To measure yourself accurately, you need a flexible tape measure, a mirror, and ideally a friend to help with hard-to-reach spots like your back. The core measurements most women need are bust, waist, and hips, but depending on whether you’re shopping for bras, dresses, or tailored clothing, you may also need your underbust, shoulder width, sleeve length, or hollow to hem. Here’s how to take each one correctly.
What You Need Before You Start
Use a soft, flexible measuring tape (the kind used for sewing, not a metal hardware tape). Wear lightweight, fitted clothing or just your undergarments. Bulky layers will add inches and throw off your numbers. Stand naturally with your feet together and your posture relaxed. Don’t suck in your stomach or puff out your chest.
Keep the tape parallel to the floor for every horizontal measurement. It should be snug against your body without digging in or compressing your skin. If you can’t comfortably slide a finger underneath, it’s too tight. If it sags or gaps, it’s too loose.
Bust
Let your arms hang relaxed at your sides. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest, typically right across the nipple line. Make sure the tape stays level all the way around your back. Don’t pull it tight enough to flatten your breasts. This measurement is the one clothing brands use for tops, jackets, and dresses.
Underbust (For Bra Sizing)
Your underbust measurement determines your bra band size. Wear a lightly lined, non-push-up bra so your breasts sit in their natural position. Wrap the tape directly under your breasts, right where the bottom of a bra band would sit. Keep it parallel to the floor and snug but not tight. Round to the nearest whole number.
To find your cup size, subtract your underbust from your full bust measurement. Each inch of difference corresponds roughly to one cup size: a one-inch difference is an A cup, two inches is a B, three is a C, and so on. Different brands use slightly different systems, so check the specific brand’s size chart with both numbers.
Waist
Your natural waist is the narrowest part of your torso, located between the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your rib cage. If you’re having trouble finding it, try bending to one side. The crease that forms is your natural waistline.
Clear away any clothing that might bunch up around your midsection. Exhale a normal breath (don’t blow all your air out, just breathe naturally) and wrap the tape around your waist so it’s level with the floor. Don’t pull it tight or let it hang loose. Record the number right where the tape meets itself.
Keep in mind that your natural waist sits higher than where most modern jeans land. If you’re buying low-rise or mid-rise pants, brands often ask for a “low waist” or “hip” measurement instead. Check whether a size chart specifies “natural waist” or just “waist” before assuming which number to use.
Hips
Stand with your heels together. Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks. This point is usually about 7 to 9 inches below your natural waistline, but the exact spot varies by body shape. The key is to find the widest circumference, not a fixed distance from your waist. Move the tape up and down slightly to confirm you’ve found the fullest point, then record the largest number.
Shoulder Width
This measurement runs across your upper back from one shoulder point to the other. To find the right landmark, feel for the bony bump at the outer edge of each shoulder, where your shoulder meets your upper arm. This bone is sometimes a bit further inward than the very tip of your shoulder, but you’ll feel a distinct bony point when you press around.
Stand in your normal, relaxed posture and have someone measure straight across your back from one bony point to the other. Doing this yourself in a mirror is possible but tricky, so a helper makes a real difference here.
Sleeve Length
Sleeve length starts at the center back of your neck, not at your shoulder. Place the end of the tape on the prominent bone at the back base of your neck (the one that sticks out when you tilt your head forward). Run the tape across the top of your shoulder, over the bony point where your shoulder meets your arm, then down the outside of your arm. Extend the tape to your wrist bone for a full-length sleeve, or stop at the desired point for a shorter sleeve.
Bend your elbow slightly while measuring. A completely straight arm will give you a measurement that’s too short once you actually move in the garment.
Hollow to Hem (For Dresses)
This measurement tells you how long a dress will be on your body. “Hollow” refers to the small dip at the base of your throat, right between your collarbones. Stand straight, wearing the shoes you plan to wear with the dress, and measure from that hollow point straight down to the floor (or to wherever you want the hem to hit). For a standard full-length dress, most size charts use around 60 inches as a reference point, but your actual number depends on your height and heel choice.
Inseam
For pants, measure from the top of your inner thigh (right at the crotch seam where pants meet) down to the bottom of your ankle bone. The easiest method is to measure a pair of pants that already fit you well: lay them flat and measure the inner leg seam from crotch to hem. This avoids the awkwardness of trying to hold a tape in your crotch area while standing.
Tips for Getting Accurate Numbers
- Measure twice. Take each measurement at least two times. If the numbers don’t match, do it a third time and go with the two that agree.
- Write everything down immediately. It’s surprisingly easy to forget a number between the measuring and the shopping.
- Stand on a hard floor. Carpet can shift your posture and affect length measurements.
- Re-measure periodically. Your body changes over time, and even a few pounds of difference can shift a measurement by an inch or more. Take fresh measurements every six months or before any major purchase.
- Compare to the specific brand’s size chart. A size 8 at one retailer can differ by two or three inches from a size 8 at another. Your raw measurements matter more than any number on a label.