HOW TO MEASURE YOURSELF FOR A DRESS
Gemma Thompson
- Lead Designer -
It should take 3 minutes to read this article
Measure yourself for a wedding dress or ball gown in less than 10 minutes with this simple guide.
BEFORE YOU START…
To get the most accurate readings, we recommend that a friend or family member helps take your measurements. We also recommend that you...
Put on the underwear you'll be wearing on the day, or a similar set
Wear the shoes you'll be wearing with the dress, as this will affect your height
Measure yourself twice - otherwise you may get an incorrect reading
Use a vinyl or fabric tape measure, not a metal one
Pull the tape measure taut when taking a reading, but not so tight that it digs in
Take your measurements in centimetres (cm)
WHAT TO MEASURE
To measure yourself for a dress or gown, you'll need to get measurements for the following areas.
BUST
Stand up straight and relax your arms. Run the tape across the fullest part of your bust and loop it around the widest part of your back.
UNDER BUST
Stand up straight. Run the tape under your bust and loop it around your back. The tape should run horizontal.
SLEEVE
Extend your arm and hold it straight. Start the tape in your armpit. Run it down to your wristbone to get the measurement.
WAIST
Stand up straight. Don't suck your belly in. You should feel comfortable and able to breathe normally. Start the tape an inch above your belly button. Run it around your waist back to the starting point.
UPPER HIPS
Stand with your feet together and your back straight. Again, breathe normally and don't suck your belly in. Place the tape on the widest part of your belly, and measure around to the start.
HIPS
Stand with your feet together. Start the tape on the widest part of your hip bone. Run it over the fullest part of your bottom, looping around to the start.
HEEL HEIGHT
Take off your shoes. Place them on a flat surface. Start the tape at the back of the heel, where the heel is joined to the shoe. Run it to the ground for the measurement.
HOLLOW TO FLOOR
Put your shoes back on. Stand up straight with your front against a wall. Mark the wall where the centre of your collarbone reaches (the hollow between them), then step away. Start the tape against the mark and measure straight down to the floor.
STILL LOOKING FOR A WEDDING DRESS?
We have several unique wedding dresses designed for brides who want something a bit different for their wedding day. Each dress is made by hand to your measurements, and is created from scratch in our British studio.
