In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to take the measurements needed to order online. It is actually very easy but there are a lot of people who do not understand how to take proper measurements.
Supplies:
- Cloth Measuring Tape
Directions:
- Measuring the Bust
Place the tape around the chest at the largest part of the bust. The tape should fit nicely around the chest without being too loose or too tight. Do not add any extra room.
- Measuring the Waist
Next will be the waist. Many people think they should measure the waist where the waistband on a pair of pants sits. That is not the correct spot. The proper spot is where your natural waistline sits. Imagine if you put a big rubber band around the middle of your torso and then moved and gyrated around. The rubber band would move to the smallest part of your torso. That is your natural waistline. Again, do not pull the measuring tape too tight or too loose. It should be comfortable. That will give you your accurate waist measurement.
- Measuring the Hips
The hips will be the next measurement. Your hips are the widest part of the lower half of your body. If you bend your knees up and sit, usually the hips are right at the bottom of the torso where your legs bend perpendicular to your torso. Once you get that widest point, you will have the natural hip line. If you are measuring higher or lower than the natural hip line, you will get an inaccurate, and larger, measurement for your hips. Again, do not pull the measuring tape too tight or too loose.
- Measuring the Girth
The next measurement is the girth. The girth measurement is really important when ordering things like leotards or unitards. To measure the girth, place the end of the measuring tape at the shoulder, bring the tape down the front of the torso, between the legs at the crotch, then bring the tape up the back of the torso and so that it meets the beginning of the tape at the shoulder. You do not want to pull it tight. It should be comfortable. You want it taut but not too tight. One thing to think about is the girl’s posture while being measured. It is important that the girl does not slouch or stretch herself out. Either position will throw the measurement off and it will be different than the true measurement. If she is slouching, the measurement will be too short and when she stands normally, the leotard will be too tight in the crotch. On the other hand, if she tightens up and pull her shoulders up, the measurement will be too large and the leotard will be too loose. The bottom line is the girl should stand naturally while you are taking any measurements, especially the girth.
- Measuring the Inseam
Another important measurement is the inseam. For this measurement, take the tape measure and place the end of it right at the crotch line where she normally wears her pants. Then bring the other end of the tape measure all the way down to the floor. You do want to stop a little bit above the floor so that the pants are not dragging on the floor when she walks. You can determine how much above the floor you want the pants to end. When you do that, you will get the exact length for the inside seam of the pants. If the girl is going to wear higher shoes, you need to make sure that she is wearing those shoes when you take the measurements. Otherwise, the length of the inseam will be too short. If she is going to wear a jazz shoe and does not have it with her, I would suggest that you measure her while she is barefoot. I have found that if I she is barefoot and I extend the measuring tape to the floor, the inseam length will be perfect when she is wearing a jazz shoe.
It is really that easy to take these measurements and when you go on our website to purchase something, these are the measurements you are going to need. If you are buying a sports bra or a leotard, the bust will come in handy. But, for a leotard, the most important measurement is the girth. With pants, hips are the most important measurement and then the inseam. For shorts, the hip measurement is the most important. The waistband on shorts usually sits a little lower than the natural waistline so that is why the hips are the most important.
If you have any questions or need more information, feel free to email us or give us a call. We will be happy to help.
