Body Measurements | How to Measure the Body for Clothing

Every garment that fits well starts with a measurement of the body it is meant for. Shoppers take their own chest, waist, hip and inseam numbers and match them against a retailer's size chart before ordering; pattern makers and factories work from the same landmarks when they build a size spec, check production samples and fit garments on a fit model. This page is the starting point for the measurements section: it explains the standard body measurement methods — chest, hip, inseam, neck, sleeve, waist, dress length and more — and links onward to size charts, retailer measuring guides and the companion pages on measuring garments themselves, so the numbers a shopper takes at home mean the same thing as the numbers on a spec sheet.

Tailor's dress form beside a table with a soft tape measure, size charts and neatly folded garments, a small Apparel Search sign on the wall

More to Explore

It is important for both consumers and clothing manufacturers to understand human body measurements to determine how to manufacture or purchase apparel and accessories.

Consumers may need to take their own body measurements and then check a retailers size chart to determine the proper garment size to try on items in a store or purchase online.

Clothing factories would need to understand body measurements when developing size spec files and determining if the production facility properly following instructions. Manufacturers and wholesalers will typically utilize fit models to make sure that the clothing produce is accurate and properly fits the human body.

Here are a few resources to help you take measurements of your body or the body of a fit model.

Body Measurement Methods

Chest: Place tape measure up and around the fullest part of your chest, keeping the tape straight across your back. Keeping tape measure parallel to the floor.

Dress Length: Dress length is measured from the collar of the garment to the bottom hem.

Hip: Standing with heels together and with tape parallel to the floor, measure the fullest part.

Inseam: Measure from the crotch point to ankle bone.

Neck: Measure around the base of your neck. Pull the tape tight enough for a snug but comfortable fit. Measure around your neck at the point where a shirt collar band encircles the neck.

Sleeve: Bend elbow and measure from the center of neck on the backside at the base of the neck, to the elbow and down to wrist.

Waist: Measure around the smallest part of your waistline. Tape measure should be straight around waist where pant waistband normally sits.

You can also learn about the pant rise.

Additional resources regarding how to take body measurements for apparel and accessories:

Menswear

Men's Dress Shirts: How to measure your body for a dress shirt (Proper Cloth)

Men's Tailored Suits: How to measure a body for a tailored suit (A Tailored Suit)

Men's Trousers: How to measure for men's tailored trousers (A Tailored Suit)

Womenswear

Athletic Apparel: Body measurements for women's athletic apparel (Lulu Lemon)

Bras: How to take body measurements for your bras (Victoria's Secret)

Dresses: How to measure your body for a dress (Nordstrom)

Lingerie: How to take body measurements for lingerie (Victoria's Secret)

Panties: How to measure panties (Victoria's Secret)

Shoes: How to measure your feet for shoes (Nike)

Swimwear: How to measure bodies for women's swimwear (Venus)

Apparel & Lounge: Size Chart & How to Measure (Victoria Secret)

Multiple Items: shoes, boots, handbags, clothing, eyewear, accessories, and more: Shoe Measurement & Styles (Zappos)

Below are a few more noteworthy resources to review:

J.Crew - Size Charts & Measurements
https://www.jcrew.com/sizecharts/main.jsp?sizeChart=1,0

Overstock - Men's clothing measurements guide – suits, dress shirts, pants, etc.
https://www.overstock.com/guides/mens-measurement-guide

Simply Bridal - Body measurements for bridal fashion
http://www.simplybridal.com/shop/measurements/

Lands' End - size charts
https://www.landsend.com/customerservice/size_charts/

Anthropoligie - Anthropologie Size Guide and How to Measure
https://www.anthropologie.com/help/size-guides

Threads Magazine - How to Measure Up
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/4610/how-to-measure-up

H&M - Size Guide for Ladies
http://www.hm.com/us/sizeguide/sizeguide_ladies

Under Armour - Size Charts & How to Measure
https://www.underarmour.com/en-us/t/size-guide/womens-tops/

Russell Athletic Size Guide
http://shop.russellathletic.com/info/sizeGuide

Cutter & Buck
http://www.cutterbuck.com/customer-service/fit-chart

We hope that you find this information to be helpful. If we can do anything to help make your research easier please let us know. If you work in the apparel industry, please join in the discussions about garment fit and size specs at the Fashion Industry Network.

Thank you for using the Apparel Search website.

Clothing Size Guides

Why the Landmarks Matter More Than the Numbers

A measurement is only useful when everyone takes it at the same place. Chest means around the fullest part, with the tape straight across the back and parallel to the floor; hip means the fullest point with heels together; inseam runs from the crotch point to the ankle bone. When a shopper measures at a different landmark than the retailer's chart assumes, the resulting size can be off by a full size even though both numbers were taken carefully. That is why the methods collected on this page describe the tape's position, posture and tension, not just the body part — snug, level and relaxed is the standard that makes home measurements comparable with store and factory measurements.

Body Numbers Become Garment Numbers

Once body measurements are recorded, they feed two different jobs. For consumers, they are the key to size charts: a chest number selects a suit or shirt size, a waist and inseam pair selects trousers, and a hip number helps choose dresses and skirts. For manufacturers, body measurements are the foundation under the garment's own points of measure — the factory adds wearing ease and design ease to the body numbers to create the finished garment spec, then checks production against it. The companion pages in this section cover both directions: how to measure the body, and how to measure the clothes made for it.

Common Questions

What are the most important body measurements for buying clothes?

Chest, waist, hips and inseam cover most garments: chest selects shirts, jackets and suits, waist and inseam select trousers, and hips help with dresses, skirts and fitted garments. Neck and sleeve length matter for dress shirts and tailored clothing.

How should a tape measure be held when measuring the body?

Keep the tape level and parallel to the floor, snug against the body without pulling it tight, and measure over thin clothing while standing relaxed — for hips, with heels together.

Why do factories use fit models if they already have measurements?

Numbers on a spec sheet cannot show how a garment moves, pulls or drapes on a real body, so manufacturers fit production samples on fit models whose measurements match the size standard to check both the measurements and the feel of the fit.