How to Measure Yourself for a Dress at Home
Most returns come down to a size chosen by habit rather than measurement. "I am usually a medium" is not a size — it is an average of every brand you have bought from. Ten minutes with a tape measure removes the guesswork entirely, and you only have to do it once or twice a year.
What you need
A soft dressmaker's tape. If you do not own one, use a piece of string and measure it against a ruler afterwards — the result is just as accurate. Measure over bare skin or thin underwear, wearing the bra you intend to wear with the dress, since a padded or push-up bra changes the bust measurement by several centimetres. Stand naturally, breathe normally, and do not hold your stomach in. A measurement taken while bracing will produce a dress you cannot breathe in.
The five measurements
- Bust. Around the fullest part, tape level all the way round and parallel to the floor. Check the back in a mirror — the tape riding up at the back is the single most common error.
- Underbust. Directly beneath the bust, snug but not tight. This is the measurement that decides fit in a corseted or boned bodice, and it is the one most people never take.
- Waist. The narrowest point of your torso, usually just above the navel. Bend sideways — the crease that forms is your natural waist. Do not measure where your jeans sit; that is your hip line.
- Hips. Around the fullest part, usually 18–22 cm below the waist. Feet together.
- Height, and hollow-to-hem if you want a specific length. Measure from the notch at the base of your throat straight down to where you want the hem to fall, in the shoes you will wear.
Which measurement decides your size
It depends on the dress, and this is where most sizing goes wrong:
- Fitted and bodycon — the largest of your three measurements decides. You can take a dress in; you cannot let out what is not there.
- Corset and bustier styles — underbust and waist govern. A boned bodice has almost no give, and the boning has to sit in the right place vertically as well.
- A-line and flared — bust and waist decide; the skirt will accommodate the hips regardless.
- Empire line — bust and underbust only. The waist measurement is largely irrelevant.
Full measurements for every size are on the size chart, and the corset sizing guide goes deeper on boned bodices specifically.
Between two sizes
Size up if the dress is corseted, if the fabric has no stretch, or if you will be wearing it for more than three hours. Size down only if the fabric is heavily elasticated and you have measured on the boundary. A dress that is slightly large can be altered at the seams for very little money; one that is slightly small usually cannot.
Re-measure when things change
Bodies change with season, training and time. Measurements more than a year old are a guess wearing a lab coat. Write yours down with the date, keep them in your phone, and take them again before any significant purchase.
Still unsure? Send us your measurements and the dress you are considering — we will tell you honestly which size to take, including when the answer is neither. In Calgary and Edmonton we can deliver two sizes so you can decide with both in front of you.