How to measure your body for clothing sizes
A flexible tape measure can make a size chart more useful. Measure over light clothing or close to your body, stand naturally and keep the tape comfortably against you without pulling it tight.
Chest or bust
Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest or bust, passing it under your arms. Keep it level across your back. Breathe normally and avoid expanding your chest for the reading. A mirror or another person can help check that the tape is straight.
Follow the retailer's instructions if they specify a different position. Do not confuse a flat garment chest width with a body circumference. A shirt measured across the front is not the same number as the measurement around your body.
Waist and hips
For a body waist measurement, find your natural waist and wrap the tape around it without holding your stomach in. A trouser waistband may sit above or below this position, so follow the brand's instructions when measuring for trousers.
Measure your hips around the fullest part of your seat with your feet comfortably together. Keep the tape level and avoid measuring only across the hip bones. Check both waist and hip ranges for trousers, skirts and fitted dresses.
Inseam and final checks
To check a preferred trouser inseam, lay a pair that fits you well flat and measure along the inside leg from the crotch seam to the hem. This is a garment measurement and reflects your preferred length. A retailer may instead ask for a body inside leg measurement, so check its definition.
Repeat each measurement once and use the chart's units. Convert inches to centimetres by multiplying by 2.54. For example, 32 inches is 81.28 cm, although a labelled 32 waist does not guarantee that a garment measures exactly that.