Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Ok so let's have some real talk here because I get why there are negative reviews and this is what cost the 5-star mark. The instructions SUCK on how to expand this thing but to aactuallybreak it means you had to be cranking it super hard. To get this baby to open up you need to start from the bottom up otherwise the gears will slip and it won't expand. ALSO NOTE THERE ARE FOUR CRANK PLACES AROUND EACH AREA!! YOU NEED TO CRANK EACH ONE EVENLY!! There is a tension system at play here so you are going to have to work your way around and up. Depending on how much you have to open it out you will also have to run through it more than once as it will only expand so far until you need to release it on the step above. My recommendation it to expand each section till you get your largest measurement fitted then shrink the other ones back down. ANOTHER NOTE push the key IN and then turn and when you are ready to stop turning carefully let it come back to you otherwise the gear will slip and slide in a bit (this does not break it but it makes an awful sound!!) It might take a few tries to get this down but once you get a feel for it, it isn't a problem. I had to study this thing for a minute to figure out why I couldn't open it and I can see how people misunderstand how to use it correctly as the instructions are crap however I got really close to my size and I am very happy with the product overall. I am a novice seamstress at best and only plan to use this form for myself and maybe one or two other people. Given its peculiarities, I wouldn't recommend​ it for someone who would be adjusting it constantly or at least only get one and get a feel for it first. Do not expect to rip it out of the box and be an expert at using it. If you have a form that goes to extremes (ie thin waist but got junk in the trunk) you might need the padding you buy for other forms to help fill out the bottom as this dress form can not expand to one extreme and have another section stay at a smaller extreme.