, consistency and the standards they can deliver - not because a particular country looks better on a marketing page.
For us, quality wins.
LIMITED RUNS & BUYING BETTER
Why do you make small runs?
Because guessing that a mountain of women might want something and then heavily discountingeverything they didn't is a pretty shit system. We would rather make small, considered runs, see what you actually love and make the next thing properly.
Yes, sometimes your size will sell out. That's the annoying bit. We'd still rather occasionally annoy you with a sold-out pair of pants than fill a warehouse with clothes nobody asked for.
Are you a sustainable brand?
We're careful with that word because fashion loves making enormous claims around “sustainability”.
Here's what we can actually tell you: we don't deliberately overproduce. We make small runs. We're picky about fabric. We're picky about design. We care about quality and longevity. We want to make it bloody hard for a Patsy piece to end up in the giveaway pile after three wears.
We'd rather tell you exactly what we're doing than stick a vague green label on ourselves and call the job done.
Do you restock?
Sometimes. If you lot absolutely thrash something, we listen. A great shape might come back in another colour or fabric. Sometimes when it's gone, it's gone. We know that's mildly annoying. It's part of producing carefully rather than endlessly.
RETURNS, EXCHANGES & SALE
Can I return something?
Yep. You have 30 days to request a return.
We don't want you stuck with clothes you won't wear. We also don't want to encourage buying five things “just to see” and sending four back. Returns create postage, handling and cost for everyone involved.
Use our measurements, fit notes and sizing help before ordering. Pick with care. If it still isn't right, email hello@patsyandclyde.com with your order number and the details and we'll start the return through Shopify.
Why aren't returns completely free?
Because “free returns” aren't free. Somebody pays for them, and usually that cost eventually gets built into the price everyone pays.
For a normal return or size change, you pay the postage back to us. If you're exchanging size and the replacement is available, we'll pay to send the replacement back out to you.
If we've made the mistake or the item is faulty, that's different. If we fucked it, you don't pay for it.
Can I return a discounted or sale item?
Yep - but all discounted items are returned for store credit rather than a refund.
Why? Because by the time we've heavily discounted something, there simply isn't enough margin left for us to keep absorbing the costs that come with refunds and returns as well. We'd rather tell you that plainly than bury it somewhere in eight paragraphs of returns-policy bullshit.
Your rights under Australian Consumer Law still apply if something is faulty. Sale doesn't mean we get to send you dodgy shit.
What if something arrives faulty?
Tell us. Seriously. Don't sit at home being pissed off about it.
We care enormously about quality, but we're also humans making physical things and occasionally something can slip through.
Email hello@patsyandclyde.com with your order number, the details and clear photos so we can see what's happened. We'll assess it and work out the appropriate fix - repair, replacement, refund or another remedy depending on the problem.
If we fucked it, you don't pay for it.
I received the wrong item. What now?
Well, that's embarrassing.
Email hello@patsyandclyde.com with your order number and a photo of what arrived. We'll sort it out and cover the costs involved in fixing our mistake.
How do I start a return?
Email hello@patsyandclyde.com with your order number and the details of what you'd like to return. We'll start the return through Shopify and send you the next steps.
Please use email rather than DMs for returns and order issues. It means we can actually keep track of the whole conversation and make sure nothing gets lost.
How long does a return take to process?
Once your return arrives back with us, allow around 3-5 business days for processing.
We'll let you know once it's sorted.
SHIPPING & ORDERS
How much is Australian shipping?
We keep it simple: $5 flat-rate standard shipping or $10 express shipping within Australia.
When will my order be sent?
We try to get orders out within the first 24 hours.
Sometimes real life, weekends or a busy release get in the way, so allow 1-3 business days. Three business days is the maximum dispatch window we work to.
Once it leaves us, you'll get tracking so you can refresh it seventeen times a day like the rest of us.
Can I cancel my order?
If it hasn't been packed yet, yep.
Email hello@patsyandclyde.com as quickly as you can with your order number. If we catch it before packing, we'll cancel it and issue a full refund.
Can I change my address, size or colour?
If we haven't packed it yet and the stock is available, we're happy to help.
Email hello@patsyandclyde.com ASAP with your order number and what needs changing. Once it's left us, our powers become considerably more limited.
Can you combine two orders?
If neither order has been packed yet, we'll do our best. Email us both order numbers ASAP. If we can catch them in time, we will.
Where's my order?
Check your tracking first. If it looks like your parcel has gone walkabout, email us your order number and we'll help work out where the hell it went.
Do you ship internationally?
Yep. We currently ship to the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Europe.
International shipping costs are shown at checkout. Depending on where you live, your country may charge duties, taxes or import fees when the parcel arrives. Those charges, if applicable, are the customer's responsibility because they're set by the destination country, not by us.
CONTACT
How do I contact you?
For general questions, you're welcome to DM us.
For orders, returns, faults or anything that needs following through, please email
hello@patsyandclyde.com. That's not us being difficult - it's so the conversation stays in one place and we can actually track it properly.