Size Measurement Guide

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 for measuring your body:

• Use a cloth tape measure for maximum accuracy.
• Make sure the 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 to take are bust, waist, and hip circumference, as well as the inseam length for pants.

Bust: Place one end of the tape measure 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. Pro tip: wear a non-padded bra to get the most accurate measurements.

Waist: Wrap the tape measure around your natural waistline, which is located about 2 inches (5 cm) above your belly button. To check, bend to one side – the crease that forms is your natural waistline. Don’t suck in your stomach as this will give you inaccurate results.

Hip: Stand straight with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks, about 8 inches (20 cm) below your waist. Use a mirror to make sure 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 front to back.

Length: length is the distance from the uppermost inner part of your thigh to the bottom of your ankle. You can cheat by measuring the distance from the crotch to the hem of a favorite and best-fitting pair of pants you already own.