How to Measure Yourself for Clothing
Every size recommendation on SizeSimply comes from your body measurements, so a few careful minutes here pay off at every brand. All you need is a soft tape measure and, ideally, a hand from a friend. Measure once, and we’ll size you everywhere.
What you’ll need
- A soft cloth tape measure (or a piece of string you mark and hold against a ruler)
- A thin shirt, or bare skin — never a bulky sweater
- A mirror, or a friend to help keep the tape level
The three that matter most
Chest, waist and hip are all the calculator needs to size you across most brands. Take these first.
Chest
Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your chest and the widest part of your back, just under your arms. Keep it level all the way around and breathe normally.
Tip Don’t puff up or hold your breath — measure relaxed, over a thin shirt or bare skin.
Waist
Find your natural waist — the narrowest part of your torso, usually just above your belly button — and measure around it with the tape level.
Tip This is your body’s waist, not where your jeans sit (which is often a few inches lower).
Hip
Stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips and seat, keeping the tape parallel to the floor.
Tip It’s easy to let the tape dip at the back — a mirror helps you keep it level.
Others you might need
A few brands ask for these — mainly for dress shirts, jackets, and numeric-inseam pants. Grab them if a brand’s calculator requests one.
Bust
Wrap the tape around the fullest part of your bust, keeping it level across your back, and breathe normally.
Tip Not the same as a chest measurement (which sits under the arms) — brands vary on whether to measure over a bra, so check their guide’s note.
Neck
Measure around the base of your neck, where a collar sits, and slip one finger under the tape for room.
Tip Snug, not tight — you should be able to fasten the top button comfortably.
Sleeve
Bend your arm slightly and measure from the center back of your neck, across your shoulder, and down to your wrist.
Tip A helper makes this one far easier — and more accurate — than doing it solo.
Inseam
Measure from the crotch straight down the inside of your leg to your ankle bone.
Tip Or lay a pair of pants that already fit you well flat, and measure their inseam instead.
Tips for an accurate measurement
- Keep the tape snug but not tight — it shouldn’t compress your skin.
- Keep it level all the way around; a tape that dips adds inches.
- Measure over bare skin or a thin layer, not a jumper or jacket.
- Stand relaxed and breathe normally — don’t suck in or puff out.
- Measure twice and take the average; it’s easy to be off by half an inch.
Measure your body, not a garment
Brand size charts list body measurements — what to measure on you — and SizeSimply sizes you from those. If you instead measure a shirt that fits and read it off the chart, you’ll usually land a size off, because finished garments are cut looser than the body underneath.