Accurate clothing measurements are essential for a variety of reasons. Whether you’re sewing your own garments, shopping online, tailoring existing clothes, or even selling items on platforms like eBay or Etsy, precise measurements ensure a perfect fit and minimize returns. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of taking accurate clothing measurements, providing detailed instructions, tips, and tricks to help you master this invaluable skill.
Why Accurate Clothing Measurements Matter
Before we delve into the specifics, let’s understand why accurate measurements are so crucial:
- Perfect Fit: Knowing your measurements, or the measurements of a garment, allows you to choose clothes that fit properly and flatter your body shape.
- Online Shopping Success: Sizing can vary drastically between brands. Relying on measurements, rather than general sizes (S, M, L), drastically reduces the risk of ordering clothes that don’t fit.
- Sewing and Pattern Making: Accurate measurements are fundamental to creating well-fitting garments from scratch. They are necessary for adjusting patterns to your specific body dimensions.
- Tailoring: When altering existing clothes, precise measurements help tailors understand exactly where adjustments are needed to achieve the desired fit.
- Reselling Clothing: Providing detailed measurements in your online listings builds trust with buyers and reduces the likelihood of returns due to inaccurate sizing.
Essential Tools for Taking Clothing Measurements
Gathering the right tools will significantly improve the accuracy and ease of taking clothing measurements. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flexible Measuring Tape: A soft, flexible measuring tape is the most important tool. Ensure it’s in good condition, with clear markings and no stretching or fraying. Fabric measuring tapes are ideal.
- Non-Stretch Ruler or Yardstick: While not always necessary, a ruler or yardstick can be helpful for measuring straight lines, such as the length of a sleeve or the width of a hem.
- Paper and Pen or Digital Notepad: To record your measurements accurately. Using a digital notepad or spreadsheet allows for easy organization and editing.
- Full-Length Mirror: To ensure you’re standing straight and the measuring tape is positioned correctly.
- Well-Fitting Undergarments: Wear the type of undergarments you’d typically wear with the clothing you’re measuring. Bras and shapewear can significantly alter your measurements.
- A Helping Hand (Optional): While you can take most measurements yourself, having a friend or family member assist can improve accuracy, especially for back length and shoulder width.
General Tips for Accurate Measurements
Before you start measuring, keep these general tips in mind:
- Stand Up Straight: Maintain good posture with your shoulders relaxed and your feet flat on the floor. Avoid slouching or tilting your body.
- Breathe Normally: Don’t hold your breath or suck in your stomach while measuring. Breathe naturally to obtain accurate measurements.
- Keep the Tape Measure Level: Ensure the measuring tape is parallel to the floor for horizontal measurements (e.g., bust, waist, hips) and perpendicular to the floor for vertical measurements (e.g., length).
- Measure Twice (or Thrice!): It’s always a good idea to take each measurement twice or even three times to ensure consistency and accuracy. If there are discrepancies, take an average.
- Record Measurements in Inches or Centimeters: Choose one unit of measurement and stick to it throughout the process. Most patterns and sizing charts use inches or centimeters.
- Measure Over the Proper Undergarments: As mentioned above, always wear the type of undergarments that you would wear with the specific garment you’re measuring.
- Round Up or Down Appropriately: When rounding, follow the convention of your pattern or sizing chart. Generally, rounding to the nearest quarter inch or half centimeter is sufficient.
- Note Where You’re Measuring From: Always note the starting point for each measurement. For example, when measuring sleeve length, specify whether you’re measuring from the shoulder seam or the center back of the neck.
Taking Body Measurements: A Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s a detailed guide to taking common body measurements. It is important to take these measurements without clothing, or over very thin clothing that doesn’t alter your body shape.
- Bust/Chest:
- Wear a well-fitting bra.
- Stand straight with your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your bust, keeping it level all the way around.
- Ensure the tape is snug but not too tight.
- Record the measurement at the point where the tape meets.
- Underbust:
- Wear a well-fitting bra.
- Wrap the measuring tape directly under your bust, where your bra band sits.
- Keep the tape level all the way around.
- Ensure the tape is snug but not too tight.
- Record the measurement at the point where the tape meets.
- Waist:
- Stand straight with your feet slightly apart.
- Find your natural waistline. This is usually the narrowest part of your torso, located between your rib cage and your hips. You can find it by bending to the side; the crease that forms is your natural waist.
- Wrap the measuring tape around your natural waistline, keeping it level all the way around.
- Ensure the tape is snug but not too tight.
- Record the measurement at the point where the tape meets.
- Hips:
- Stand straight with your feet together.
- Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest part of your hips and buttocks. This is usually about 7-9 inches below your natural waistline.
- Ensure the tape is level all the way around.
- Ensure the tape is snug but not too tight.
- Record the measurement at the point where the tape meets.
- Shoulder Width:
- This measurement is best taken with assistance.
- Stand straight with your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Measure from the outer edge of one shoulder (where the shoulder meets the arm) to the outer edge of the other shoulder, across your back.
- Keep the tape measure straight.
- Record the measurement.
- Back Width:
- This measurement is best taken with assistance.
- Stand straight with your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Measure across your back, from one armhole crease to the other. The armhole crease is located where your arm connects to your torso.
- Keep the tape measure straight and horizontal.
- Record the measurement.
- Sleeve Length:
- Stand straight with your arm slightly bent.
- Measure from the outer edge of your shoulder (where the shoulder meets the arm) down to your wrist bone.
- Keep the tape measure straight and follow the natural curve of your arm.
- Record the measurement.
- Inseam:
- Stand straight with your feet slightly apart.
- Measure from your crotch down to your ankle bone along the inside of your leg.
- It’s best to have someone assist with this measurement for accuracy.
- Record the measurement.
- Outseam:
- Stand straight with your feet slightly apart.
- Measure from your waist down to your ankle bone along the outside of your leg.
- It’s best to have someone assist with this measurement for accuracy.
- Record the measurement.
- Torso Length:
- Sit on a flat surface, like a chair, with good posture.
- Measure from the high point of your shoulder (where your neck meets your shoulder) down to the flat surface you’re sitting on.
- Keep the tape measure straight and perpendicular to the floor.
- Record the measurement.
- Neck Circumference:
- Measure around the base of your neck, where a shirt collar would typically sit.
- Keep the tape measure comfortably snug, with enough room to breathe.
- Record the measurement.
Taking Clothing Measurements: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now, let’s move on to measuring garments. These measurements are crucial for comparing to your own body measurements or for selling clothes online.
Important Notes Before You Start:
- Lay the Garment Flat: Place the garment on a flat surface, such as a table or the floor. Smooth out any wrinkles or creases.
- Close Buttons and Zippers: Button all buttons, zip up all zippers, and fasten any closures to ensure the garment is in its normal wearing condition.
- Double-Check Seam Allowance: If you are using measurements for sewing, be aware of the seam allowances of your existing garments. If you’re trying to replicate the finished size of a garment, you don’t want to include the seam allowance when determining your new measurements
- Bust/Chest (Shirts, Dresses, Jackets):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Measure across the chest from armpit seam to armpit seam.
- Double this measurement to get the full bust/chest circumference.
- Waist (Shirts, Dresses, Pants, Skirts):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Locate the natural waistline of the garment. This is usually the narrowest part of the torso.
- Measure across the waistline from one side to the other.
- Double this measurement to get the full waist circumference.
- Hips (Pants, Skirts, Dresses):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Locate the fullest part of the hips. This is usually about 7-9 inches below the waistline.
- Measure across the hips from one side to the other.
- Double this measurement to get the full hip circumference.
- Shoulder (Shirts, Dresses, Jackets):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Measure from the edge of one shoulder to the edge of the other shoulder, across the back.
- Sleeve Length (Shirts, Dresses, Jackets):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Measure from the shoulder seam down to the end of the sleeve cuff.
- For a long-sleeved garment, measure along the outside of the sleeve, following its curve.
- Length (Shirts, Dresses, Jackets):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Measure from the highest point of the shoulder (where the neck meets the shoulder) down to the bottom hem of the garment.
- For dresses, measure from the highest point of the shoulder down to the bottom hem of the skirt.
- Inseam (Pants):
- Lay the pants flat, with the front facing up.
- Measure from the crotch seam down to the bottom hem of the pant leg.
- Outseam (Pants):
- Lay the pants flat, with the front facing up.
- Measure from the waist down to the bottom hem of the pant leg along the side seam.
- Rise (Pants, Skirts):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Measure from the crotch seam (where the legs meet) up to the top of the waistband.
- Sweep/Hem Circumference (Skirts, Dresses):
- Lay the garment flat, face up.
- Measure the width of the hem.
- Multiply by 2 for the hem circumference.
- Collar (Shirts):
- Lay the shirt flat, face up, and buttoned.
- Measure from the center of the button to the far end of the buttonhole.
Dealing with Stretchy Fabrics
Measuring stretchy fabrics can be tricky. Here are some tips:
- Measure the Garment Un-Stretched: Lay the garment flat and measure it in its relaxed state, without pulling or stretching the fabric. Note that this will provide the *minimum* measurement.
- Note the Fabric Content: Consider the amount of stretch in the fabric. A fabric with a high percentage of elastane or spandex will stretch more than a fabric with just a small amount.
- Consider the Intended Fit: If the garment is designed to be tight-fitting, you may need to subtract a small amount from your body measurements. If it’s designed to be loose-fitting, you may need to add a small amount.
- Compare to Similar Garments: If you have a similar garment that fits well, measure it and compare those measurements to the stretchy garment you’re trying to measure.
Creating a Measurement Chart
To keep track of your measurements, create a personal measurement chart. This chart will serve as a valuable reference for all your sewing and shopping endeavors. Include the following information:
- Date: Record the date the measurements were taken. Measurements can change over time due to weight fluctuations or muscle gain/loss.
- Body Measurements: List all the body measurements described above (bust, waist, hips, shoulder width, sleeve length, inseam, etc.).
- Clothing Sizes: Note your approximate clothing sizes in different brands or countries. This can help you translate your measurements into sizes.
- Notes: Add any relevant notes, such as specific fit preferences (e.g., “prefer looser fit in the bust”) or areas where you typically need alterations.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of clothing measurement takes practice, but with these detailed instructions and tips, you’ll be well on your way to achieving accurate and reliable results. Remember to take your time, double-check your measurements, and create a personal measurement chart for future reference. With precise measurements, you can confidently shop online, sew your own clothes, and tailor existing garments for a perfect fit every time. Happy measuring!