How to Measure Yourself for Clothes: A Women's Guide to Getting the Right Fit
Knowing your own measurements makes buying clothes online far easier. It is what lets you choose a dress, a tunic, pyjamas, a dressing gown or a pair of trousers that genuinely suits your shape. Accurate measurements are also essential if you are ordering anything made to measure from Linenshed.
Here is how to measure yourself for clothes. You don't need any special equipment. A flexible tape measure, a mirror and a few minutes are enough. What you do need is the right reference points and a natural, relaxed posture.
In this guide to women's body measurements, we explain how to measure your bust, waist, hips and inseam. You will also see how to read your results and how to avoid the mistakes that throw them off.
What you'll need
For results you can rely on, gather the following:
- a flexible tape measure;
- a mirror tall enough to see yourself full length;
- paper and a pen, or your phone;
- a pair of trousers whose cut and length already suit you.
A flexible tape measure is the graduated fabric kind that curves around your body. Unlike a metal tape, it can measure a circumference without leaving an artificial gap.
If you don't own a flexible tape measure, a length of non-stretch string will do as a stand-in: wrap it around yourself, mark where the ends meet, then lay it flat against a ruler.
How to prepare before you measure
Measure over bare skin, or over thin underwear. To measure your bust accurately, wear a thin, well-fitting bra without heavy padding.
Thick clothing can add several centimetres and distort the result.
Before you start:
- Stand in front of a mirror.
- Keep your back straight, without stretching taller than usual.
- Relax your shoulders.
- Breathe normally.
- Don't hold your stomach in.
- Keep your feet parallel.
- Don't pull the tape tight.
- Check that the tape stays level.
The tape should follow the curves of your body without compressing your skin. It shouldn't leave a gap between the tape and your body either.
Take each measurement twice. If the two results differ by more than a centimetre, take a third reading to settle it.
How to measure your bust
Your bust is one of the most important measurements for choosing a dress, a tunic, a shirt, pyjamas or a dressing gown.
To measure it correctly:
- Place the tape around the fullest part of your bust.
- Run it under your arms.
- Keep your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Check in the mirror that the tape stays level across your back.
- Breathe normally.
- Read the result without pulling the tape tight.
The tape should follow your bust without compressing it. Avoid pushing your chest forward or holding your breath while you measure.
For a loose-fitting piece such as a linen dressing gown, tunic or set of pyjamas, a certain amount of ease is normally added to this measurement.
Ease is the extra room built in between the dimensions of your body and those of the garment, so that you can move freely and stay comfortable.
How to measure your natural waist
Your natural waist is the circumference of the generally narrowest part of your torso, between your ribs and your hips.
To find this point easily, lean your upper body gently to one side. The crease that forms generally marks your natural waist.
Place the tape around that area. Keep your stomach relaxed and breathe normally. The tape should stay level.
Don't hold your stomach in to get a smaller number: the measurement should match your natural posture.
Your natural waist doesn't necessarily sit where the waistband of your trousers or skirt rests.
Natural waist or waistband: what's the difference?
Your natural waist is generally measured at the narrowest part of your torso. It is particularly useful for dresses, fitted pieces and some high-waisted skirts or trousers.
Your waistband measurement is taken at the exact place where you normally wear your trousers, shorts or skirt. That can sit lower than your natural waist.
| Measurement | Where it sits | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Natural waist | The natural part of your waist | Dresses, fitted pieces and high-waisted styles |
| Waistband | Where your trousers, shorts or skirt actually sit | Trousers, shorts, skirts and pyjama bottoms |
When you're choosing linen trousers or shorts, your waistband measurement can be especially useful where the size chart gives it.
How to measure your hips
Your hips measurement, sometimes called your seat measurement, is taken around the widest part of your hips and bottom.
It matters particularly for trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses and pyjama bottoms.
Here's how:
- Stand with your feet together.
- Wrap the tape around your hips.
- Position it over the fullest part of your hips and bottom.
- Check in the mirror that it's level.
- Keep your muscles relaxed.
- Record the result without digging the tape into your body.
Your hips measurement is what tells you whether a garment will give you enough ease across the hips and bottom.
It is especially important for a garment made from a non-stretch fabric like linen.
How to measure your inseam
Your inseam is the distance between the top of your inner thigh and the hem of the trousers.
It's the measurement that lets you choose the length of a pair of trousers or pyjama bottoms.
Measuring your inseam directly
- Stand up straight with your feet slightly apart.
- Place the start of the tape at the highest point of your inner thigh.
- Run the tape down the inside of your leg.
- Stop at the length you want.
- Record the result in centimetres.
This method is easier with someone else to help.
Measuring your inseam from a pair of trousers
When you're on your own, this second method is often simpler:
- Choose a pair of trousers whose length already suits you.
- Lay them flat.
- Fold one leg back to expose the inner seam.
- Smooth the fabric without stretching it.
- Measure from the crotch seam down to the hem.
The crotch seam, sometimes called the fork, is the part of the trousers between the legs where the seams meet.
Which measurement matters for each garment?
Not every measurement carries the same weight, depending on what you're buying.
| Garment | Priority measurements | Secondary measurements |
|---|---|---|
| Dress | Bust, waist and hips | Shoulders and length |
| Shirt | Bust and shoulders | Waist and sleeves |
| Tunic | Bust and hips | Shoulders and sleeves |
| Pyjamas | Bust, waistband and hips | Inseam and sleeves |
| Dressing gown | Bust and hips | Height and sleeves |
| Skirt | Waist and hips | Preferred length |
| Shorts | Waistband and hips | Preferred length |
| Trousers | Waistband and hips | Inseam |
| Jacket | Bust and shoulders | Waist and sleeves |
For a loose-fitting piece, go with the measurement that corresponds to the fullest part of your body. For a fitted cut, check every measurement the size chart lists.
How to read a size chart properly
XS, S, M, L and XL are not exactly identical from one brand to the next. UK, EU, US and French size conversions can vary too.
Before you order, check whether the chart gives your body measurements or the garment's own dimensions.
That difference matters.
A garment's own dimensions are generally larger than the body's, to provide the ease you need.
A linen garment doesn't generally have the stretch of a knitted piece. It needs enough ease, particularly across the bust, the hips and the waistband.
Worked example
Your bust corresponds to a size M, but your hips correspond to a size L.
For a straight dress, a set of pyjamas or linen trousers that need to stay comfortable across the hips, it may be better to choose the L.
That way you keep enough freedom of movement.
If you're unsure, go with the measurement that points you towards the larger size, and check with customer service.
The most common mistakes
Using a rigid tape measure
A metal tape doesn't follow the curves of your body properly. It can give you inaccurate results.
Pulling the tape too tight
The tape should touch your body without compressing your skin. Too tight a reading can lead you to choose a garment that's too small.
Letting the tape tilt
For your bust, waist and hips, the tape needs to stay level. Use a mirror to check its position across your back.
Wearing a heavily padded bra
A heavily padded bra can change your bust measurement. For a measurement that reflects your true shape, choose a thin, well-fitting style.
Measuring over thick clothing
A jumper, a heavy shirt or a pair of bulky trousers can add several centimetres.
Changing your posture
Don't hold your stomach in and don't arch your back. Standing unnaturally gives you measurements that don't match your body day to day.
Confusing your body with the garment
A garment's dimensions normally include an ease allowance. They shouldn't be compared directly with your own measurements without checking the method the size chart uses.
Working from an old set of measurements
Your shape can change. Take your measurements again before an important purchase or a made-to-measure order.
How to measure yourself on your own
Even though a second person improves the accuracy of some measurements, most of them can be taken on your own.
Use the following techniques:
- stand in front of a full-length mirror;
- check the tape from the front and in profile;
- use a second mirror or a photograph to check your back;
- hold the tape temporarily in place with a clip if you need to;
- measure a garment that already fits you well when reaching round is awkward;
- use a pair of trousers to work out your inseam;
- take each measurement twice;
- write every result down immediately.
For your shoulders, your sleeve length or certain back measurements, a second person's help is still recommended.
Frequently asked questions
Should I measure myself in the morning or the evening?
The time of day matters less than consistency. To compare several sets of measurements, measure yourself at a similar time and in similar conditions.
Should I hold my stomach in to measure my waist?
No. Keep your stomach relaxed and breathe normally. The measurement should represent your natural shape.
Should I measure on bare skin?
Ideally, yes, or over thin underwear. Avoid thick clothing.
Which bra should I wear to measure my bust?
Choose a thin, comfortable, well-fitting bra, the kind you normally wear under your clothes. Avoid heavily padded styles if you can.
Can I use a DIY tape measure?
A rigid tape isn't suitable for measuring around your body. Use a flexible tape measure or a length of non-stretch string instead.
What if my bust and hips correspond to two different sizes?
Take the cut of the garment into account. For a straight or non-stretch piece, generally go with the measurement for the part of your body where the garment is likely to be tightest.
What if I'm between two sizes?
Look at the cut of the garment and the fabric it's made from. For a non-stretch fabric like linen, the larger size can give you more ease and comfort.
Are online size charts reliable?
A chart specific to the brand and the product is your best reference. General conversions between countries are only ever indicative.
How do I check the tape is straight across my back?
Use a mirror, a self-timer photograph, or ask someone else to check for you.
What's the difference between the waist and the hips?
Your waist is measured around the natural part of your waist. Your hips are measured around the widest part of your hips and bottom.
Keep your measurements for next time
Accurate measurements make it far easier to choose a garment that's comfortable and suited to your shape. They matter even more for linen, a natural fabric whose elegance rests on a fluid cut and well-judged ease.
Write your results down on a card with the date you took them. Before each purchase, compare them against the size chart for that specific product rather than a general conversion.
You'll be able to choose your linen piece with far more confidence.
Explore all our categories of women's linen clothing: