Can someone please explain why, when wearing a standard size shape...

[Jennifer Boyle]

and wearing standard sized pants the same sizeI still need an alpha mask to keep parts of my body from showing through the pants?

Thanks.

[Tazzie Tuque]

because rigged mesh only moves at the joints; so therefore parts of the body will poke through with different movements you make.  Mesh moves but is not like SL clothes which are actually just textures over the original skin mesh of the avi.  The alpha allows for movement without the poke through.  Hope this helps.

[Rhys Goode]

Standard sizes have been a disappointment to me, they are no magic bullet.  Even with the included alpha masks, and using a standard size avatar, very few designers make clothes that look good other than in static poses.  Before I buy something in mesh from a designer I dont have experience with, I take the demo home, and have a close look while my avatar is dancing.  Sometimes I can fix things up by making a custom alpha mask, or by wearing the next larger standard size, but most of the time, they just dont work with my dances. 

Not all that much different than prim clothes really.  there are lots of designers who can make something that looks great in the static pose they use on thier box (and no I am not talking about photoshoping the promo pics), but dont look good at all when the avatar is in motion.  Only a few can consistantly make clothes that look good when you move.

[Ivanova Shostakovich]

Just as prim skirts have needed glitch pants, mesh clothing needs alpha layers. One bandaid exchanged for another. I am hoping deformers improve the situation.