How to Measure Your Body for Clothing

 

General Rules of Thumb

Although many people think that taking accurate body measurements yourself is super hard, it’s really not – all you have to do is know exactly where to place the tape measure and the rest will follow.

Here are Some Easy-To-Follow Instructions Before Measuring Your Body

• Use a measuring tape for maximum accuracy (flexible tape, if possible).
• Make sure the measuring tape is level and neither too tight nor too loose.
• Measure on bare skin, not over clothes.

 

How to Measure for Women’s Clothing

When measuring yourself for a piece of women’s clothing, the most important measurements are:

• Bust
• Waist
• Hip circumference
• Inseam length for pants

How to measure bust: Place one end of the measuring tape at the fullest part of your bust and wrap it around going under your armpits and shoulder blades back to the front. Keep the tape snug but not too tight.

TIP: Wear a non-padded bra to get the most accurate measurements.

How to measure waist: Wrap the tape measure across your natural waistline, which is located about 5 cm above your belly button. To check, bend to one side – the crease that forms is your natural waistline.

TIP: Don’t suck in your stomach as this will give you inaccurate results.

How to measure hips: Stand straight with your feet together and measure across the fullest part of your hips and buttocks, about 20 cm below your waist. Use a mirror to see if the tape is as level as possible. You can also take measurements of your thigh by locating the fullest part of your thigh and wrapping the tape measure around from side seam to side seam.

How to measure inseam: This type of measurement is taken only for pants (jeans, trousers, shorts). The inseam is the distance from the top inside of your thigh to the bottom of your ankle. You can cheat by measuring the distance from the crotch to the hem of the favorite, best-fitting pair of pants you already own. If you choose the latter option – make sure you place your pants on a flat hard surface and smooth out any bumps or wrinkles to get the most accurate results.

Body Measurements and Size Chart: How Do They Correspond?

When looking for clothes online, look for a size chart next to each garment you want to buy. In most cases, such a chart will include measurements for the waist, hips, and bust. Now that you know the measurements of your body – it’s easy to figure out what size to choose.

 

Note: Different brands have different size charts, so it is important to check them every time you make an online purchase.